The purpose of this study was to determine how trauma-informed approaches in an urban elementary school art room can foster empowerment in students who have been exposed to trauma and have developed Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders. I implemented a pedagogy focused on promoting empowerment through art making, then collected data on the development of students' inner-strengths and resilience. The study focused on students in Kindergarten through second grade, who were chosen based on their behaviors, lack of research on that age group, and the mainstreaming that occurs in classrooms during those years. Data was collected through observations, interviews, self- esteem surveys, and artwork. Lessons were created to enhance students' sense of empowerment and focus on future goals. Mindfulness strategies were implemented to provide coping skills and a person-centered approach to management was utilized to enhance empowerment through responsibility. These interventions were combined into a trauma-informed approach, which I examined to determine the effectiveness of decreasing re-traumatization, reducing behavior episodes, and increasing students' sense of empowerment.