Working through math trauma – Online Course

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Working through math trauma – Online Course

Rethink your relationship with math and find success at your own pace.

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99% found sessions valuable

96% would attend again

93% found session inspiring

15+ years of experience

Is “math” a four-letter word? Is math avoided at all costs? - Course available in 2027!

Math trauma is the inability or unwillingness to engage in math due to previous negative experiences tied to learning math. Such experiences can look like:

feeling shamed for not learning the times tables quickly as a child.
being discouraged from asking why or told “just do it this way”.
freezing whenever you have to work with fractions.

Many people suffer from math trauma, and it doesn’t just come from the classroom. Our society acts like some people are “math people” and some aren’t and therefore receive different opportunities and supports. This results in different outcomes, reinforcing the “math people” myth.

Dr. Geillan Aly

is a mathematics educator and former award winning Assistant Professor who received her PhD in Teaching and Teacher Education and a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Arizona.

Her research focuses on the emotional side of learning mathematics and includes how computer-centered learning has affected students’ abilities to control their learning environment and how meditation may reduce mathematics anxiety.

Dr. Aly has been teaching at the university level for over ten years and, without sacrificing rigor, brings a personalized math learning experience to the classroom through active learning methods and by centering students’ emotional well-being. She is very familiar with the Common Core Standards and has experience teaching mathematics to Middle and High School students.

Underlying all of Dr. Aly’s teaching and research is a dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in mathematics education. She enjoys traveling, seeing live music, and is an avid chef. Geillan is also a wife and mother of a beautiful boy. They live near Hartford, CT.

Who is this for?

Someone who wants to work through their math trauma privately and at their own pace so they can find success.

College students

Don't compromise on your potential; choose your major without considering your math requirements.

Teachers

A shame-free, private way to work through your math trauma and feel comfortable teaching math.

Parents

If you don't feel comfortable with math, your children won't.

Entrepreneur

Your discomfort around math is affecting the success of your business.

This Program Is For You If…

Math trauma doesn't care about your age or profession. If math has held you back, this program was built for you.

you experience overwhelming anxiety during math class or high-stakes testing
you panic when you need to do math, or avoid it altogether.
you want to go into STEM but doubt your capacity to succeed in mathematics.
you study all the time but still struggle to retain or understand concepts.
you choose your paths in life so you can avoid math (you college major, that next promotion, ...).

What You'll Learn

That your (in)ability to do math is not your fault. Understand the sources of your trauma and put them into perspective.
Why forgiveness and motivation are critical to moving forward in your work.
Strategies to support your understanding of math.
How to get through setbacks and challenges learning math.
There's no such thing as a math person and not a path person.

Four modules to support your healing

All content is research-based and implementation strategies are provided throughout the course.

Module 1

Understand

Your math story isn't just about you; it's about society and your place in it. This is your opportunity to understand the source of your trauma and offer a space for profound reflection.

Module 2

Forgive

You can't move forward unless you let go of the pain you carry.

Module 3

Motivate

Outline why you need to learn math and how it will help you achieve your goals.

Module 4

Empower

Receive practical strategies and advice for your path forward.

All at your own pace!

Access this program for one year, go through it as often as you need to, and reach out whenever you need help or support.

Location & Logistics

Everything you need to know about how the program runs.

Format

This is an online course through Teachery. You will need to create a Teacher account to access the course.
Access

You will have access to the course for one (1) year after course purchase.
Extension

Keep access for the course at a discounted rate.
Discounted rates

All purchased seats must be activated within thirty (30) days of purchase. Unused seats will receive a 50% credit towards future purchases after possible rate adjustments are made.

Formal Abstract and Objectives

Many students arrive at college excited and anxious to take a big step towards their desired future. However, past math experiences leave them anxious about their mathematics requirements, thinking they are “just not good at math”. In this workshop, participants have an opportunity to explore and reflect on their feelings towards mathematics. Participants start by reflecting on and sharing their previous math learning experiences to place these experiences in context, learning that: (1) they are not alone; (2) their experiences are likely not tied to them as an individual, but are a result of sociohistorical forces. This allows students to think deeply and critically about how they approach math. Participants then reorient themselves based on these new realizations and their motivation to succeed. This reorientation includes strategies and tips for learning mathematics. Finally the workshop gives participants an opportunity to work on a mathematical problem, setting the stage for a positive opportunity to engage with mathematics. All participants are encouraged to participate in small-group and whole session discussions throughout the program, reducing the “I’m alone” stigma and forming bonds with others in the group. They are also encouraged to continue working and studying together after the workshop is completed.

Learning objectives:
• Explain how the Compassionate Math framework and The Cycle of Benign Neglect contribute to student success in mathematics.
• Establish the connection between factors in the Compassionate Math framework and issues related to equity and social justice.
• Reframe previous mathematical experiences to reduce guilt and shame so that students are willing to more deeply engage with mathematics.
• Reflect on one's personal goals for being in college (and succeeding in mathematics) to trigger implicit motivation to studying mathematics.
• Apply high-level strategies to be more successful in mathematics.

Here's a blurb for students:

Your past experiences in math class may have left you anxious about your mathematics requirements or thinking you are “just not good at math”. In this workshop, you'll have an opportunity to explore and reflect on these feelings, putting your experiences in context and learn that you are not alone and that your feelings about math has less to do with your intelligence compared to other forces (which we will discuss). You'll learn why learning math is important. Finally, strategies tools for getting the most out of math class will be shared.

What people are saying

You a doing a service to the inner children in us all who never knew they could be good enough so thank you

This session provided candid, helpful realistic ideas and advice that are applicable and ready to use.

I feel 10x better about math walking out of this room than when I first walked in!

Applicable to daily teaching and realistic with helping students persevere. Geillan was approachable, easy to talk to, and more than willing to offer suggestions and advice!

Finally something that’s attainable!

A reminder of every student's humanity. As a teacher, I forget that my students are struggling not because they don't try, but because they have a lot going on in their brains. To reach them, I need to think about their emotional well-being first.

You are very well spoken! I am very impressed. I was dreading coming to math because I just don’t like it. I always feel dumb and never want to do it. But sitting here today gave me a better idea of how to move forward. How to be motivated. And how to motivate my future students.

This is very eye opening for me. And helped me feel positive about moving forward. I feel confident to go back to my math work, and less scared of math when I encounter it in my biology work.

One of the more enjoyable workshops I’ve attended in years.

This session was great. We talked about kinda taboo topics within math straying away from content focuses. Instead bringing up the emotional influences that interact with learning mathematics. The anxiety, and societal pressures that students come into the classroom with. How the sciences are finally starting to move away from the content is all viewpoint. Instead putting student motivation and wants/needs first.

Engaging and interactive activities that were insightful and able to be understood by all through explanation and support.

It was incredibly helpful for us as student teachers to learn from your expertise and challenge the things we carry with us so we don’t pass on maths anxiety to a whole new generation. Breaking any cycle is hard, but you have made it seem doable. Thank you!

It was great! Exactly what I needed at this point in the semester.

It was a very inspiring session and it is as well a motivational one, as now you think you can actually be successful in math.

If I had to [describe] this session to a friend or colleague I would tell them that we are all capable of do good in math and even with all the barriers that we might encounter, we can always become successful.

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Pricing and Registration

Course available in Spring 2027. Book now for a discount

Learn More

Individual Courses

$150

One-year access + 1 copy of the book "Compassionate Math" ($29 value)

Institutional discount for 51-125 students

$125

(per seat) + 1 copy of the book "Compassionate Math" + one 1-hour remote session ($2,000 value)

Institutional discount for 126-300 students

$100

(per seat) + 1 copy of the book "Compassionate Math" + one 1-hour remote session + one in-person math trauma workshop ($5,000 value)

Institutional discount for 301-500 students

$85

(per seat) + 1 copy of the book "Compassionate Math" + one in-person math trauma workshop + two 1-hour remote sessions

Institutional discount for 501+ students

$75

(per seat) + 1 copy of the book "Compassionate Math" + one in-person math trauma workshop + one in-person PD session + two 1-hour remote sessions