Leaning into the Power of Trauma-Informed Practices for Honest Conversations
By Sarah O'Brien and Featuring Integrate's Community Manager Fihmiya Hamdan
Setting Up a Space for a Culture of Disclosure
In creating a culture, a space, a place, a work environment, an organization where people can openly disclose their ideas and viewpoints is an active process; it’s intentional. You have to WANT to create a culture that fosters open sharing and engagement. You have to practice being open yourself. You have to support, and reward, others when they openly share. This isn’t one sided. There cannot be an expectation that the leader does this, and the rest don’t. And there cannot be an expectation that others do this, and the leader doesn’t. Everyone has a role in creating a culture where ALL people feel comfortable disclosing their ideas and making suggestions. But someone has to lead the way.
Working with our Self-Protective Layers
You, anyone, can invite open disclosure, rather than closing off, by using trauma-informed and human-centered communication skills. People will close off for self-protection. People have fears, or discomfort, about being themselves fully in the presence of other people. Likely, this is due to past experiences of judgment, invalidation, relational betrayal, exclusion, being misunderstood, undermined, negative or abusive childhood environments, trauma experiences, marginalization, microaggressions, and disenfranchisement. So, folks that have experienced any of the above are more likely to close off for self-protection. They are more likely to remain closed off (a.k.a. not sharing or openly disclosing) because they have learned that speaking up is unsafe and leads to poor outcomes for them or has negative impact on them. Just inviting someone to share isn’t enough. Demonstrating certain skills, before, during, and after, when someone speaks up is what makes the difference.
Inquiries and Considerations
How do you invite them to share? How do you listen to them while they are sharing? How do you respond to their open disclosure in the moment? How do you respond to their open disclosure after the conversation (if this was an idea sharing thing)? How do you follow up with them both 1) about the thing they shared (outcomes or progress) AND 2) about how they feel about the thing they shared? How do they feel about the interaction with you? How comfortable do they feel in sharing again?
Leading by Learning
Underrepresented groups, such as people of color, women, those with physical or mental disabilities, those with mental health disorders, the LGBTQIA+ community, are particularly vulnerable to armoring up instead of opening up. Using trauma-informed skills, applied to communication and decision-making, enhances the likelihood others will be able to access their own safety to express their true selves, comfortably. You don’t have to get everything right, or know everything about a certain group or population to show up well and create more safety. You do have to be humble, be willing to listen and learn, and practice some skills that help EVERYONE feel more comfortable opening up; feel safer and more settled in their nervous system so that they can freely open up.
How? What are the skills that need practicing? Well, yes, trauma informed skills, of course. But what exactly does that mean? And what does that look like in real time with real people?
Using Trauma-Informed Skills is about Holiding a Container
Invitation, curiosity, non-judgmental stance, open ended questions, displaying empathy, active listening, consistency in behavior, opportunities for consent and choice, all fall into trauma-informed skills; and all of these skills can, and does, increase access to pathways of safety for folks. Using trauma informed skills doesn’t ensure YOU are a safe person or safe place for someone. Using trauma informed skills ensures that YOU are CREATING opportunities FOR OTHERS to access what feels safe for them. Options. Choice. Self-guidance and self-leadership. We don’t judge what people need, what people need to do for themselves to feel safe, calm and, therefore, be open. We allow people to do what they need to do to feel safe, calm so that they can be open.
How Trauma-Informed Skill Development Has Shaped Fihmiya's Journey
No matter your role, or responsibilities, within an organization, you can practice these skills and see results. Our affinity group’s community manager, Fihmiya Hamdan, offers us a real-life example of where and how she used trauma informed skills; as well as, sharing the outcome, or result, from using those skills…in real time, with real people. She says, "Since practicing trauma-informed skills, I’ve noticed a real change in how I connect with others. As a community manager, I’ve learned how to create spaces where members feel genuinely valued, heard, and seen. This approach has helped me navigate challenging conversations with care and build stronger, more trusting relationships within the community.” As you can see, Fihmiya also uses language like ‘create spaces’ because any of us has ability to create a certain kind of space in our interactions with others. At least we can be cognizant of our ability to create a space, an atmosphere, a vibe, so to speak, in our interactions with others. Trauma informed skills can, and should, be used by all roles, at all levels, at all times. Why? Because everyone benefits!
Show Up, Practice, Observe, Adjust
So how exactly did Fihmiya use skills to foster open disclosure and idea sharing? She showed up to that community space (where other real people were present) with intention, a plan, and her own present-minded awareness. She WANTED members of this community to feel comfortable sharing their ideas with others, not just with her in a closed space off to the side. She wanted members of this community to feel comfortable opening up in front of others, and then she guided the response from others by modeling trauma informed skills DURING AND AFTER this member opened up.
“For example, I worked with a member who needed support and guidance to feel comfortable sharing their work and ideas with others. By prioritizing fairness, empathy, and transparency, I helped create an encouraging environment where they felt safe to contribute. Over time, they gained the confidence to share more openly, which not only helped them grow but also inspired others in the community to engage and collaborate. Seeing this change reinforced the importance of trauma-informed practices in helping people thrive together.”
Trauma-Informed Skills are People Skills
As you can see, these are people-skills, as I’ve been saying from the beginning. Not clinical skills. Not therapy skills. Not therapy treatment. Human-to-human interaction skills. When using these skills—in Fihmiya’s example she used fairness, empathy, transparency and support for the other person; she intentionally prioritized these skills—you allow room for others to either 1) model those same skills when interacting in the group/community or 2) access their internal awareness and make a choice about what feels good (safe, comfortable) for them (in this case sharing an idea with the group). This person was not told “Hey, it’s safe to share here, so go ahead.” This person’s needs were prioritized; their need for support and guidance was prioritized by Fihmiya. And prioritizing this person’s needs opened the door for them to feel safe in sharing freely with the group. She supported this person by offering empathy (understanding and care for this person’s difficulty in opening up) and ensuring fairness in exchange of ideas among the group. She offered guidance to this person by modeling transparency herself, which allows room for others to do the same, and feel okay about it. We don’t get to tell someone whether or not it, or they, are safe. That is completely determined by the individual. They decide if they feel safe, not you, or anyone else. And when people feel safe, they will feel more comfortable to speak up and share.
Staying in Curiosity and Inquiry
That’s what trauma informed is, folks. Allowing others to make decisions based on their nervous system needs or based on their nervous system comfort, without judging them for whatever they need, while also conveying to them that they aren’t judged for doing what they need for themselves. It really is just having more consideration and compassion for another’s person’s experience in this world. Not being quick to judge, but being quick to curiosity. Being curious about 1) their experiences in this world (and how those have impacted them) and being curious about 2) what is helpful for them to feel calm and settled in their nervous system. This may sound easy, but we know this doesn’t take place a lot. People don’t feel genuinely cared for; people don’t feel genuinely seen and heard; people don’t feel safe and comfortable, quite often, in spaces where there are other people.
Trauma-Informed skills are good life skills. People skills. These skills can be used outside of organizations or workplaces, too. Fihmiya also shares with us some insights about applying trauma informed skills elsewhere. “On a personal level, practicing trauma-informed communication has also improved my relationships outside of work. I’ve become more intentional about listening carefully and showing up for others with kindness and understanding. These skills have reminded me that putting people first builds stronger connections and creates trust in every interaction.” Skills used? Being intentional. Active listening. Being mindful of her own capacity in order to show up with kindness and empathy (which we will have a hard time doing if we’re stressed, tired, burned out, or feeling unsafe ourselves). Outcomes from skills used? Stronger connections. More trust. Between people. Any people. All people. These are outcomes we can all bank on when using trauma informed skills.
Ready to uplevel your skills? Check out our Trauma-Informed Leadership Certification Live Cohorts
Master the KHAOS Mindset Skills
Dive deep into the KHAOS Mindset—Knowledge, Humility, Awareness, Ownership, and Strategy—and discover how these principles can transform communication and decision-making. These insights are designed to help you drive meaningful social impact.
Communicate for Change
Develop the ability to connect with diverse groups, including trauma survivors, using a compassionate, human-centered approach that values individual experiences. You'll walk away with communication skills that truly resonate.
Build Ethical Decision-Making Skills
Strengthen your decision-making and self-regulation abilities with a focus on empathy and compassion. Learn how to make thoughtful, socially impactful choices that put the human experience first.
Why This Course?
By the end of this course, you’ll feel empowered to:
Apply the KHAOS Mindset Skills confidently in your daily interactions
Communicate with greater empathy and understanding
Make ethical, trauma-informed decisions that prioritize positive social change
Course Format
Timeline
3 weeks of interactive lessons
Access the curriculum for 3 full months to continue your learning
Live Sessions
Weekly live Zoom workshops every Thursday, from 5:30-6:30 pm CST, where you'll practice trauma-informed communication skills
Certificate Opportunities
Receive a Certificate of Completion after finishing the course
Eligible to apply for a Professional Certificate of Competence (Integrate Verification) by scoring 20+ on an assessment
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Not ready to upskill, yet…. Let’s Talk about our Trauma informed Leadership Symposium
Leading a group of people is never easy, but when employees carry the unseen weight of trauma, the challenge grows even heavier. For many leaders, it can be hard to know how to create a supportive space that fosters connection and resilience. Misunderstanding or misinterpreting someone’s behavior often leads to frustration, missed opportunities, and even breakdowns in trust. But what if there was a way to lead with more empathy, awareness, and compassion?
This is where Integrate's Trauma-Informed Leadership Symposium comes in.
At its heart, trauma-informed leadership is about recognizing that every behavior tells a story—often, a story of someone trying to regulate their emotions in a world that hasn’t always been kind. Hala, one of the symposium's guiding voices, reminds us that adopting curiosity about others’ lived experiences is the first step to becoming a truly empathetic leader. Rather than taking behaviors personally, she encourages leaders to see them as invitations to respond with skill, curiosity, and care.
A trauma-informed leadership style is always curious about the lived experience of people It also invites us to view all behaviors as attempts to self-regulate rather than taking it personally. This allows leaders to respond to others with more skill and curiosity.
The Solution to Trauma’s Hidden Impact in the Workplace
The Trauma-Informed Leadership Symposium is designed to help leaders like you bridge the gap between intention and impact. Through powerful insights, practical tools, and engaging conversations, this virtual event equips you to create workplaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported.
This isn’t just about professional success—it's about helping your team and organization thrive, even in challenging times. You’ll learn:
How to foster resilience: Support your team to bounce back stronger after setbacks.
Effective decision-making skills: Understand the role trauma plays in interactions and decisions.
Compassionate communication tools: Build trust through clear, human-centered conversations.
Self-compassion practices: Lead with confidence while taking care of your own emotional well-being.
What Makes This Symposium Unique?
Every element of the symposium is built on the belief that healing happens both individually and collectively. That’s why the sessions focus on bringing compassion into leadership practices while addressing the diverse experiences that make your team unique.
Hala brings her vast expertise to this conversation. With a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University and dual M.A.s in Counseling and Community Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, Hala has dedicated over 15 years to guiding people as they heal and grow. She’s worked tirelessly to train leaders in trauma-informed methodologies through programs like Collective Resilience and Off the Mat, Into the World. Her belief in the power of community shines through in her teaching, writing (Peace from Anxiety), and her Radical Wellbeing program.
A Personalized Journey Through Key Topics
Over four weeks, you’ll tackle essential themes to reshape your leadership approach:
Week 1: Understand the social challenges that shape workplace dynamics.
Week 2: Learn trauma-informed decision-making strategies.
Week 3: Master human-centered communication techniques.
Week 4: Explore self-compassion and the ways our shared humanity connects us all.
Each week, you’ll have access to new content, including presentations from experts like Dr. Gladys Smith, Katie Kurtz, Nicole Lewis-Keeber, and more. All materials will be hosted online via Integrate’s Teachable platform, making it easy to engage at your own pace. Plus, lifetime access ensures you can revisit these lessons whenever you need them.
A Responsible Way to Lead Forward
Trauma-informed leadership isn’t just a nice idea—it’s the way forward for workplaces that want to thrive in a rapidly changing world. By understanding trauma’s impact and implementing strategies tailored to your team’s needs, you’ll build a culture of trust, empathy, and resilience.
Join us at the Trauma-Informed Leadership Symposium to explore how you can become the leader your team needs. Together, we’ll create work environments where people aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving.
Your team is counting on you, and the solutions are just a click away. Register today on Eventbrite and take the first step toward compassionate, effective leadership.
Till next week, we will leave you with this quote from our Patron Saint of Hard Things, Valerie Kaur, Author of See No Stranger
Love is more than a feeling. Love is a form of sweet labor: fierce, bloody, imperfect, and life-giving—a choice we make over and over again. If love is sweet labor, love can be taught, modeled, and practiced. This labor engages all our emotions. Joy is the gift of love. Grief is the price of love. Anger protects that which is loved. And when we think we have reached our limit, wonder is the act that returns us to love.”