The Center for Restorative Practices

From the OPHD Center for Restorative Practices, this individualized or small-group Restorative Coaching Session offers a brave and supportive space for participants to reflect, express, and strengthen their capacity for restorative engagement and communication. Guided by restorative principles, these sessions are designed to help students, faculty, or staff navigate interpersonal challenges, repair harm, and build practical skills for empathy, accountability, and trust. Each session is adapted to the unique needs of the participant(s), fostering personal growth and alignment with our shared community values.

• Available as a 1-on-1 or small group format, as needed

• 60min, 90min, or 120min

• GOAL: Strengthen individual and collective capacity for repair and connection

• Request it here

Restorative Learning Sessions (3 or 6 Session Full Training)

The OPHD Center for Restorative Practices 12-module development program designed to foster accountability, strengthen relationships, and build healthier learning and working environments. Through practical tools and guided practice, participants learn how to address challenges early, communicate with respect, and collaborate more effectively. The program encourages everyone—faculty, students, and staff—to take ownership in creating positive resolutions, leading to stronger connections, smoother teamwork, and a more supportive campus community.  

• 3 weekly sessions at 120min each or 6 weekly sessions at 90min each or full day retreat
• Weekday in-person sessions followed up with a 30min Monday virtual recap/check-in
• GOAL: A core/comprehensive/foundational restorative practice curriculum
• Request it here!

Staying Skillful: Navigating Relational RePAIR (comprehensive themes) 

From the OPHD Center for Restorative Practices, this advanced Staying Skillful session is designed for anyone or any group/team looking to strengthen their ability to stay grounded and effective during high-stakes conversations. Participants will explore practical, evidence-based techniques for managing stress responses and approaching conflict with clarity and composure. The session emphasizes skills that help reduce misunderstandings, foster constructive dialogue, and de-escalate tension before it escalates further. Growth is measured through interactive scenarios that give participants the chance to practice and refine their responses in real-world situations.     

• 1-time session
• 120min needed
• GOAL: A restorative intensive/sampler with experiential exercises
• Request it here

Restorative Practices (A Primer)

The OPHD Center for Restorative Practices offers this primer as a streamlined introduction to restorative practices. This training is designed to build awareness of how accountability and conflict navigation improve campus culture and reduce delays caused by unresolved issues. Participants will learn the core principles of a restorative practices approach and practice simple tools for addressing disruptions at their source. The primer empowers participants to take the first steps toward ownership of resolutions, laying the foundation for more effective communication, stronger collaboration, and smoother operations.    

• 45-60min 1-time session
• Within a standing or scheduled meeting
• GOAL: A primer to the foundational restorative practice curriculum
• Request it here

Community C.A.R.E. Series (4 Parts)

The OPHD Center for Restorative Practices Community C.A.R.E. Series (Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility, and Empowerment) offers a practical framework for building understanding and resolving conflicts in positive, respectful ways. This program gives faculty, students and/or staff easy-to-use tools for navigating workplace challenges, helping to reduce stress and minimize the need for formal HR/OPHD processes. By fostering compassionate and professional communication, the C.A.R.E. framework strengthens Sonoma State’s core values while creating a healthier, more supportive campus for everyone. 

• 4 weekly sessions
• 60min each
• GOAL: A community engagement tool
• Request it here

The Restorative Well Series - Resilience, Environment & Community (3 Themes)

This Restorative Well series from the OPHD Center for Restorative Practices provides evidence-based training on the physiological and psychological components of professional resilience and well-being. Participants will learn to identify and manage physiological stress responses through applied nervous system regulation techniques, enhancing cognitive function under pressure. The program focuses on improving an individual’s capacity to maintain high performance in demanding academic and administrative environments. By cultivating an understanding of how environmental factors influence personal efficacy, this series empowers participants to model and maintain composure, directly contributing to a more stable and productive institutional climate.     

• 3 weekly sessions
• 60min each
• GOAL: A campus climate and supportive well-being offering
• Request it here

Restorative Listening & Healing Circle (campus engagement)

From the OPHD Center for Restorative Practices, this facilitated Restorative Listening & Healing Circle forum provides a structured and controlled environment for the campus community to address and process significant institutional disruptions or challenges. Utilizing a restorative circle methodology, this initiative serves as a critical tool for qualitative data collection to identify systemic issues and points of friction from the perspectives of students, faculty, and staff. It is a proactive strategy to de-escalate tensions and to create a fair way to navigate problems where everyone feels respected, helping us move forward together as a campus community.    

• 1-time session (as needed)
• 90min needed
• GOAL: A restorative interactive experience of campus solidarity
• Request it here

Restorative Communication Lab (6-Month Series)

These monthly Restorative Communication Labs from the OPHD Center for Restorative Practices offer an engaging space to build on the foundations of restorative practices training. By creating a consistent forum for real-world application, the labs help ensure that communication and conflict resolution skills don’t just stay in the office unit, department, residence hall or classroom, but become part of everyday practice. This ongoing support prevents skill decay and turns a one-time training into a lasting, institution-wide strength. The result is steady growth in interpersonal effectiveness, fostering a more collaborative, supportive, and efficient academic learning environment.  

• 6 monthly sessions
• 60min each
• GOAL: An active engagement series for using interpersonal communication tools
• Request it here