YOUR STUFF, MY STUFF
Infusing trauma-informed practice into our programs to create safer, more impactful learning experiences.
* this course is currently on presale and content will be available early September
I'M GOING TO BREAK THE RULES WITH THIS SALES PAGE
Because you already know that providing an incredibly valuable, transformational experience in your offer is your top priority.
You’re already well too aware of the terrible, sometimes harmful experiences that are going on in the world of online coaching and courses.
And I also know that you care so deeply about the people that you serve, the impact that you make and the way you feel every day when you show up in your business.
So I’m going to skip over the ‘have you ever felt..’ and the ‘here’s what’s possible..’ sections, and instead here’s what I’m going to do:
1. I'm going to start with a tiny rant (and some re-education) about a certain practice that fills me with a burning rage in the online program industry.
2. I’m going to get vulnerable and tell you a story about some insecurities I was having with my group program the Incubator.
3. I’m going to share the discussion I had with an expert to address the tender, wobbly areas in my program.
4. I’m going to walk you through the incredible course the aforementioned expert and I have collaborated on to bring you an approachable way of infusing trauma-informed practices into your offers.
5. I’m going to give you the link to purchase this awesome course at the presale price of $111 (instead of $330) which not only do you get to celebrate your commitment to elevating your offers even further, but you also get to feel so freaking good because 100% of the first 50 sales goes towards funding research on improving mental health supports for trans and gender-diverse youth.
And if you’re like I’m already in just sign me up...
*course is currently on presale and materials will be available early September.
The Rant: Trauma-Informed ≠ Constantly Bringing Up Trauma
There is a nasty practice floating around in our industry of slapping the label ‘trauma-informed’ on pretty much anything. Deep down, I know this comes from a good place. The coach cares about their people, they want to be aware of the lived experiences their students are bringing into their programs - and of course, they want to help people.
Spoiler alert: unfortunately most of the time, many programs are decidedly not trauma-informed.
WHAT PEOPLE THINK BEING TRAUMA-INFORMED MEANS...
Focusing on trauma and talking about trauma
Being aware that different people have different experiences and may have trauma (again, good for awareness, but true trauma-informed practice goes deeper than that)
That we need to know about this trauma and what has happened to people to effectively support them
Tracing any mindset blocks or habit development back to your childhood or family of origin
Letting triggers and activations fully play out for the sake of honouring feelings (or oppositely,
blaming any critical feedback or preferences on ‘being triggered’ or ‘feeling activated’
A general heaviness in all of your offers because now you’ve mentioned the capital-T Trauma word
True trauma-informed practice shows us that we don’t necessarily need to know what has happened to people in order to support them, we don’t need to be talking about people’s trauma.
My Story: A program design expert, feeling insecure about her program
My life’s work is dedicated to helping brilliant entrepreneurs like yourself architect life-changing learning experiences that not only gets your people phenomenal results, but that you’re obsessed with selling and delivering.
And yet, I was feeling insecure about my own program, a 4-month group coaching program, the Incubator.
While my clients were getting incredible results like launching programs, developing new frameworks, stepping into new levels of ownership over their body of work, I couldn’t help but notice pinches starting to arise over gaps in the program delivery.
I WAS UNSURE ABOUT...
- Internally, I was super clear on the program flow and call structure, but as new members joined I noticed their uncertainty and confusion about how to participate “properly” led to a slower start opposed to the high-value experience I wanted to offer (just thinking about it makes me cringe).
- I have a very firm anti-bullying, anti-violence statement on the application form , but didn’t have a solid workflow or strategy for if any incidents happened in the program - oh no are those two members going to clash? Did that person feel ok in that situation?
- I had little bubbles of fear before and during calls as my work deepened into new intersections of the program creation experience- eek that person is starting to look upset, I don’t know what to do, oh my gosh can I even talk about this topic, what if this activates someone.
And of course, I was judging the 💩 out of myself for not already having the answers. I’m a program design expert, I’ve been facilitating for years, shouldn’t I already have this figured out?
Enter the Expert: "It's about your stuff and my stuff "
Thank god for siblings - in particular, a sibling who is a licensed therapist, trauma and anti-violence expert, and overall freaking brilliant human.
In the middle of my spiral, I went for a walk with my sibling Mattie who, after very patiently listening to all my insecurities around my program, offered the suggestion that infusing trauma-informed practices into how I structure and run my programs could be the answer to my questions.
At first, I was super resistant - after all, trauma-anything felt super heavy - I’m a learning designer, not a life coach - why would I need to think about these things?
Which was when Mattie blew my mind by sharing this simple framing:
Think about it like your stuff (your learners) and my stuff (me as the leader):
It always starts from a really good place.
We care so deeply about our people, we think the answer is to overgive and overdeliver, at the expense of our own comfort. We take responsibility for anything and everything that happens in our programs, even the things that are technically not ours to own.
The more we know about our people, the more ways we try to help them, the more questions we can answer, the more flexible we can be, the better right??
Unfortunately no. What we’re actually doing when we show up that way is blurring the boundaries between our stuff and our learners’ stuff.
WHICH MEANS FOR US:
- We end up being so worried about what could happen in our programs, we’re not actually present for what is happening.
- We’re cringing internally anytime someone asks a clarifying question (or worse, no one asks questions) because does this mean they secretly hate my program?
- The thought of two members clashing on a call, a student being disappointed in the program, not meeting the expectations of our people literally keeps us up at night, to the point that we might secretly not even sell our program because the stress . is. real.
AND FOR OUR LEARNERS:
- They’re overwhelmed by the amount of helpfulness you’re trying to throw their way that they end up frozen and not taking any action.
- Their own ‘what if’ monster holds them back from fully engaging, because what if I get judged, what if I don’t know the answer, what if I’m asked to disclose something personal.
- We’re cringing internally anytime someone asks a clarifying question (or worse, no one asks questions) because does this mean they secretly hate my program?
Trauma-informed practice shows us approachable ways of supporting this sense of safety through consistent, clear boundaries and roadmaps around roles, responsibilities, and expectations for both our learners and ourselves.
For our people, this means:
- Instead of feeling nervous, they get to actively look forward to calls, knowing exactly how and when they get to ask questions, share feedback, or even just listen quietly if they prefer.
- Instead of being stuck in ‘if I can’t do it right I won’t do it at all’ paralysis, they can take action and build momentum in the program.
- Instead of ghosting, they feel comfortable enough to talk to you or your team if they’re having issues with another participant or not getting what they need out of the experience because they fully trust how you will handle the situation.
AND FOR US:
- We’re so freaking excited to welcome people into our programs because we know our clear expectations and roadmap set them up for success right from the beginning.
- We’re no longer spinning in the what-if cycle of doom before calls because we have an intentional plan and skillset supporting us for all those tricky situations.
- We feel that deep sigh of relief because we are so grounded in our own role and expertise, we can trust ourselves to fully support our people in their transformation.
And most importantly, a trauma-informed approach shows us how to put systems and structures in place that address potential fears and anxieties so we can fully unlock the vast possibilities and depth in our work.
INTRODUCING: YOUR STUFF & MY STUFF
A self-study course guiding you through infusing trauma-informed practices in your scalable programs.
Create safer, more impactful learning environments so your people feel fully held and supported in your programs.
Soothe the fear, anxiety and ‘what ifs’ that arise for you and your people when navigating the unknown.
Facilitate deeper, more powerful containers so that you can lead your people to get life-changing transformations.
Soothe the fear, anxiety and ‘what ifs’ that arise for you and your people when navigating the unknown.
Facilitate deeper, more powerful containers so that you can lead your people to get life-changing transformations.
My conversation with Mattie was a game-changer for how I think about and run my programs, so we decided to team up to offer you an approachable way to infuse trauma-informed practices into your own offers.
As a program design expert, my biggest priority is that you don’t get overwhelmed, confused, or stuck in the reflection stage with more questions than answers, which is why we’ve intentionally designed Your Stuff, My Stuff to be as practical and actionable as possible.
Take a peek inside the course:
1. Foundations
The course starts with the essential foundations of a trauma-informed approach.
You’ll learn:
- How trauma affects the brain
- How that impacts the way someone learns or engages with your programs
- The core principles of trauma-informed practice
2. You as the Leader
It starts with us. In this module, we dive into ‘My Stuff’ - who we are, what we are bringing into the learning experience, what we need to feel confident and capable as leaders.
You will:
- Define your role in your programs
- Establish what boundaries need to be in place for your own health and safety
- Investigate your own capacity to sit in discomfort, and what supports you may need
3. Creating Your Roadmap
Roadmaps are a core component of a trauma-informed approach, where we clearly communicate roles, expectations, supports, and more. In this module, you will identify all the components of your program that need to be addressed in the roadmap, so you can:
- Create an effective application form + follow up process
application form + email template provided - Create a powerful welcome guide that sets your learners up for success right from the beginning of the program welcome guide template provided
- Set up systems and supports for when someone doesn’t feel safe, either with other learners or with you
- Determine what roles, expectations, structures need to be communicated and how
- Create and implement an ethical feedback and testimonial gathering process feedback form + email template provided
4. Faciliting Live Calls & Components
In this module, we explore best practices for facilitating the live components of your program so that you can create welcoming and comfortable spaces for learning, both digitally and in-person.
As part of this module, you’ll learn how to:
- incorporate invitational facilitation practices to support learner autonomy and choice
- communicate expectations and re- establish boundaries ✅ scripts provided ✅
- Provide alternate exercises to common coaching practices
- Establish boundaries around personal disclosures ✅scripts provided✅
- Manage learner interactions both on calls and in community
- Course correct when group coaching turns into venting, rabbit-holing, or advice-giving ✅scripts provided✅
5. What If...
A big part of not only being human ourselves but working with other humans in our programs is that sometimes things don’t go to plan.
So we created the ‘What If’ module to help you navigate those tricky situations, like:
- What if someone gets mad at you?
- What if someone doesn’t understand what’s happening?
- What if there’s conflict between two learners?
- What if someone starts crying in front of you?
- What if someone gets triggered?
- What if you cause harm?
- ✅scripts provided✅
BONUS - The Incubator Case Study
I take you behind the scenes of how I implemented this work in my own program, the Incubator.
You’ll get access to:
- My completed workbook
- My Readiness Roadmap
- A video walkthrough of how I structured my program portal
* this course is currently on presale and content will be available early September.
We work with people, which means that we are inherently engaging with all the beautiful, messy nuances of being human.
Whether you’re a coach, consultant, facilitator, designer, or course creator, when you invite people into your programs, they bring all of themselves.
the anxieties, the frustrations, the talent, the narratives, the genius, the potential, the perfectionism, the personalities and yes, sometimes the trauma.
Having trauma-informed training allows us to navigate all the intersections of our work, the humanness that people bring into our containers with gentleness, grace, and compassion, without overstepping our own comfort levels or capacity.
We can show up fully as leaders knowing that we have systems, supports, and structures in place that help us feel grounded and safe.
And through these systems and boundaries, we demonstrate to our people how we can hold them in their learning journey, how they are empowered and supported in their transformation not only by us as a facilitator but by the structures in our program.
In my fierce, but humble opinion: this work is essential for anyone facilitating scalable programs, whether it’s a group program, self-study course, workshop, certification, or something unique to you.
We owe it to our people to be the best leaders and teachers we can be.
We owe it to them to do what is in our power to make our programs the best experience possible by removing as many barriers to learning as we can.
And we owe it to ourselves to expand our skillset and capacity so we can feel comfortable and safe navigating new levels of impact as we share our magic with the world.
100% of revenue from the first 50 sales goes towards funding mental health research for trans and gender-diverse youth.
The Feel-Good sign up
This launch is directly funding research on improving mental health supports for trans and gender-diverse youth. Transforming Supports is a community-based research project that seeks to improve mental health services that provide trauma support to trans and gender-diverse young people by identifying areas for improvement, barriers to access, and directions for future research that are centred on community needs and priorities.
This research is crucial because many trans and gender-diverse people have a need for mental health support but right now there is little research about how to best provide useful, safe, and accessible mental health care, especially trauma-related mental health care, to trans and gender-diverse communities.
You can confidently sign up for this course today knowing that your purchase goes towards supporting this incredible research. 100% of revenue from the first 50 sales and then 50% of all additional revenue goes directly to this research project.
* this course is currently on presale and content will be available early September.
About the Experts
Emily Walker, M.A
Emily is an expert in architecting life-changing online programs. She is known for her unique approach in the course creation industry, blending equal parts learning psychology, intuition and a firm belief in doing things in a way that feels deliciously like you. From best-selling authors to ground-breaking coaches to seven-figure entrepreneurs, Emily has worked with a diverse range of clients in all different industries from all around the globe.
Emily believes that it’s time to burn down the one-size-fits-all strategies and instead fall wildly in love with your deeply original learning experience.
After working behind the scenes on over 100 courses, certifications and group programs, Emily knows that the truly life-changing programs are the ones that honour your learners’ journey while infusing every element with your unique magic.
Mattie Walker, M.A, PhD candidate, RCC
For over 10 years, Mattie has worked in a variety of roles supporting individuals impacted by trauma and violence. Mattie started an anti-violence career volunteering in a transition house, supporting adults escaping domestic violence. Through working with a community sexual assault response team, providing first response to survivors of sexual assault, Mattie saw the importance of trauma-informed practices as a crucial approach to supporting individuals who had experienced violence and trauma.
As a victim services and child advocacy worker, Mattie provided support to victims of child abuse and family violence navigating the criminal justice system.
Now, Mattie balances running a private counselling practice where Mattie supports youth and adults who have been impacted by trauma and violence, with leading a community-based project called Transforming Supports that is working directly with trans and gender-diverse young people to identify the needs and priorities for trauma-related mental health care in order to improve supports for these communities.
Mattie believes in capacity-building and supporting communities to be able to access the support they need. By identifying and addressing system barriers to support and utilizing community capacity, individuals and communities can thrive in safer more supported spaces.
GOT QUESTIONS?
Let’s get you some answers!
YOUR STUFF, MY STUFF
A self-study course guiding you through
infusing trauma-informed practices
in your scalable programs.
Create safer, more impactful learning environments so your people feel fully held and supported in your programs.
Soothe the fear, anxiety and ‘what ifs’ that arise for you and your people when navigating the unknown.
Facilitate deeper, more powerful containers so that you can lead your people to get life-changing transformations.
* this course is currently on presale and content will be available early September.