NACM Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode – February 18, 2025
Understanding trauma-informed engagement is increasingly essential for court employees and judges. Many—if not most—individuals who interact with the court system have experienced significant trauma. Whether they are litigants, witnesses, or defendants, they often carry the invisible weight of past or ongoing adversity.
A trauma-informed approach helps court professionals recognize signs of trauma and respond in ways that foster trust, reduce stress, and minimize the risk of re-traumatization. Additionally, this approach supports the well-being of court employees by equipping them with strategies to navigate difficult interactions while mitigating the impact of secondary traumatic stress on themselves.
This month, we are exploring the role of trauma-informed engagement in court interactions. How can courts further integrate this critical practice to enhance fairness, empathy, and effectiveness in the justice system?
To discuss trauma-informed engagement are:
Carrie Summer-Nomura, Program Coordinator for the Clackamas County Circuit Court, in Oregon City, Oregon
Jill Houck, Trial Court Administration for the Superior Court in Cape May and Atlantic Counties New Jersey
Trent Baker, Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Court, Dependency Drug Court & Juvenile Drug Court, 17th Judicial District, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Click here to listen to the podcast.
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org.
Show Notes
Additional Resources
Carrie Summers-Nomura
Carrie Summers-Nomura has been with the Clackamas Circuit Court for about 2 /12 years. She is the first person to serve in a new role as Program Coordinator. The position was created to provide support to our Deputy TCA for recruitment efforts as well as to manage the court’s EDI efforts. Carrie has lived in Clackamas County for most of her life and was a post-secondary educator for 17 years primarily at Clackamas Community College teaching sociology.
Prior to working in the judicial world, Carrie worked in child welfare as a Training Manager for therapeutic foster care providers and well as a Volunteer Manager for a child abuse evaluation center. In this current role, she networked with the community partners to offer professional development opportunities for our staff and lead our New Courthouse Move Change Management Committee.
Jill Houck
Jill L. Houck has been the trial court administrator of the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage since 2022. Jill is a graduate of the Institute for Court Management where she was awarded the Award of Merit. Prior to becoming court administrator she was the assistant court administrator.
Trent Baker
Trent Baker, PsyD, has over a decade of experience in working with the dependency court system in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Broward County/17th Judicial Circuit).
Prior to advocating for children in child welfare while at the Guardian ad Litem Office, Trent was a Clinical Intern at the Early Intervention Development Center (Department of Human Services/ Psychological Services Division).
Trent has been employed with Court Administration in the 17th Circuit since 2018. For two of these years, he coordinated the Early Childhood Court. Currently, Trent is the Program Coordinator for the Juvenile Problem-Solving Courts (Early Childhood Court, Dependency Drug Court and Juvenile Drug Court).
Trent graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. While at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Trent received his Master’s in Clinical Psychology as well his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) with a specialty in Health Psychology.
