As schools reopen, educators are urged to prioritize prevention over crisis response. Triumph Steps® equips teachers and students with emotional literacy tools to foster resilience and safety.
MIAMI, Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As a new school year begins, parents and educators are grappling with growing concerns about student mental health and safety. The recent tragic school shooting in Minnesota—carried out by a young adult in his early twenties—serves as a stark reminder that prevention must begin long before students reach a crisis point.
"Not everybody needs therapy—but everybody needs emotional literacy," says Beatriz Martínez-Peñalver, LMHC, licensed psychotherapist and founder of Triumph Steps®, an evidence-based emotional literacy framework. "When students learn tools for resilience, focus, and self-awareness early, we reduce the risk of future tragedies and help children thrive both in school and in life."
Triumph Steps® offers a prevention-first approach that starts with teachers and extends to students. By equipping educators with practical strategies to manage stress and model emotional balance, the program ensures that students receive consistent, positive reinforcement for their own growth.
Martínez-Peñalver, who has delivered Triumph Steps® workshops across Florida schools, emphasizes that prevention in education is not optional—it's urgent.
"The Minnesota shooting is heartbreaking, but it is not isolated," she says. "If we continue to focus only on treatment after the fact, we will keep missing opportunities to prevent these tragedies. Prevention must be woven into the fabric of our schools."
Triumph Steps® integrates seamlessly into classrooms, after-school programs, and professional development days, giving both teachers and students simple daily practices that build resilience and emotional well-being.
Free Resource for Parents & Educators
To support families and schools this back-to-school season, Triumph Steps® is offering a free downloadable guide: "Triumph Steps Emotional Literacy Activity Pack: Age-Specific Tools to Teach Happiness as a Skill"
Download it at [TriumphSteps.com/freeguide]
About Triumph Steps®
Triumph Steps® is a pioneering emotional literacy program founded by Beatriz Martínez-Peñalver, LMHC. With more than 30 years of "boots-on-the-ground" experience, she has helped thousands of children, families, clinicians, and professionals learn that happiness is a skill. Triumph Steps® is also available as a coaching certification for clinicians and has been approved for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Contact:
Beatriz Martínez-Peñalver, LMHC
Founder, Triumph Steps®
305-306-2779
[email protected]
www.TriumphSteps.com
Media Contact
Beatriz Martínez-Peñalver, Triumph Steps, 1 3053062779, [email protected], https://triumphsteps.com/
SOURCE Triumph Steps
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