About me
René Salyer, Ed.S., LBS is a Ph.D. candidate in Special Education: ABA and a master’s student in Clinical Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling at Pennsylvania State University. She is a licensed behavioral specialist and former K–12 special education teacher with extensive experience supporting youth with emotional-behavioral disorders across public schools, alternative school placements, hospital-based services, and homebound instruction.
René’s work centers on the intersection of mental health, disability, and education, with a particular focus on trauma-informed care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems that shape outcomes for youth navigating complex behavioral and mental health needs. Her research and practice examine how educational and mental health systems can both support and inadvertently perpetuate harm, especially for youth impacted by trauma and system involvement. René is committed to advancing collaborative, justice-oriented approaches that bridge counseling, education, and behavior science to better support youth across school and community contexts.
