top of page
Understanding the Essentials of
Trauma-Informed Care
Categories
Featured Posts






All posts


5 Secrets to Personal Growth No One Tells You
People are always asking me: what do I do to heal my trauma? And people are always disappointed when I tell them the answer. Why? Because...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 23, 20244 min read


Words of Affirmation: 7 Things You Didn't Know You Needed to Hear
Sometimes, we know we need something, but we don’t know what that thing is. You might find it here. In the journey of self-discovery and...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 16, 20243 min read


Trauma Brain Explained: The Neuroscience of Trauma
We often discuss feelings, cultural practices, and relationships in trauma-informed systems change—but don’t let that fool you. Trauma is...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 9, 20245 min read


15 Tools to Stay in Your Executive Functioning
If you’re someone who’s always looking for one more trauma-informed resource to add to your toolkit, you’re in luck. This list of 15...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Dec 19, 202310 min read


One Life-Changing Trauma Informed Approach You Can Implement Today
Of all the trauma-informed phrases I use, “yes, AND” might be the most common. “Yes, AND” represents a way of thinking that is essential...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Dec 12, 20234 min read


7 Subtle Self-Harm Strategies You Might Do
This blog discusses self-harm and suicide, which can be sensitive topics to many readers. Please establish your safety before reading,...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Dec 5, 20237 min read


9 Types of Safety Most People Don’t Know About
Safety is a crucial topic for trauma-informed systems, and understanding how your community defines safety is no small task. If I asked...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Nov 28, 20237 min read


Why is Safety Important in a Trauma Informed Approach?
No matter what model you use, SAMHSA or Sanctuary, safety is a core value of trauma-informed care. Safety is arguably one of the most...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Nov 21, 20235 min read


Recognize Trauma at Work with This Easy Acronym
Awareness is fundamental to sustained trauma-informed change, and part of awareness involves recognizing when you’re having a trauma...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Nov 7, 20232 min read


What Are the 12 Executive Functioning Skills?
Trauma disconnects us, making it difficult for us to access the parts of our brain responsible for executive functioning skills. When we...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Oct 31, 20234 min read


Building Resilient Organizations: Lessons in Trauma Informed Change and Organizational Resilience
If we want to create real change, we have to zoom way out to look at the issues, solutions, and goals from a systems perspective. We also...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Oct 17, 20236 min read


Chefalo Consulting, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Partnership Press Release
We are proud to announce another successful project. Our work with ODRC has already begun to transform lives for Ohio state employees and...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jul 11, 20233 min read


5 Powerful Trauma-Informed Questions to Fuel Self-Exploration
There are tons of trauma-informed tools out there to help you integrate trauma-informed practices into your everyday life, and today...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 18, 20234 min read


7 Trauma-Informed Phrases I Use Every Day as a Trauma-Informed Consultant
As a trauma-informed consultant, I work with trauma-informed phrases and ideas every day—and here are some of the most common phrases...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 4, 20235 min read


Universal Precautions in Practice: 11 Tips for Trauma-Informed Leaders
Universal precaution is a useful trauma-informed tool that helps us live our values and create safety at work.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Mar 28, 20234 min read


What is Vicarious Trauma… and Do You Have It?
Also referred to as compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma is a major contributor to chronic stress, especially for those who work with...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Mar 14, 20235 min read


What is a Collective Disturbance?
Most of the time when we talk about trauma, our minds go to individual trauma: the trauma that we or someone we know has personally...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 17, 20233 min read


What is Structural Violence?
This Monday, people across the US will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day to mark the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement, which...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 10, 20233 min read


11 Trauma-Informed Boundary Phrases to Use at Work
Trauma-informed leaders know that healthy boundaries are essential for healthy relationships—in and out of work. But setting and...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jan 4, 20235 min read


The Trauma Triangle: How Fostering Awareness of Reenactments Builds Resilience
The basic concept surrounding trauma-informed care is this: We all have trauma. Some of us are at a higher risk of experiencing trauma....

Shenandoah Chefalo
Dec 21, 20229 min read
bottom of page