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Trauma-Informed Leadership and Workplace Culture Insights
Tools, language, and implementation guidance for leaders building safer, more accountable workplaces.
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Start With These!
Start here if you are leading culture change, supporting staff well-being, or navigating conflict. These three posts teach the core tools we use in training and implementation.






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Getting (Back) Into Your Body: Reconnecting in Life and Work
In Western culture, we often treat mental health and physical health separately, when in fact, they are inextricable. Emotions such as hate, anger, love, and hope are whole-body experiences.
Here, we explore how trauma perpetuates this disconnection, examine how our bodies influence our mental states (and vice versa), and offer practical strategies for rebuilding body awareness.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 23, 20255 min read


The Neuroscience of Glimmers as an Antidote to Triggers: Rewiring for Calm
Glimmers are an antidote to triggers - unexpected moments that bring calm, peace, or safety amid life's overwhelming challenges.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Mar 25, 20253 min read


35 “Yes, and” Phrases to Embrace Paradox
One way to embrace paradox is by adopting a "Yes, and" approach—an intentional shift that fosters complexity, understanding, and innovation.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Feb 11, 20255 min read


7 Powerful Benefits of Theater for Trauma Recovery
Trauma can trap individuals in cycles of pain, disconnection, and emotional paralysis. Creative solutions, such as drama and theater, can...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Dec 17, 20244 min read


The Role of Training in Effective Trauma-Informed Change Management
Training plays a crucial role in nearly every change management strategy, especially when implementing trauma-informed practices. This...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Nov 19, 20245 min read


How to Overcome Victim Mentality in the Workplace: A Trauma-Informed Approach
Victim mentality in the workplace can show up in many forms—constant complaints, blame-shifting, or feelings of helplessness. These...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Nov 14, 20245 min read


Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn (Appease): Trauma Responses Explained
A clear trauma-informed guide to fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—workplace signs, what helps, what makes it worse, and how leaders can respond skillfully.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Sep 24, 20246 min read


Why People Resist Change at Work: The Neuroscience of What Keeps Us Stuck
Change triggers the brain’s threat response, especially in high-stress systems. Learn the neuroscience behind resistance and how trauma-informed leaders reduce fear, build buy-in, and create sustainable change.

Shenandoah Chefalo
Sep 17, 20244 min read


Discussing Microaggressions through a Trauma-Informed Lens
Understanding the foundational concepts of microaggressions and microresistance helps us promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jun 18, 20243 min read


Structural Violence in Medicine: “Doctors Have a New Plan for Fat Kids”
The institutions that hope to repair the damage of structural violence are often the same ones that cause it. I began listening to the...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Jun 4, 20246 min read


Loss is Inevitable When Healing
This article was originally published in Chefalo Consulting's December 2022 Trauma-Informed Newsletter. Healing from trauma is a process...

Shenandoah Chefalo
May 28, 20241 min read


Beyond Awareness: Understanding the Interconnections of Foster Care and Societal Challenges
May is foster care awareness month, and this year, I'd like to increase awareness about the foster care system and how it ties into other...

Shenandoah Chefalo
May 14, 20244 min read


10 Ways to Be Mindful That Aren't Deep Breathing
When I introduce mindfulness to organizations, people usually think of deep breathing. While breathing and meditation are methods of...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 23, 20245 min read


Removing Obstacles to Self Care is Self Care
When committing to self-care is too challenging, preparing for self-care is sometimes the best decision we can make to take care of...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 16, 20243 min read


5 Ways to Mindfully Develop Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a superpower in today's workforce. And, leaders need to prioritize their social-emotional skills if they hope...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 9, 20243 min read


Healing Through Mindfulness: Slowing Down & Asking for Help
What does healing look like? We often think the answer will be sold to us in pretty packaging, but the truth is that healing requires...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Apr 2, 20245 min read


Discover the Power of Trauma-Informed Change: Transforming Lives & Organizations
Trauma-informed change is a revolutionary approach that acknowledges the far-reaching impact of trauma on individuals, communities,...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Feb 27, 20243 min read


11 Practical Tips for Building Secure Attachments and Healing from Trauma in Relationships
Understanding attachment theory helps us make the important first step of the trauma-informed paradigm shift. Once we make the shift, we...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Feb 20, 20246 min read


Trauma-Informed Attachment Theory: How Childhood Experiences Impact Adult Relationships and Attachment Styles
Attachment styles can help us understand how our trauma impacts our relationships—and what we can do about it. I work with many...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Feb 13, 20244 min read


7 Characteristics of a Healthy Relationship
Whether you’re considering your romantic, platonic, or professional relationships, knowing these 7 characteristics of a healthy...

Shenandoah Chefalo
Feb 6, 20244 min read
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