Global Center for Trauma Education and Training

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Helping leaders strengthen leadership, communication, and culture by understanding how organizations are shaped by their experiences through the Organizational Trauma Framework™.

One idea that has become increasingly important to me as I develop the Organizational Trauma Framework™ is the relations...
09/01/2026

One idea that has become increasingly important to me as I develop the Organizational Trauma Framework™ is the relationship between people and the organizations they're part of.

We talk a lot about the ways organizations shape people. Culture, leadership, policies, expectations, and even the way people are treated can influence how employees communicate, whether they feel safe speaking up, how they respond to change, and what they eventually come to accept as normal at work. But people also shape organizations.

Leaders make decisions that influence culture. Employees develop ways of working together, and teams adapt to challenges. Over time, people learn what gets talked about, what doesn't, and what happens when someone raises a concern.

Eventually, some of those patterns become part of how the organization functions. And once they do, they begin influencing the people who are already there and the people who come later.

To me, that's an interesting relationship.

As a developmental psychologist, I'm used to thinking about development as something that happens over time and in context. People are influenced by their environments, but they also influence and shape those environments.

The more I've considered what that means for organizations, the more I've wondered what we might see differently if we paid more attention to that relationship.

To understand why an organization functions as it does, we can't look only at the people or only at the systems around them. We have to look at how those things affect each other over time.

I think of this as reciprocity: people shape organizations, and organizations shape people. Neither develops independently of the other.

That reciprocal relationship has become an important part of how I'm developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™.

I'm also launching The OTF Brief, where I'll explore these ideas in short, practical pieces for leaders and organizations.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how important I believe context is when we're trying to understand people and organizatio...
08/18/2026

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how important I believe context is when we're trying to understand people and organizations.

On September 10th, I'll have an opportunity to explore that idea from a different perspective when I speak to ICF Chicago about Trauma, Identity, and Context in Coaching.

One of the things I'll be talking about is how easy it can be to interpret someone's behavior without fully understanding what may be influencing it.

A client may appear resistant, unmotivated, avoidant, or unwilling to move forward. Sometimes that's exactly what's happening. But sometimes there is more to the story.

Our lived experiences, identities, relationships, environments, and experiences with trauma can all influence how we respond to challenges, make decisions, build relationships, and pursue our goals.

Context doesn't mean that we excuse behavior or make assumptions about what someone has experienced. It means we remain curious enough to recognize that what we see isn't always the whole story.

That's something I think is particularly important in coaching, where the quality of the questions we ask and our ability to listen without imposing our own interpretation can significantly influence the relationship.

I'm looking forward to having this conversation with the Chicago ICF community on September 10th.

If you're a coach or someone interested in trauma-sensitive practice, I'd love to have you join us.

Watch the short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI7DzNuGA7g
Register for the September 10 session: https://icfchicago.starchapter.com/meet-reg1.php?id=266

As leaders, we're often expected to have answers. When communication breaks down, trust is low, or employees seem diseng...
08/11/2026

As leaders, we're often expected to have answers. When communication breaks down, trust is low, or employees seem disengaged, our instinct is to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it.

I've been wondering, though, whether we sometimes move too quickly to solving problems before we've spent enough time understanding them.

For example, if we begin by asking, "Why are employees resistant to change?" we'll probably spend our time looking for evidence of resistance.

But what if we started with a different question: What has this organization experienced that might help explain what we're seeing today?

That question doesn't provide all of the answers, and it doesn't suggest that every organizational challenge is rooted in the past, but it does encourage us to understand the organization's context before we draw conclusions.

Developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™ has reminded me that good leadership is about asking the kinds of questions that help us understand the people and organizations we serve a little bit better.

What do you think? Has asking a different question ever changed the way you understood a situation?

As I've continued developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™, I've found myself thinking more about context. The mo...
08/04/2026

As I've continued developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™, I've found myself thinking more about context. The more I think about it, the more convinced I become that understanding an organization's history changes the way we understand its present.

When I say "history," I'm not referring to a timeline of events or milestones. I'm thinking about the experiences that have shaped the organization and the people within it.

As leaders, it's natural to focus on the challenges in front of us. We want to solve problems, improve communication, strengthen culture, and move the organization forward. I believe those efforts become more effective when we also understand the context in which the organization has developed.

For example, if trust is low or employees seem hesitant to embrace change, it's easy to assume people are resistant. Sometimes that's true. But sometimes those patterns have been shaped by previous experiences.

Perhaps the organization has experienced frequent leadership turnover. Maybe there were layoffs, restructuring, or years of uncertainty. Perhaps employees have seen initiatives come and go without meaningful follow-through.

What I've learned is that understanding an organization's history doesn't provide all of the answers, nor does it mean organizations should remain focused on the past. It does, however, provide context. That context often changes the questions we ask, the assumptions we make, and ultimately the decisions we make as leaders.

The more I develop the Organizational Trauma Framework™, the more convinced I become that organizations make more sense when we understand the experiences that have shaped them.

I'm curious what you think. Have you ever worked in an organization where understanding its history changed the way you viewed its present?

While developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™, I’ve found myself returning to the theoretical framework I used i...
07/28/2026

While developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™, I’ve found myself returning to the theoretical framework I used in my dissertation: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory.

My dissertation explored the lived experiences of Black women with histories of childhood trauma who also struggled with obesity. I chose Ecological Systems Theory because I did not believe their experiences could be fully understood by focusing only on individual behavior.

People develop within relationships, families, communities, institutions, cultures, and historical contexts. Each of those systems can influence how people understand themselves, respond to stress, and navigate the world around them.

At the time, I was applying that perspective to human development. Today, I’m using a similar lens to think about organizations.

Organizations are also shaped by multiple systems. They're influenced by the people within them, their leadership, policies, relationships, communities, industries, and the social and historical environments in which they operate.

The Organizational Trauma Framework™ grew from my belief that organizational challenges also require context. We can't fully understand what's happening within an organization without considering the experiences, relationships, and systems that have shaped its development over time.

There's something validating about realizing that the theoretical framework I used in my dissertation wasn't limited to one research study. It has continued to shape how I understand people, organizations, and change.

Sometimes our earlier work prepares us for something we can't yet see. I think that's a beautiful thing.

One of the questions I've been thinking about while developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™ is whether organizat...
07/21/2026

One of the questions I've been thinking about while developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™ is whether organizations remember.

Obviously, organizations don't have memories. But the people within them do. Over time, those experiences become part of the way the organization functions. They influence leadership, communication, decision-making, workplace norms, and culture.

Every organization has a history. Leadership changes. Successes and failures. Crises. Conflict. Periods of growth. Those experiences don't simply disappear when the moment has passed. They continue to shape the organization, often in ways leaders don't immediately recognize.

As a developmental psychologist, I've spent years studying how experiences shape people throughout their lives. Developing the Organizational Trauma Framework™ has led me to ask a different question: What if organizational experiences also shape how organizations develop over time?

That doesn't mean organizations are people. Nor does it mean leaders should dwell on the past or assign blame. I think it means that understanding an organization's history provides important context for understanding its present and making better decisions about its future.

I'm curious whether you've experienced this yourself. Have you ever joined an organization and sensed that something important had happened long before anyone explained the story?

What if the biggest challenge facing organizations isn't strategy? What if it's the experiences that continue to shape t...
07/15/2026

What if the biggest challenge facing organizations isn't strategy? What if it's the experiences that continue to shape the way people work together?

Every organization has a history. Leadership transitions. Rapid growth. Budget cuts. Mergers. Conflict. Critical incidents. Big wins. Hard losses.

These things don't just simply disappear. They show up in how people communicate, make decisions, build trust, and respond to change, often long after the event itself is over.

At the Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™️, this is the question we sit with: how do organizational experiences shape culture and performance over time?

Drawing on developmental psychology, organizational leadership, and trauma science, we're building practical frameworks to help leaders strengthen trust, navigate change, and create healthier workplaces.

Over the next few months, I'll be sharing what I'm learning from my work, my research, and the development of the Organizational Trauma Framework™, an approach to understanding organizational life through the lens of lived experiences.

I'd love to hear from other leaders who believe healthier organizations lead to better outcomes for the people they serve. What's your experience been with the "history" an organization carries?

01/26/2023

Are you a trauma-sensitive leader? What is trauma-sensitive leadership?

Trauma-sensitive leadership is a leadership approach that recognizes the impact of trauma on individuals and organizations and creates a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have experienced trauma.

This approach focuses on creating a culture of safety, trust, and empowerment and addresses the emotional and psychological needs of individuals impacted by trauma.

Effective trauma-sensitive leadership requires a deep understanding of the impact of trauma on the brain and body and the ability to recognize and respond to the signs of trauma in individuals.

Trauma-sensitive leadership creates a work environment free from judgment and blame and encourages open communication and support.

Trauma-sensitive leaders ensure that their teams have access to resources and support, such as trauma-sensitive coaching, trauma-informed counseling, and therapy, to help them process and heal from their experiences. This is essential for creating a healthy and productive work environment.

Additionally, trauma-sensitive leaders should be trained in trauma-sensitive practices and should be aware of the potential triggers and reactions that trauma survivors may experience.

Leaders need to create a culture of safety and trust by encouraging open communication and providing resources and support for individuals who have experienced trauma.

Trauma-sensitive leadership is about creating a culture of safety, trust, and empowerment for individuals who have experienced trauma. It is about recognizing the impact of trauma on individuals and organizations and taking steps to support individuals in healing and thriving in the workplace.

Are you a trauma-sensitive leader, and is your organization trauma-sensitive?

At the Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™, our vision is to see a world where everyone is trauma sensitive...
07/28/2022

At the Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™, our vision is to see a world where everyone is trauma sensitive with NO retraumatization.

What does it mean to be trauma-sensitive?

It means to be responsive to the idea that everyone has experienced trauma directly, indirectly, or collectively.

Direct trauma is a first-hand experience with a physically, mentally, or emotionally overwhelming situation.

Indirect trauma, also known as vicarious trauma, is an emotional and psychological reaction that results from exposure to other people's trauma.

Many therapists, social workers, clinical psychologists, and those who work with traumatized individuals, including teachers in inner-city schools surrounded by violence, usually experience vicarious trauma.

Collective trauma is a shared emotional and psychological reaction to traumatic events that affect an entire society, culture, community, country, etc.

When collective or indirect trauma is unresolved, the trauma remains stored in the body. The unresolved trauma passes to future generations (transgenerational or intergenerational trauma, which creates direct trauma).

Since the oil flows from the head down, we believe that equipping leaders with the tools, education, and resources to be trauma-sensitive leaders creates a ripple effect throughout the organization.

When organizations achieve trauma sensitivity, they will see improved employee attitudes and morale, retention of high-performing employees, an attractive culture, and better conflict resolution.

These increases positively impact the organization’s top and bottom line.

Visit our website, www.globalcenterfortrauma.com, to learn more about how the Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™ can help you and your organization.

Ineffective management and poor leadership is the leading cause of employee disengagement. According to the latest Gallo...
07/06/2022

Ineffective management and poor leadership is the leading cause of employee disengagement.

According to the latest Gallop (2021) poll, employee disengagement costs US companies $450-$500 BILLION each year. Individually, if an employee has a salary of around $60K, the cost is $20,400 per year.

This problem can be solved, and money can be saved by providing leaders with the tools and resources they need to become self-aware and improve their communication skills.

In turn, organizations will see improved employee attitudes and morale, retention of high-performing employees, an attractive culture, and better conflict resolution.

At the Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™, our approach to the above is through a lens of trauma sensitivity.

WE believe that everyone has been impacted by trauma directly or indirectly, and our leaders are no different. Most leaders aren't adequately trained in interpersonal matters; they are usually assumed to already possess these skills. And even if they are equipped with these skills, they may lack trauma sensitivity.

The Global Center for Trauma Education and Training™ offers individual leaders (Trauma-sensitive Leadership Coaching Certification) and organizations (Organizational Leadership Certification) an opportunity to equip themselves with tools for an engaged workforce.

We invite you to learn more about our certifications by going to our website www.globalcenterfortrauma.com.

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Milwaukee, WI
53202

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(262)2029503

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