Written by Dawn Molitor, Why RJ Consultant & Facilitator, and adapted for the Why RJ Blog What happens when the people in a restorative conversation don’t experience, process, or communicate about the world in the same way? For Dawn Molitor, this question sits at the intersection of restorative practice, neurodiversity, and the work of creating spaces where people genuinely feel heard. Following the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) conference

Restorative justice is fundamentally relational work. A conversation is never just a conversation, it is nervous system work, relational work, and healing work. Whether we’re facilitating a circle, supporting a conflict repair, or engaging in a one‑on‑one restorative dialogue, our first responsibility is to ensure that everyone involved is regulated enough to talk. Here are restorative regulation strategies. Understanding Regulation in Restorative Justice Restorative justice

This July, the Why Restorative Justice team will join practitioners, researchers, educators, advocates, and community leaders from across the country at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) Conference in New Orleans.

What happens when accountability and belonging coexist? Learn how Weld Central reshaped its school culture through restorative justice.

Implementing restorative justice (RJ) in a school, or any organization, is more than adopting a new set of discipline tools. It’s a cultural shift. Learn what that means and how to grow collective commitment among your organization's team.

There are many myths about Restorative Justice. It is important to name these myths and to address the truths behind these myths.

For educators, the New Year is an invitation to recalibrate the classroom environment, reestablish clear norms, and guide everyone toward a successful and harmonious rest of the year. Here's how.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensures education as a basic human right. This means every living person has the right to get an education to develop themselves. However, systematic and historical barriers, such as poverty, geographical disparities, racial discrimination, and biased socioeconomic policies, have made access to quality education challenging for marginalized populations. In 2022 , white students comprised 44.5 percent of school statistics while Hisp

Long before the language of “restorative justice” entered mainstream policy discussions, the Diné (Navajo) people were practicing a relational approach to conflict that prioritizes harmony, healing, and community responsibility. Navajo peacemaking — often enacted in circle-based peacekeeping or peacemaking gatherings — centers restoration of balance (hozhó) rather than assignment of blame. In the context of modern restorative justice practice, these gatherings offer both a

At Why Restorative Justice (WhyRJ), we’re honored to collaborate with facilitators whose lived experience and professional insight deepen the field of restorative work. Dawn Molitor – a special educator of 24 years, founder of Molitor Consultation , and a facilitator with WhyRJ – recently published a powerful reflection on her journey toward restorative justice practice in special education. Learn more about Dawn’s background on her WhyRJ bio page . In her piece, Dawn tra