Advertise on podcast: Trauma Informed Conversations

In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by Elle Snookes to explore the transformative power of wonder - a gentler, deeper, and more spacious approach to working with children, young people, and each other.  Together, they unpack how slowing down to "wonder" serves as a crucial protective factor against quick assumptions, institutional burnout, and reputational fatigue. Drawing on lived experience, relational practice, and personal vulnerability, Elle shares how asking different questions can break down barriers and fundamentally alter a young person's trajectory.  Key Highlights & Takeaways: The Difference Between Curiosity and Wonder: Why standard curiosity can sometimes feel like an assessment or interrogation, whereas wonder gifts us time, presence, and non-judgmental space to understand what sits behind observable behaviour. Trauma-Informed as an Identity, Not a Lanyard: Moving away from tick-box compliance and two-hour online courses to embrace a whole-person philosophy that applies equal care to colleagues, clients, and ourselves. "Be More Pirate" & Challenging Deficit Narratives: Refusing to be a passive bystander when young people are labelled as "vile" or "disengaged," and using warm, constructive challenge to disrupt institutional preconceptions. Finding the "Seam of Gold": How community initiatives, unhurried presence, and psychological safety give young people - often disconnected, dissociated, or isolated - a space to build genuine self-worth and pride. Attendance, Dissociation & The Isolation Pandemic: Examining the root causes of school avoidance and community disconnection, from digital safety nets to unresolved intergenerational trauma. Protecting the Capacity to Wonder: Practical insights for leaders and frontline practitioners to manage their own energy, regulate their nervous systems on difficult days, and foster learning environments over punitive ones. About the Guest: Elle Snookes is a dedicated advocate for trauma-informed practice, bringing over 30 years of experience working alongside vulnerable children, young people, and families across youth justice, children's services, education, and community settings. She is the Director of Yellow Brick Road Projects, a Hampshire-based charity committed to helping young people find their "seam of gold" through relational support and community connection.  Elle is also a postgraduate researcher currently undertaking a Master's degree focused on "Be More Pirate" - using constructive disruption and good trouble to drive positive systemic change. As an independent consultant and trainer, she works across sectors (including youth engagement officers in the Royal Navy and Marines) to embed trauma-informed principles into everyday practice, drawing deeply on her own neurodivergence, childhood lived experience, and passion for human connection.  Join us for a rich, hopeful, and deeply human discussion on refusing to let today define a child's tomorrow.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode, host Jessica Parker is joined by Beth Gibson MBE, Head of Attendance and Inclusive Pathways at Birmingham City Council and former mainstream secondary leader. Together, they dive into why school attendance must be understood as a form of communication - reflecting safety, relationships, and belonging - rather than just a percentage or compliance metric to be managed.  Jessica and Beth explore: Data as a Signal, Not the Story: How rich attendance data can automate workload and serve as a curiosity hook, helping educators ask the right questions at the right time rather than obscuring the human child behind the numbers. Redefining Inclusive Pathways: Unpicking complex attendance challenges like EBSNA (Emotional Based School Avoidance/Non-Attendance) layer by layer, and recognising that inclusion applies to every learner - from children navigating friendship shifts to those communicating distress through behaviour. Combating Isolation & Restoring Joy: The cumulative impact of shrinking social spaces, reduced extracurricular access, and child loneliness, alongside practical ways schools can introduce play, options, and felt safety during unstructured social times. Building Authentic Home-School Partnerships: How schools can lower parental anxiety, remove shame and blame from attendance communications, and foster open, honest collaboration focused on the shared goal of a thriving child. Accountability, Leadership & Culture: Balancing trauma-informed compassion with a child's right to education, and embedding attendance as a shared, whole-school responsibility across every tier of senior leadership and staff. About Beth Gibson MBE Beth Gibson MBE has spent nearly 20 years working in mainstream secondary education, spending over a decade leading pastorally on attendance, inclusion, and belonging. Her background includes working with the Department for Education (DfE) on attendance data systems and supporting school teams across the country.  Currently, Beth heads up Attendance and Inclusive Pathways for Birmingham City Council - the largest local authority in Europe - where she works on a macro scale to develop inclusive practice, strengthen multi-agency approaches, and champion trauma-informed, child-centred education.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode, Jessica is joined by Becky Dawson, National Wellbeing Lead at Twinkl, former secondary teacher, Head of Year, and SENCo. Together, they dive into why PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) and RSHE (Relationships, Sex and Health Education) need to be treated as central to safety, wellbeing, and future life outcomes for children and young people, rather than peripheral subjects tucked away in registration slots or side projects alongside the main curriculum.  Jessica and Becky explore: The "Crucial Curriculum": Why PSHE and RSHE are foundational life skills that teach young people critical thinking, online safety, media literacy, financial management, and how to identify healthy, safe relationships. Supporting the Whole Child: How trauma-informed practice, relational approaches, and psychological safety directly impact attendance, engagement, regulation, and academic achievement across the entire school. The Educator Reality: The challenges facing non-specialist teachers expected to deliver complex or sensitive topics without adequate training, time, or funding - and how schools can better support staff. Inclusive & Whole-School Approaches: The necessity of ensuring SEND learners access meaningful RSHE, navigating parental engagement and transparency, and creating cross-curricular links that ease the burden on timetable space. About Becky Dawson Becky Dawson is currently the National Wellbeing Lead at Twinkl, bringing over 25 years of hands-on experience in secondary education. Beginning her career as a drama teacher, she quickly moved into pastoral leadership, overseeing PSHE, RSE, and year-group leadership. Her passion for inclusion and learner support also led her to serve as a SENCo, advocating for equitable curriculum access for young people with SEND.  Becky later worked with the London Borough of Newham as part of their Head Start initiative, implementing whole-school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. Today, she works to equip educators, school leaders, and support staff with high-quality resources, CPD training, and actionable guidance to help create safe, supportive, and trauma-informed environments for all young people.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by adoptive parent, former social worker, foster carer, and author Sarah Naish. Drawing on over 40 years of lived and professional experience across social care and education, Sarah explores the transformative question: What if behaviour makes perfect sense?  Jess and Sarah discuss how shifting to a trauma lens allows us to look beyond surface-level reactions and understand that all trauma-based behaviour is an expression of an underlying, unmet need. From practical strategies like "naming the need" to addressing systemic gaps in social work, school, and inspection frameworks (like Ofsted), this conversation provides a realistic, deeply compassionate roadmap for supporting care-experienced children, families, and the professionals who care for them.  Key Takeaways Looking Behind the Behaviour: Understanding that challenging actions are not personal attacks ("doing this to me"), but rather a child's attempt to communicate inner distress and seek safety or nurture. The "Gift of Why" & Naming the Need: Why asking children "Why did you do that?" is unhelpful, and how adults can step in to gently name the underlying fear or unmet need for them. Decoding Hurtful Statements: Viewing painful phrases (like "I hate you") as a discharge of internal pain rather than calculated malice, allowing caregivers to respond with empathy instead of defense. Systemic & Training Gaps: Addressing the urgent need for trauma-informed training top-down—from universities to social work teams and Ofsted inspectors—to prevent burnout and protect placement stability. Reframing Professional Language: Why shifting away from clinical jargon (e.g., replacing "dysregulated" with "terrified" or "placement" with "home") helps adults stay connected to the stark reality of childhood trauma. Guest Sarah Naish is an international best-selling author, keynote speaker, and CEO of the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma (CoECT). Bringing over 40 years of lived and professional experience to her work, Sarah's background spans across social work, nursery nursing, fostering over 40 children, and adopting a sibling group of five.  Recognised as a trailblazer in therapeutic parenting, she is the founder of the National Association of Therapeutic Parents (NATP) and founder/director of two trauma-informed fostering agencies in England and Wales (TRUE Fostering and SAfER Fostering). Sarah has authored numerous sector-defining books—including the No. 1 bestseller The A–Z of Therapeutic Parenting—and works continuously to reform foster care assessments, kinship support tools, and trauma training across education and social care systems globally.  Resources Mentioned in This Episode Sophie Spikey Has a Very Big ProblemThe A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Professional Companion: Tools for Proactive Practice.The Essential Guide to Kinship Care (Co-authored with Enza Smith MBE)Free Resource – Allegation Support PackLevel 4 Trauma-Informed Practitioner QualificationSend us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by TICS Associate Cat Jolleys. Drawing on her 24-year background as a primary school deputy head and SENCo, as well as her current work as a forest school leader and nature practitioner, Cat explores the deep connection between the natural environment and nervous system regulation.  Starting with John Muir’s famous quote "We are now in the mountains and they are in us" - Jess and Cat discuss how stepping outside shifts us from "what is wrong with you" to an environment of low demand, safety, and sensory restoration. From neuroplasticity and tree climbing to mindfulness around a campfire, this conversation highlights how nature serves as a powerful co-regulator for care-experienced young people, neurodivergent children, and exhausted adults alike.  Key Takeaways The Neurobiology of Outdoors: How natural environments reduce sensory and cognitive overload, allowing children - especially those with additional needs - to regulate faster and stay regulated for longer. Safety in the Woods: Understanding how ancestral instincts influence our need for safety, such as leaning against a tree to guard our backs or creating "dens" to feel cocooned. Attention Restoration Theory: Why just 15 to 20 minutes of scanning nature, feeling sunlight, or hearing bird song can clear cognitive capacity and restore an overwhelmed nervous system. Healing for Parents and Carers: The role of "Nature Well" sessions in offering trauma-informed space for parents of SEND children - giving them permission to rest, be restored, and leave home pressures behind. Practical Inclusivity: How urban schools, social workers, and office workers without direct access to forests can bring nature into daily practice through houseplants, sunlight, and small noticing walks. Guest Cat Jolleys is a TICS Associate, qualified Forest School Leader, and Nature Health and Wellbeing Practitioner based in Greater Manchester. Following a nearly 24-year career in primary education as a Deputy Headteacher and SENCo, Cat pivoted her work toward nature-based wellbeing. She specialises in facilitating child-led outdoor learning, supporting care-experienced and neurodivergent young people, and delivering nature wellbeing sessions that foster relaxation, restoration, and revitalisation.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode, host Jessica is joined by Misty Carey from Tide Education all the way over in Perth, Australia. Misty is a nurse of 30 years who is currently studying a social work masters, bringing a unique lens to the social determinants of health and trauma-informed care.  Together, they explore a fascinating question: What if we approached our first childhood experiences in the same way we approach infectious diseases? Misty unpacks the science behind adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and explains how we can shift our perspective from seeing aggression or dysregulation as "bad behaviour" to understanding it as a survival response from a stressed nervous system.  Join us as we discuss: The Power of Early Prevention: Viewing childhood adversity through a public health lens to prevent downstream violence and health issues. Creating "Off-Ramps": Practical tools and baseline strategies to support individuals who are escalating in high-stress environments like hospitals or youth detention. Systemic and Community Support: Moving away from a culture of blame to wrap our arms around vulnerable families and children. Innovation through VR: How Tide Education is using cutting-edge virtual reality and AI to safely train professionals in empathetic de-escalation and co-regulation. About the Guest Misty Carey is a dedicated healthcare professional with 30 years of nursing experience, currently expanding her expertise by pursuing a Master’s in Social Work. Based in Perth, Australia, she is the founder of Tide Education, where she merges her extensive clinical background with a deep interest in the social determinants of health and human behaviour.  Driven by both professional insight and personal lived experience, Misty is a passionate advocate for trauma-informed care and public health approaches to childhood adversity. Through Tide Education, she pioneers innovative training methods - including the use of cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence - to help professionals across healthcare, justice, and community sectors recognise nervous system dysregulation, provide safety, and master the art of empathetic de-escalation.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

How can parents, educators, and professionals support children in navigating their complex internal worlds and developing true emotional literacy? Far too often, emotional literacy gets confused with emotional control—praising children simply for being calm rather than teaching them how to safely feel, process, and express their big emotions.  In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, we sit down with author, illustrator, and children's services veteran Sharon Paterson. Drawing from her 15 years of experience working across secure welfare units, residential homes, and area referral offices, Sharon shares how noticing patterns of unaddressed trauma, neurodiversity, and grief led her to write gentle, non-clinical resources to help children feel safe, held, and validated.  Together, we explore: The Somatic Connection: Helping children look beyond just naming emotions to understand the physical and somatic cues—like a tight tummy or a pounding heart—that their bodies are giving them. High-Status Modeling: Why it is a strength, not a weakness, for adults to model vulnerability, own their mistakes, and offer authentic apologies to children. The Digital Disconnection: How today’s selectively curated and constantly connected social media landscape amplifies youth anxiety, distorts reality, and deepens feelings of isolation. The Power of Bibliotherapy: Using her Bunny and B book series—including Astrin (for bereavement), Tufty (for bullying), and Pitt (for ADHD)—as beautiful co-regulation tools that validate a child's uniqueness. By shifting our lens from judging a child's behavior to being curious about their experiences, we can offer the holistic approach they truly need. Tune in to discover practical insights on building strong emotional foundations and reminding the children in your life that they are always enough.  About the Guest: Sharon Paterson is an author, illustrator, and dedicated advocate for children's emotional wellbeing. Sharon brings an exceptional depth of knowledge to our conversation, backed by nearly 15 years of hands-on experience working within Children’s Services. Her career has spanned critical sectors of youth care, including working in secure welfare units, residential children’s homes, and managing referrals for secure placements.  Throughout her career, Sharon noticed a stark, repeating pattern: a devastatingly high number of young people entering secure care had suffered the unaddressed loss of a primary caregiver or sibling. Driven by these professional insights, her own lived experience as a neurodiverse individual, and her journey supporting her neurodiverse grandson through emotional meltdowns, she realized that children's feelings simply weren't being validated enough. This sparked the creation of Bunny and B - a gorgeous catalog of non-clinical bibliotherapy books designed to give children the vocabulary to understand and own their feelings.  Links & Resources Pip and her Heart Pebble Asterin and the Memory Stone Tufty gets her Guardian Wings Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

How can schools and professionals move past performative empathy to build genuine, supportive partnerships with the parents of children with SEND? Far too often, the intense pressures within the educational system pit schools and families against each other, creating defensiveness instead of a united team around the child.  In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, we sit down with trauma-informed trainer, author, and educator Graham Chatterley to bridge this gap. Drawing from both his extensive professional career in special education and his deeply personal lived experience as a father to his son Daniel, who has complex medical and neurodivergent needs, Graham shines a vital light on the unseen realities of SEND parenting.  Together, we unpack the psychological journey and emotional grief that parents navigate, the exhausting physical toll of around-the-clock caregiving, and the critical need for schools to offer genuine validation and emotional safety rather than lip service. Graham shares practical insights into rethinking the use of one-to-one support, prioritizing proactive sensory regulation over reactive crisis management, and why protecting legal safeguards like EHCPs is more vital than ever in today’s challenging landscape.  What We Cover: Bridging the Home-School Divide: Overcoming the "us versus them" narrative to establish a foundation of emotional safety, mutual trust, and effective collaboration. The Realities of Performative Empathy: Why parents see right through standard procedural responses and how listening to hear—rather than just to respond—can save relationships. The "Grief" and Journey of SEND Parenting: Understanding the emotional phases families go through—denial, anger, bargaining, and eventually acceptance—and why schools must meet parents exactly where they are. Preventative vs. Reactive Interventions: The resource-saving power of early, short interventions (like sensory circuits) compared to managing a child in full crisis. Rethinking One-to-One Support: How to frame and utilise individual adult support to facilitate safety and independence without causing environmental manipulation. The High Stakes of SEND Reform: A look at why parents are deeply anxious about shifts to the EHCP framework and the essential nature of legal protections for vulnerable young people. About the Guest:  Graham Chatterley is a highly respected behaviour specialist, consultant, and author of Building Positive Behaviour and Changing Perceptions: Deciphering the Language of Behaviour. As the Director of Changing Perceptions Limited, an advisor with When the Adults Change, and a senior licensed tutor for Team Teach, he has dedicated his career to embedding empathy, relational strategies, and trauma-informed practices across all sectors of education. A former primary and secondary school teacher, Graham went on to lead specialist SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) outreach provisions designed to support children at risk of exclusion. Beyond his professional expertise, Graham sits on "both sides of the fence" as a parent. His first hand lived experience caring for his son, Daniel who has complex medical and neurodivergent needs including autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and epilepsy - deeply fuels his passionate advocacy for building authentic emotional safety and collaboration between schools and families.  Links & Resources Building Positive Behaviour Changing Perceptions: Deciphering the Language of Behaviour Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

Episode Description Can physical activity become a core vehicle for trauma recovery, emotional regulation, and deep belonging in our schools? Far too often, educational environments inadvertently re-traumatise children through behaviour management policies focused purely on sanctions and isolation. In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by former Director of Sport and founder of the Rise Up program, Neil Moggan.  Driven by a striking discovery regarding community health inequalities and a noticeable decline in children's mental health, Neil shares his journey toward adopting a trauma-informed lens that completely transformed behavioural outcomes across secondary and special school settings. Together, Jessica and Neil dive into the practicalities of his 'Recover' framework and the unique 'RISE' acronym designed to guide emotional regulation through intentional, care-wrapped movement.  They explore how moving away from rigid behaviourist systems to find a balance between nurture and structure can successfully prevent exclusions, shrink behaviour boundaries, and heal the ruptures that block a young person's ability to learn. Whether you are a PE specialist, a classroom teacher, or an educational leader, this conversation offers a powerful testament to the impact of knowing a child's story, using sensory strategies for core regulation, and building a lifelong self-care toolkit.  Key Takeaways From Disparities to Action: How a staggering 13-year life expectancy gap outside an inner-city school fueled Neil's transition from a standard sports curriculum to early intervention wellbeing programmes. The 95% Drop in Send-Outs: The rapid transformation that occurs when a department switches from rigid discipline to psychological safety, instantly lowering classroom removals. Decoding the RISE Acronym: A practical look at Repeaters, Inclusive teams, Stress busters, and Energisers as intentional tools to widen a student’s window of tolerance. Slashing Physical Restraints: A moving case study from a specialist school where proactive movement strategies and emotional self-awareness reduced physical interventions from 50 down to 10. The Lifelong Self-Care Toolkit: Breaking the mental health stigma and utilising a "happiness chemical menu" to give young people emotional intelligence skills that outlast their school years. Balancing Nurture and Structure: Addressing the common misconception that trauma-informed practice is a "soft touch" by proving that clear boundaries and high expectations are actually expressions of care. Guest Profile Neil Moggan is an award-winning educator, author, and the Founding Director of Future Action, an organisation dedicated to transforming children’s life chances through trauma-informed mental wellbeing strategies. Over a 19-year career in physical education, Neil served as a Director of Sport and a Health and RSHE lead at an inner-city secondary school in Norwich. After qualifying as a Trauma-Informed Schools UK (TISUK) practitioner, Neil road-tested a relational and movement-based approach that radically lowered his department's student removals by 95% in a single term, while dramatically boosting student grades and attendance. This transformative success became the foundation for his acclaimed 'Recover Roadmap' and the 'RISE Up' Early Intervention Programme. Recognising the modern youth mental health crisis, Neil's curriculum has empowered hundreds of primary, secondary, and special schools globally to build sustainable cultures of care. He is also the author of the Amazon-bestselling book, Time to RISE Up: Supporting Students’ Mental Health in Schools, published by PE Scholar. Links & Resources Download the free Trauma Informed Frontline Educator Scorecard mentioned in this episode from here. Connect with Neil Moggan and explore his training programmes at Future Action.Find Neil's bestselling book: Time to RISE Up: Supporting Students’ Mental Health in Schools.To learn more about trauma-informed educational programmes or to collaborate on school case studies, visit the Trauma Informed Consultancy Services (TICS) website. Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

The Art of Listening - Moving from "Fixer" to Supporter In a world that moves quickly toward solutions, simply sitting with someone in their discomfort can feel counterintuitive. Yet, as we explore in this episode, true support often comes from doing less, not more. We are joined by Angelique Tavernier, founder of Clarity Ahead, to discuss the transition from being a "rescuer" to becoming a genuine listener. We often jump into "fixer mode" because emotions make us uncomfortable, and providing a solution helps us feel more in control of the situation. However, rushing to "fix" can inadvertently invalidate the other person's experience and shut down their internal processing. In this episode, we explore: The Psychology of the Fixer: How our desire to feel useful often leads us to bypass the emotional work necessary for healing.The "At Least" Trap: Why well-meaning phrases like "at least..." or "everything happens for a reason" can make a listener feel judged or dismissed.The Three Components of Active Listening:Asking Open Questions: Using "what" and "how" to encourage reflection instead of defensiveness.Summarising: Reflecting back what you’ve heard in the speaker's own words to check understanding.Reflecting Emotions: Recognising the feelings behind the words to show the person they are truly seen.Silence as a Tool: Understanding that silence equals "processing" and learning to resist the urge to fill the gap.Setting the Stage: The power of asking a simple question before a conversation starts: "Do you want to vent, do you want advice, or do you need a distraction?".Building Psychological Safety: How managers can use coaching skills to foster trust and confidence within their teams.Practical Takeaways: Drop the "Why": Replacing "why" with "what" or "how" prevents people from feeling defensive and forced to justify their feelings. Practice in Low Stakes: Start honing your active listening skills during casual conversations about holidays or meetings before applying them to high-stress situations.By embracing the idea that "less is more," we allow others the space to find their own solutions while ensuring they don't feel alone in their struggle. About Our Guest: Angelique Tavernier is the founder of Clarity Ahead, a consultancy dedicated to helping individuals and organisations overcome barriers to professional progress through reflective, empowering coaching. With over 12 years of experience in higher education, learning design, and professional development, Angelique holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Career Guidance and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice. Her work is grounded in values of clarity, empowerment, and inclusivity, blending mindset coaching with strategic training to build human-centered learning cultures. Whether supporting a transition to hybrid learning or helping managers foster psychological safety, Angelique’s mission is to help people build the confidence and self-sufficiency needed to take ownership of their own growth. Learn More: To learn more about Angelique's work, visit Clarity Ahead. For more resources on trauma-informed communication and to explore upcoming workshops, visit the Trauma-Informed Consultancy Services website. Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

What happens when you have to parent without a map? In this deeply moving and relational conversation, we sit down with care-experienced mum, kinship carer, and Churchill Fellow Terri-Anne Harmer to explore the complexities of raising a family while carrying the lifelong impacts of trauma and the care system. For many care-experienced parents, the journey of raising children is often shadowed by a "blueprint of fear" - a fear of systems, surveillance, and the terrifying possibility of child removal. This episode breaks the silence on the "invisible" pressures these parents face, moving away from deficit-based narratives to focus on healing, accountability, and the power of community. Building the Village We Never Had Terri-Anne shares her personal and professional journey, offering a unique perspective on breaking intergenerational cycles and reclaiming the narrative of care-experienced parenting. We discuss: Parenting Through Fear: How trauma responses are frequently misinterpreted as “risk” by professionals, and the need to look beneath behaviour to understand the survival and overwhelm sitting underneath.The Power of Connection: The vital role of peer support and relational spaces in helping parents feel genuinely heard, understood, and empowered.A New Blueprint: Insights from Terri-Anne’s Churchill Fellowship, exploring how village-based approaches and community advocacy can interrupt cycles of removal and support families of all ages.Breaking the Cycle of Trauma Within the conversation, we reflect on the emotional labour of parenting while healing. We consider how childhood histories shape adult relationships, including: Neurodiversity and Masking: The intersection of trauma and late-recognition neurodiversity in adulthood.Shame and Repair: Navigating vulnerability and accountability within family relationships to foster long-term healing.Systemic Change: Why professionals must adopt a trauma-informed lens to support care-experienced families effectively and move toward trust-based practice.This episode offers a powerful invitation to consider what becomes possible when we move beyond survival and build something different—together. In This Episode, We Explore Parenting while carrying long-term trauma impacts.The fear of systems, surveillance, and child removal.Healing while raising children and "building a village."Neurodiversity, masking, and intergenerational cycles.Why professionals need to look beneath behaviour.Guest: Terri-Anne Harmer Terri-Anne is a care-experienced mum, kinship carer, practitioner, and Churchill Fellow. Alongside her work with the Care Leavers Association, she supports care-experienced adults through community spaces that centre connection and empowerment. Key Quotes “We’re building the village that we didn’t have when we were younger.”“Behaviour is not always the thing. What’s underneath it is what’s important.”“You can break the cycle.”Content Note This episode discusses childhood trauma, care experience, parenting, mental health, neurodiversity, child protection processes, family separation, and systemic responses to care-experienced families. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you. Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

Episode Description In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker welcomes teacher, coach, and author Emma Kell. Drawing on 27 years of classroom experience and her recent book, Real Lives of Teachers, Emma explores the psychological landscape of the teaching profession today. Moving beyond superficial wellbeing advice, Jess and Emma discuss the concept of moral injury and "compassion stress" - the emotional toll of working within a system that often feels like it is "never enough". They delve into the power of self-efficacy, the necessity of radical appreciation, and how school leaders can foster psychological safety through clear boundaries and transparent communication. This conversation is a vital check-in for any educator or leader navigating the "highs and lows" of the modern school environment. Key Takeaways Wellbeing as Self-Efficacy: Real wellbeing in education isn't about "hot baths"; it is the feeling of making a tangible difference in a child’s life, often measured in smiles and small glimmers of progress.The Weight of Moral Injury: Many teachers face a "compassion stress injury" when their values and hard work collide with a system lacking resources and funding.Clarity as Psychological Safety: Emma highlights how "perfectionist" clarity in school policies and expectations creates a contained, safe environment for staff to thrive.Modelling for Leaders: School leaders are among the most vulnerable to burnout; modelling healthy boundaries—such as respecting "out of office" emails - is essential for a sustainable school culture.Stubborn Optimism: Despite systemic challenges, maintaining a sense of "relentless optimism" and celebrating "blossoms" (positive moments) helps educators remain resilient.Resources Mentioned Real Lives of Teachers: Navigating the Highs and Lows of Schools Today by Emma Kell. Available on Amazon.Those That Can: Visit www.those-that-can.com for more information on Emma’s coaching and wellbeing facilitation.Trauma Informed Consultancy Services (TICS): Visit www.ticservicesltd.com to access live training events, further information on trauma-informed practice, and to contact the team for support. Guest  Emma Kell is a teacher, coach, and speaker with over 27 years of experience in the classroom. She currently teaches in alternative provision and provides coaching and facilitation on teacher wellbeing, school culture, and communication. Emma is a passionate advocate for the profession, focusing on what helps teachers "survive and thrive" in the modern educational landscape.  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

Episode Overview  In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by integrative therapist Louise Brooks. As a physically disabled therapist, Louise brings both professional expertise and lived experience to a vital but often overlooked topic: Medical Trauma. Moving beyond clinical definitions, Jess and Louise explore the cumulative impact of "medical gaslighting" - the exhausting experience of not being believed or having symptoms dismissed by professionals. They discuss how these interactions can create a cycle of shame and anxiety, transforming necessary healthcare into a source of psychological distress. The conversation shifts the focus toward disability-affirmative practice, emphasising how validation and small systemic shifts can restore a sense of safety for patients. Key Takeaways The Weight of Medical Gaslighting: Medical trauma often stems from being told symptoms are "all in your head". This lack of belief can lead to physical trauma responses like nausea, breathlessness, and heart palpitations before future appointments.The Burden of Explanation: Many disabled people spend entire therapy or medical sessions explaining their condition. Louise highlights the importance of professionals doing independent research to reduce this "retraumatising" labour for the client.Practical Systemic Shifts: Small changes, such as offering double appointments as standard, can provide the extra time needed for cognitive processing or physical transfers, making care truly accessible.Disability-Affirmative Therapy: Finding a therapist who is "disability affirmative" means working with someone who understands the social and systemic barriers disabled people face, rather than viewing the disability as something to be "fixed"."Not Disabled Yet": A poignant reminder that accessibility is a community responsibility. Whether through physical access or inclusive language, creating safe environments benefits everyone - because many people are simply "not disabled yet".Resources Mentioned Trauma Informed Consultancy Services (TICS): Visit www.ticservicesltd.com to access live training events, further information on trauma-informed practice, and to contact the team for support.Disability-Affirmative Resources: Louise's Challenging Ableism CPD Session (11th April 2026)Emotional Respite (Charity)Spokz People - Modules to support people wanting to learn more and an online community for disabled people to join.Guest Louise Brooks is an integrative therapist in private practice, specialising in working with physically disabled and neurodivergent clients. Working exclusively online for inclusivity and access, Louise incorporates person-centered therapy, attachment theory, and compassion-focused approaches into her trauma-informed work. As a disabled practitioner, she is a passionate advocate for disability-affirmative care and challenging the ableist structures within the medical and therapeutic fields. Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

What happens to care-experienced people as they grow older? In this deeply moving and trauma-informed conversation, we sit down with researcher and storyteller Dr. Rosie Canning to explore the long-term health and wellbeing outcomes for adults who grew up in the care system. For too long, the narrative around "care leavers" has focused almost exclusively on the transition to adulthood at 18 or 21. This episode breaks that silence, highlighting the continued exclusion of older care-experienced people from policy and research debates. We discuss why this lack of representation urgently needs to change and how Dr. Canning’s research is finally centering these overlooked voices. From Grassroots Activism to Oxford Research Rosie shares her incredible personal and creative journey, offering a unique perspective on resilience and reclamation. We discuss: The Power of Community: Rosie’s involvement in Occupy London, where she supported the reclaiming of a closed library for community use.Lifelong Education: Her experience returning to education later in life to complete her PhD, and how being a "mature student" informed her lens as a researcher and facilitator.The Oxford Study: Insight into the significant research exploring health and wellbeing for care-experienced people aged 50+, co-led by Rosie alongside Dr. Jonathan “Jonno” Taylor, Dr. Michele Peters, and Dr. Anna Scott at the University of Oxford.Understanding the "Invisible Privilege" of Family Within the conversation, we reflect on the often-unseen privilege of family—of growing older alongside others, having shared histories, and knowing one’s own medical and health narratives. We consider how childhood trauma shapes adult experiences over decades, including: The Risk of Retraumatisation: The specific fears and realities of re-entering formal care systems (such as elder care or nursing homes) in later life.Belonging vs. Isolation: Moving away from "deficit-based" assumptions to create spaces of recognition, ownership, and belonging for the care-experienced community.Policy Evolution: Why current social care policies affecting children in care must evolve to account for the entire "life course" rather than just the immediate aftermath of leaving care.This research offers a powerful roadmap for what needs to change now to ensure foster care alumni and care-experienced adults are supported at every stage of their lives. Explore the Research: Read the winter 2026 edition of Care Leavers Connected to dive deeper into the findings discussed in this episode: https://issuu.com/careleaversconnected/docs/care_leavers_connected_winter_edition_2026 Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.

In this episode of Trauma Informed Conversations, host Jessica Parker is joined by TICS Associate Gemma, an expert with over 30 years of experience in the NHS eating disorder field. Recorded in person on a rare sunny day in Yorkshire, the pair explores the vital, yet often overlooked, role that connection and community play in the lives of those experiencing eating distress and eating disorders. Episode Overview Moving beyond the common misconceptions that eating disorders are solely about food, weight, or appearance, Jessica and Gemma examine the neurobiology of these conditions. They discuss how disordered eating often functions as a survival-based coping strategy for an overwhelmed nervous system. The conversation shifts the focus from "what is wrong with this behaviour" to "what is this behaviour helping the nervous system cope with," emphasising the importance of moving from blame to curiosity. Key Takeaways Connection is Complex: While connection is generally protective and regulates the nervous system, trauma can make connection feel unsafe, exposing, or even frightening.The "Multifactorial" Nature: Eating disorders rarely have a single cause; they sit at the intersection of biological sensitivity, psychological coping, relational experiences, and cultural pressures.Breaking the Cycle of Shame: Eating disorders often thrive in secrecy and isolation. Because social rejection activates similar neural pathways to physical pain, reducing shame through safe, non-judgmental connection is vital for recovery.The Power of Curiosity: For parents, educators, and colleagues, the shift from judgment to curiosity is key. We should ask ourselves: "I wonder what is feeling unsafe right now?" instead of focusing on compliance.Practical Inclusivity: Creating an atmosphere of psychological safety in workplaces and schools includes being flexible with meal times, avoiding comments on appearance, and recognizing that not everyone views social eating as a "safe" or "enjoyable" activity. Resources Mentioned BEAT: The UK's national eating disorder charity. They provide extensive support resources for individuals, parents, and professionals, as well as a "Help Finder" tool to locate local services.Trauma Informed Consultancy Services (TICS): Visit ticsltd.com to access live training events, further information on trauma-informed practice, and to contact the team for support.Guest Gemma is a dedicated mental health specialist with over 30 years of experience in the field of eating disorders, having begun her career working within the NHS. As a TICS Associate, she now applies this extensive clinical background to her work in training and consultancy. Gemma’s commitment to this field is deeply personal, stemming from her own experiences supporting family members who struggled with eating disorders, which initially drove her to train as a mental health nurse to better understand how to help. Today, she focuses on challenging myths and misconceptions, advocating for an approach that views eating disorders as complex, multi-factorial adaptations rather than mere human weaknesses. Her work emphasises that because recovery is rarely linear, building community and fostering safety are critical "prevention science" tools that allow healing to emerge. Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to Trauma Informed Conversations for more honest discussions about trauma, recovery, and building systems rooted in care and humanity.