Trust is a felt experience, not a declared one. For many students, it isn’t built through words; it’s built through presence. It’s the quiet knowledge that someone is reliable, safe, and steady, even in the storm. For students who’ve learned that adults are inconsistent, punitive, or unavailable, trust isn’t automatic. It’s earned, through consistency, regulation, and repair. We build trust by holding boundaries without punishing, by returning after ruptures, and by choosing co-regulation over control. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep coming back, with honesty, with steadiness, and with the willingness to try again.