Cultivating a Restorative Lens: Integrating Restorative Justice into School Psychology Practice

School psychologists are increasingly called upon to integrate Restorative Justice (RJ) practices into their work to foster equitable and inclusive educational environments. RJ principles, rooted in Indigenous wisdom and focused on relationship-building and healing conflict, offer a framework for addressing systemic inequities and promoting positive school climates. Highlighting the anti-bias, anti-oppressive, and decolonizing principles of RJ, the authors seek to demystify RJ by providing an overview of its history and emerging scholarship, with a particular focus on relevance within the field of school psychology. The overarching goals of this paper include (a) introducing a guiding framework of reflective questions to support the development of a restorative lens, enabling school psychologists to align their practices with core RJ tenets, and (b) outlining examples of RJ-aligned activities across NASP’s ten domains of school psychology practice. We argue that adopting a restorative lens and aligning practices may serve as a powerful vehicle for cultivating relational, healing-centered, and equitable schools. This work provides a critical analysis for understanding the role of RJ in creating systemic change and emphasizes the need for more conceptual and empirical study of restorative school psychology practice.Impact StatementThis article highlights how Restorative Justice (RJ) can transform school psychology by promoting equity, healing, and positive school climates. This article demystifies RJ and translates it into practical steps for school psychologists. It provides actionable insights for school psychologists, educators, and policymakers to integrate RJ practices across various professional domains, emphasizing the need for a restorative mindset to advance social justice and systemic change in education.