ECE/K12 Mental Health Consultation
Bringing trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming mental health expertise directly to early childhood programs, schools, and educational communities across the Denver metro area.
Early childhood (birth–8) · K–12 schools · Neurodivergent & disabled youth · Crisis & trauma response · Professional training · Caregiver workshops
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Reflective, relationship-based consultation for preschools, Head Start/Early Head Start programs, licensed child care centers, and home-based programs serving children birth through age 8. Grounded in the Conscious Discipline® framework.
what this looks like in practice
Turtle Shell works alongside teachers and directors as a reflective partner — not as a clinician coming in to evaluate children. The goal is always to strengthen what your team is already doing.
Consultation services include:
Classroom observation with staff feedback and reflective debrief
Reflective individual and team consultation with teachers and directors
Conscious Discipline® implementation support across classrooms and program-wide
Trauma-informed environment design and de-escalation practice guidance
Child-specific staff consultation — with parent/guardian consent on file
Participation in care planning meetings in a consultation capacity
Program policy consultation on social-emotional learning and family engagement
A note on direct services: Turtle Shell’s early childhood consultation is a staff and program consultation service. Turtle Shell does not assess, diagnose, or provide direct clinical treatment to children or families. When direct clinical referrals are appropriate, Turtle Shell will provide guidance on connecting families with the right resources.
K–12 School Mental Health Consultation
Staff- and systems-level consultation for elementary, middle, and high schools, using a four-tier model. Specialty focus on neurodivergent and disabled youth, LGBTQIA+-affirming practices, and trauma-informed school culture.
Four Tiers, One Consultant
Schools can engage Turtle Shell Therapy Institute at any tier or across multiple tiers simultaneously. Each tier has a distinct focus, scope, and FERPA consent requirement.
-
Focused on a specific identified student. Turtle Shell consults with the student's teacher(s), counselor, or support team to provide suggestions on how to best support the student.
*Turtle Shell is acting a treating clinician.
→ Caregiver consent required
-
Focused on the mental health climate of a specific classroom and on the educators as a professional partner.
No individual student is discussed by name.
-
Focused on working with administrators of a school or district systems — MTSS/PBIS alignment, policy, disability-inclusive culture, and administrative mental health planning.
No student-level data involved.
-
Post-critical-incident response planning and recovery support. May include brief supportive contact with students in group settings during the acute phase.
How tiers work together: A school might begin with Tier 3 (school-wide policy work), add Tier 2 when a teacher requests classroom support, and layer in Tier 1 when a student with complex needs is referred for consultation. Tiers are parallel tools, not sequential steps.
Crisis & Mass Trauma Response
Specialized consultation for educational communities navigating the aftermath of a critical incident; including school shootings, student or staff deaths, and community violence. Turtle Shell coordinates with and supports existing district crisis systems rather than replacing them.
Immediate post-event staff psychoeducation and consultation
Trauma-informed communication guidance for administrators
Tiered re-entry support and recovery planning
Student triage support and clinical referral coordination
Staff secondary trauma and processing support
30-, 60-, and 90-day recovery check-in consultation
Crisis preparedness retainer: Schools don't have to wait for a crisis to engage Turtle Shell. An annual crisis retainer provides priority activation, a preparedness planning session each year, and a defined bank of response hours — so your school has a plan and a partner before you need them.
Professional Training & Caregiver Workshops
Custom in-service training, professional development, and caregiver education for schools, early childhood programs, and their communities. All trainings may qualify as contact hours toward Colorado teacher license renewal.
Trauma-informed classroom practices
Supporting neurodivergent and disabled learners
Youth mental health literacy for educators
Conscious Discipline® overview for staff teams
LGBTQIA+-affirming school and classroom climate
Crisis preparedness and response literacy
Caregiver education workshops (partnered with school or ECE program)
Colorado teacher license renewal: Turtle Shell trainings addressing behavioral health, trauma-informed practice, or special education/disability awareness may count toward the mandatory 10-hour Special Education & Behavioral Health requirement (HB 20-1128/1312) as part of Colorado's 90-hour professional license renewal cycle. Turtle Shell provides a CDE-compliant certificate of completion for every training.
Investment
Flexible, Transparent Pricing
Retainer arrangements are recommended for programs wanting ongoing support and include priority scheduling
All services are delivered in person across the Denver and Boulder areas
Ongoing Consultation
Retainers include a defined number of onsite hours per month, reflective or team consultation, and between-visit phone and email support.
ECE Monthly Retainer — from $600/month (scope negotiated per program size)
K–12 Monthly Retainer — from $800/month (scope negotiated)
Hourly & Day Rates
Hourly Consultation — $250/hr · 2-hour minimum per visit
Half-Day Onsite — $900 · up to 4 hours + prep and documentation
Full-Day Onsite — $1,600 · up to 7 hours + prep and documentation
IEP/504 Meeting Consultation (Tier 1) — $350· prep, attendance, and debrief
Professional Training
60–90 Minute Workshop — $400–$600 · includes prep and materials
Half-Day Training (3–4 hrs) — $800–$1,200 · includes prep, materials, and Q&A
Full-Day Training (6–7 hrs) — $1,400–$2,000 · includes prep, materials, and facilitation
Crisis Consultation
Annual Crisis Retainer — from $2,000/year · priority access + defined response hours + one preparedness session/year
Per-Incident (non-retainer) — $700–$1,200 · half- or full-day
Sliding scale: Turtle Shell offers fee reductions of 10–25% for qualifying nonprofit early childhood programs and Title I schools. Travel is included within 25 miles of Thornton, CO; mileage is billed at the IRS standard rate beyond that. Contact Turtle Shell to discuss your program's needs and budget.
Ready to explore a consultation arrangement?
Turtle Shell serves early childhood programs and schools across the greater Denver metro and Thornton area. Reach out to schedule a free 20-minute introductory call.
Other Ways Turtle Shell Can Support You
Beyond school and ECE consultation, Turtle Shell Therapy Institute offers trauma-informed therapy, EMDR consultation for clinicians, and continuing education trainings.