​1. Can you be open to learning new things, challenging long-standing beliefs, and possibly adjusting your approach based on new information?

2. Are you able to recognize and respect that not everyone moves toward success with speed and optimal access to resources that are required for what it takes to get there, right away?

3. Can you understand that the direction someone needs to be going in is not always forward, even though much of the noise out there has convinced us that "Forward" means progress, and therefore is usually perceived as the "right way"?

It is important for me to be transparent and let you know that the process of working together and learning from me may feel confronting at times, because I may present you with new information that will directly challenge long-standing beliefs and feel like a rejection to what you have always known. Things may come up for you in the learning and coaching process, and that is okay. We can talk about them.

The science of trauma is always evolving. It can also be heavy material to cover at times. It's natural to experience different feelings when we feel confronted by new information and start to break through walls in the process of making changes or shifting our beliefs and the systems that built them.

These are key details to understand because this potentially applies to both you and some of your clients when you are working together. The inner work starts with us.

I offer a hybrid of services in my sessions because I realized that some people may need more support than others. As humans, we have different bodies, brains, and needs. Some of us have different styles of learning that work for best. The acknowledgement that the people that we work with may have challenges and differences is important in the process of fully supporting them from a starting point to actualization -- giving them optimal opportunity to apply what they have learned and reap the benefits of the work that they have done in in our sessions.

Coaching is designed to naturally encourage individuals through guidance, to find their own answers, discover their own truths, and develop their own strategies for finding clarity, solving their own problems, and finding their own solutions to an outcome that they have defined, or have in mind, and want to receive support around. It encourages self-discovery and personal growth in the area(s) that they want to work on. Think of the process of learning how to ride a bike. I will support you until you are confident in implement things on your own, but you are ultimately guided by your own skills (e.g. like the body mechanics needed to pedal the bike and maintain your balance) and what you innately know. (Adapted from Forbes Coaches Council)

Consulting is designed to give clients specific direction and guidance on what to do and how to do certain things. It focuses on a specific area -- e.g. business or coaching support. It differs from coaching because it enables us to provide streamlined direction through either teaching a process and/or offering guidance on how to implement methods, and strategies. Some of which may already exist and have been tried and tested. As a consultant, I offer very specific advice and provide solutions to clients based on my training, knowledge, and experience in my areas of specialization. In this aspect, you are being taught and/or guided by what I know and blend it into your work where aligned, in a way that feels good to you and meets your needs. (Adapted from Forbes Coaches Council)

In the true spirit of my decision to offer a hybrid of these services, even though there are times that you may be guided by what I know, I also encourage you to make decisions for yourself and most importantly, to ultimately be guided by what you know and want for yourself. It's okay to question things, and you can ask me as many questions as you need to along the way. In honesty, I may not always have an answer, but I will get back to you.

Mentorship is designed to offer support over a longer period of time. Instead of relying specifically on what you know, or what I know, we are coming together so that I can transfer my knowledge and offer you support as you learn and grow on your own. In this aspect, we work better, together. The transfer of knowledge is a cornerstone of my work and something that I incorporate within sessions when I can. I do not believe in gatekeeping for the sake of holding a perceived level of authority or to boost my positioning. Knowledge is a gift that saved me in many ways. I want to share what I know in case it might help others on their own journey.

Peer Support This is based on a mutually supportive alliance in which two or more people come together to exchange ideas, support one another, and share common ground in either personal and/or professional lived experience. In shared spaces, it is important to presume competence. I adopt a salutogenic, trauma informed approach to peer support, and prefer this over potentially creating hierarchal structures and a one-down relationship. Although some of my roles include leadership and supervision, I strive to approach from a place of curiousity, exemplify a willingness to ask questions, be okay with not knowing the answers, acknowledge that I may sometimes give the wrong ones, and do my best to release the need to be "right." I do not ask more from my clients or those I supervise, than I am willing to do for myself. I am willing to learn along the way, and be in the trenches of trauma recovery, learning, growth, and healing beside my peers.

First and foremost, I believe that there are ethical considerations when it comes to working with others. Key elements of a high-quality standard of care in how we coach, teach, advocate, and lead are transparency, honesty, responsibility, and accountability.

I need to be upfront with you. There are many coaches, clinicians, and practitioners who say that they are trauma informed, when they are not. There are also key differences to understand between the terms Trauma Aware, Trauma Informed, Trauma Sensitive, Trauma Trained, and Trauma Responsive.

Social media has contributed to the breakdown of the framework and has contributed to harm because people are often misguided and misinformed around trauma informed care. What is, what is not, how it is defined, what it entails, where there are key differences in how we approach the work that we are doing, and how to genuinely be trauma informed. Trauma informed care has captured the intention of online grifters in the coaching and wellness communities. It's not a title to use because it sounds good, attracts clients, and brings you more income.

I question whether someone is truly trauma informed when for example, when coaches and educational consultants tell their followers that no one is allowed to disagree with them on their social media pages or within their comments because it is too "triggering" and uncomfortable for their nervous systems to hold.

If someone is doing work as a trauma informed provider and cannot manage the state of their nervous system just from exposure to their own social media account, that is a huge red flag and my alarm bells go off. How does that translate to what they provide in private containers?

When things like this remain unchecked, especially as trauma informed care continues to cross over into unregulated industries such as coaching, the people that get harmed along the way may not be able to speak up or recognize what is happening. Where is the supervision to reduce risk on behalf of the clients?

When I bring this up, I often get blocked -- which is another red flag.

We can't hit the block button in real life. When we encounter a client who needs more support or might be combative with us, we cannot end the session and block them, especially not if they have paid us for support. This has also led me to be very vocal around the idea of using labels in marketing such as:

- Ideal Client

- Dreamboat Clients

- Effortless Clients

Trauma-informed care and practice is not a trend, a buzzword, or a branding tool. It is a responsibility. A framework, that is often picked apart because people are looking for the easiest parts that they can apply within their work. I also want to also acknowledge that it gets fragmented because its broadness can make it complicated, and hard to uphold entirely.

In addition trainings designed to cover things like diversity and culture are often repetitive, and not inclusive enough. I believe that it needs to be updated and adapted for practical application in todays social, emotional, relational, economic, and digital climates.

Trauma Informed care does not get handed to you in a certificate, course, or program.

How are we embodying this level of care when working with others?

Are we listening enough?

This includes listening and learning from individuals and groups across communities while being mindful of our biases and making sure we aren't engaging in selective inclusion to check off a box and making a commitment to learn beyond what a training has cherry picked for us to learn to fulfill components of becoming trauma informed.

At the end of the day, a piece of paper or a training doesn't guarantee that people can embody what they have learned in a meaningful way or genuinely apply what they have learned, especially in challenging situations with clients. Some people just attend trainings to get the certificate for clout. It's become a great buzzword for marketing and engagement.

This is sacred work to me and not something I do for the sake of a title. I am developing my own way of teaching on the topic of trauma informed care based on my personal and professional experience as a lifetime patient and advocate who became both a provider and a recipient of services. This includes relying on my professional training. I want to help people become trauma informed in a less complicated way and be real about the challenges on the journey to get there. Confidence and competence go hand in hand.

Working in non-profit mental health I personally witnessed and can attest to how hard it can be for one individual to provide true trauma informed care at times. Large organizations that are heavily backed and connected with strategic support struggle, particularly in rural area.

If you think the descriptions of services or the application to work with me is too much work, and too long to read, you are not ready to work with me. Chat GPT will not make you trauma informed. You are the embodiment of your work.

In unregulated industries, it is on us to hold ourselves accountable. People are trusting us to help them, and to be who we say we are, as much as humanly possible.

The purpose of this section is to help create mutual understanding of our roles, and to support transparency, and psychological safety within the context of our professional relationship. I want to be open about acknowledging that the conditions and variables outlined here can influence outcomes and affect our shared responsibility for sustainable change.

I approach all services through a trauma-informed lens, recognizing that individuals and systems may carry stress responses, histories, and patterns that affect readiness, engagement, and implementation.

1. Scope of Consulting Services For Non-Profit Organizations

As a consultant, my role is advisory and facilitative, rather than directive. I can partner with you to help identify strengths, evaluate your processes and approach, uncover barriers, and support adaptive change so that you and/or your team are better prepared to work with clients and can handle the inevitability challenging dilemmas within the context of service provision. This includes looking broadly at delivery routes, currentwork flows, and potentially making changes to reduce rates of burnout where needed and possible.

Outcomes depend on the health of the organization's internal systems, willingness and capacity to engage in reflective practice, staff well-being, and the realistic ability to implement and integrate proposed recommendations and changes across systems. I can prioritize creating conditions for learning, support, reflection, and growth, but I cannot fix larger underlying issues if there are any.

2. My Commitment to Ethically Mindful, Trauma Informed Practice (For Organizations)

Providing consulting and education through the lens of trauma informed care can look like:

Safety: Creating spaces where all participants can engage without fear of shame, harm, or judgment.

Trustworthiness: Communicating transparently about scope, limitations, and progress.

Collaboration: Inviting shared decision-making and co-ownership of the process where relevant and applicable.

Empowerment: Supporting an organization’s internal capacity and self-determination.

Cultural Humility: Approaching situations with curiosity rather than assumptions. Recognizing the unique contexts, histories, and identities that shape each organization and its communities.

Your organization is encouraged to uphold these same principles during our time together, alongside staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.

3. Limitations of Service Fulfillment

While I am deeply committed to ethical, informed practice, there are natural boundaries and limitations that must be acknowledged to preserve clarity, safety, and mutual accountability.

a. Implementation Ownership

I can offer guidance, tools, resources, and frameworks, but the implementation and integration of plans and strategies rests with the leaders of the organization.

Outcomes also depend on the organization's ability to:

- Maintain alignment between leadership decisions and stated goals.

- Allocate appropriate time, resources, and staff support for implementation.

- Ensure staff and volunteers are equipped for their roles and have a clear understanding of the mission and vision.

- Engage in consistent communication, presence, and follow-through, from back-end execution to foundational leadership.

- Integrate recommendations into existing systems and processes.

I cannot assume responsibility for internal decision-making, leadership dynamics, and actions that fall outside my professional role and scope of practice. I will not assume or take on responsibility for your risk.

b. Organizational Health and Readiness

Please be aware that organizational health directly impacts outcomes. The following factors may influence the pace and effectiveness of progress:

Leadership Stability and Trust: Frequent turnover, unclear authority, or lack of psychological safety can create uncertainty that slows growth.

Organizational Culture: Environments marked by burnout, fear, or unaddressed conflict may require foundational healing before strategic change can take hold.

Capacity and Competing Priorities: Limited resources or overextended staff may reduce the organization’s ability to engage and fully execute and complete tasks.

Change Fatigue or Stress Responses: When an organization is already under high stress, new initiatives may unintentionally trigger resistance or overwhelm.

I will approach these dynamics with compassion and curiosity but cannot control or resolve systemic or leadership factors that are internal to your organization.

c. Information Sharing and Transparency

Mutually beneficial collaboration depends on open and respectful communication. My ability to offer responsive and relevant guidance and support requires accurate information, and timely responses about required steps or refinements on the journey to task or objective completion.

Limited communication or restricted access to data may limit my ability to evaluate things, adjust strategies effectively, and assist with making progress towards desired outcomes.

d. External and Contextual Factors

External realities, such as shifts in funding, community needs, policies, or crises may also impact the implementation of recommendations. These factors are beyond my control, but I will do my best to navigate these situations collaboratively and adaptively, keeping in mind my own capacity, as they arise.

4. Shared Responsibility for Change

Our work together is grounded in partnership rather than hierarchy. This means that we share responsibility for and towards:

- Co-creating goals that are realistic, compassionate, and context-sensitive.

- Maintaining clear communication, feedback, and reflection throughout the process.

- Centering psychological safety and trust in all interactions.

- Engaging in honest dialogue about challenges and barriers to progress.

- Celebrating learning, growth, and incremental change.

5. Confidentiality

I am committed to maintaining confidentiality, professional boundaries, and ethical integrity for the duration which I am asked to work with you. Your organization is likewise expected to act in good faith, fostering a collaborative environment conducive to learning, change, growth, and collaboration.

6. No Guarantee of Specific Outcomes

Because my services address human systems, learning processes, and complex organizational dynamics, results cannot be guaranteed.

7. Acknowledgment

The organization and I will affirm a shared commitment to trauma informed principles, ethically mindful practices, integrity, and mutual respect. We also recognize and acknowledge that organizational health, readiness, engagement, and access to resources play a central role in determining the outcomes of our work together.