History

The Los Angeles Institute for Right Brain Practices & Research (LAIRP) was born out of the urgent need to rethink how schools address behavioral challenges. In 2013, I [Carlos Alvarez] stepped into a school in South Los Angeles with one of the highest suspension rates in the district. The students most often suspended were not “bad kids,” but young people carrying the weight of trauma, poverty, and community violence. Traditional, punitive systems only deepened their struggles. Instead of doubling down on discipline, I chose to listen, to sit with them, and to build trust through right-brain restorative interactions.

What started as an experiment in one school grew into a model that reduced suspensions by over 90% and shifted school culture toward healing, accountability, and belonging. From those early days, LAIRP emerged as a collection of educators, researchers, and community practitioners committed to advancing what we now call Right Brain Restorative Practices (RBRP), an approach grounded in neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and cultural responsiveness.

Today, LAIRP partners with schools, districts, and community organizations across the United States and internationally, helping leaders and educators move beyond compliance systems to cultures of connection. Our work extends beyond classrooms into violence interruption, parent engagement, and community safety, always rooted in the same belief that began our journey: relationships are the foundation of transformation.