When Bearing Witness®: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Storyteller – Details, episodes & analysis

Send us Fan Mail

In today’s episode of When Bearing Witness, we step into a conversation that sits at the heart of trauma-informed storytelling: what happens when a story intended to inspire instead causes harm, and how we move toward repair. Storytelling is powerful, but it is never neutral. When nonprofits share personal experiences without care, consent, or curiosity, those choices can leave deep emotional and relational wounds. This episode honors the truth that repair is possible, but only when we slow down enough to acknowledge harm and choose a different path forward.

Joining me for this vulnerable and necessary conversation is Rachel D’Souza, the founder of Gladiator Consulting and a proud member of the Community-Centric Fundraising Global Council. Rachel’s work centers on radical collaboration, racial equity, social justice, and decolonization, and her advocacy is deeply informed by her own lived experience of having her story misused for fundraising.

We explore what accountability can look like, why harm repair matters, and how nonprofit storytellers can move toward practices rooted in dignity, agency, and healing.

About Rachel D'Souza

Rachel D'Souza, MPPA, MLS is the founder of Gladiator Consulting in St. Louis, MO, a boutique firm co-creating with nonprofits across the country. As a proud member of the Community-Centric Fundraising Global Council, Rachel works to guide and resource a global initiative to reimagine the nonprofit sector through a lens of radical collaboration, racial equity, social justice, and decolonization. In 2024, Rachel completed her coursework to earn her second Master's Degree at the Washington University School of Law. With this additional training in negotiation, mediation, and cross-cultural conflict resolution, Rachel is eager to shift organizational culture and interpersonal relationships in the direction of healing, collaboration, and systems change.

Connect with Rachel D'Souza

Gladiatorrds Website |  LinkedIn

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

Nonprofit storytellers are tasked with sharing stories that move people to act, yet we also carry the responsibility of protecting the dignity and agency of those whose stories we tell. And when we are working on the outside of an organization, as contractors or consultants, the power to ensure ethical and trauma-informed practices can feel limited. 

So, how do we uphold care and consent when we are not the final decision makers?

In this episode, we are joined by Kristi Scott, an email marketing consultant who helps small nonprofits transform email campaigns from ineffective to impactful. Rooted in community-centric fundraising and a commitment to equity, Kristi shares how to write emails that are strategic, relational, and rooted in respect, not exploitation, guilt, or false urgency.

We talk about leading by example, planting seeds for organizational change, and building systems that protect story owners long after the first publication. 

About Kristi Scott

Kristi Scott is an email marketing and fundraising consultant who works with small nonprofits to transform email campaigns from ineffective to impactful. She has been in the nonprofit sector for more than 15 years in programs, fundraising, and marketing. Her consulting work is rooted in community-centric fundraising, and she is professionally and personally committed to Black liberation and equity for all. Kristi holds an MBA in Marketing with honors and has worked in small businesses, startups, and corporate sales. She was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, the traditional lands of the Tongva (Gabrieleno) peoples.

Connect with Kristi Scott

Fundraising Email Fix | Website | LinkedIn

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

What does it really mean to create a work culture we don’t need to heal from? 

In this episode of When Bearing Witness, I’m joined by Lindsey Fuller, an educator, coach, and Executive Director of The Teaching Well, for a deep and necessary conversation on trauma-informed storytelling, nonprofit communication ethics, and collective care.

We talk about how nonprofit storytelling impacts our nervous systems, why self-care alone isn’t enough, and what it looks like to build human-centered organizations rooted in ethical storytelling practices. 

About Lindsey Fuller

Lindsey Fuller is an educator, coach, and changemaker with over 20 years of experience in education, facilitation, and leadership development. As Executive Director of The Teaching Well, she works to stabilize schools and redignify the teaching profession by supporting educators and nonprofit professionals with the tools they need to build resilience, communicate with care, and thrive in their work. Her approach centers trauma-informed practices, collective well-being, and sustainable organizational culture.

Connect with Lindsey Fuller

Gather at the Well Podcast | The Teaching Well | Linkedin 

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

How do we communicate with care when marketing and fundraising often rely on urgency and pressure? 

Today’s guest brings a thoughtful lens to one of the most overlooked areas in nonprofit storytelling: the words we choose and how they land. Stephanie Bilinsky is a trauma-informed copywriter who helps ethical entrepreneurs and organizations connect with their audiences through intentional, human-centered messaging.

In this conversation, we explore how trauma-informed storytelling practices can strengthen nonprofit leadership and communication ethics. Stephanie unpacks common copywriting tactics that unintentionally harm audiences, like scarcity, urgency, and pain-point marketing, and offers nonprofit marketing strategies rooted in clarity, choice, and consent. 

About Stephanie Bilinsky

Stephanie is a trauma-informed copywriter for ethical entrepreneurs. She connects business owners with their dream clients through intentional, human-centered messaging.

Connect with Stephanie Bilinsky

Brandcendent.com | Linkedin | Instagram 

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

What does it mean to lead with care when everything feels like it’s on fire? 

Today’s guest brings clarity to one of the most important tools we have in times of crisis: storytelling. Catherine Alonzo is a strategist, storyteller, and CEO of Javelina, a branding and marketing agency helping purpose-driven organizations deepen their social impact. From minimum wage to marriage equality to climate justice, Catherine has helped shape the messages behind some of the most influential movements of our time.

In this episode, we explore trauma-informed storytelling as a vital piece of nonprofit communication ethics. 

Catherine shares insights from her guide, A Guide to Effective Storytelling During a Crisis, including how to balance urgency with humanity, what it means to communicate with clarity during chaos, and how a simple decision tree can help nonprofit leaders speak out with intention. 

About Catherine Alonzo

Catherine Alonzo is on a mission to deepen the social impact of purpose-driven, values-aligned changemakers. She does this through her work with Javelina, a branding and marketing agency that helps social change organizations tell a powerful story that moves their target audiences to action, and through her consulting practice, in which she teaches teams a value-based approach to decision making, team building, storytelling, and leadership so that they can advance their community impact.

Recognized for her business leadership by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Business Magazine, Arizona Big Media, and the Phoenix Business Journal, Catherine has been a part of some of the most influential change movements of our time, including increasing minimum wages, advancing marriage equality, widening transportation networks, preserving our climate and environment, and protecting abortion rights.

Connect with Catherine Alonzo

 Effective Storytelling During a Crisis | Javelina.co | Catherinealonzo.com 

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

In This Episode

What if ethical transformation in the nonprofit sector doesn't start with policy, but with people? 

In this episode, Maria Bryan is joined by Diana Farias Heinrich, founder of the Ethical Nonprofit Summit, to explore how courage, connection, and accountability can reshape the way we fundraise, communicate, and lead.

This conversation isn't a checklist of best practices. It's a powerful reflection on what happens when we acknowledge our past harm, choose integrity over fear, and build spaces that remind us we are not alone in this work.

About Diana Farias Heinrich

Diana Farias Heinrich (she/her) is the CEO of Habrá Marketing and a champion of ethical nonprofit storytelling. Through her Equastory™ framework and The Ethical Nonprofit Summit, she actively safeguards equality, respect, and dignity in nonprofit communications while helping organizations raise funds with integrity. She's a certified Advocate for Survivors of Domestic Violence and for DEI in the Workplace. 

Get Your Ethical Nonprofit Tix!

Go to EthicalNonprofitSummit.com and use code WITNESS20 for $20 off

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

Content warnings have long been treated as mere disclaimers—brief nods to potential triggers without much thought to their real impact. 

But what if they could do more? Rachel Edwards believes they can. 

As a senior content designer at Content Design London and the creator of the book Designed with Care: Creating Trauma-Informed Content, Rachel brings together voices from health, government, and nonprofit sectors to explore how words can support those experiencing trauma. Her book is a groundbreaking resource for anyone looking to communicate with empathy and intention.

In our conversation, Rachel unpacks the limitations of traditional content warnings and explains how to transform them into tools of empowerment and choice. We also explore the inspiration behind Designed with Care and the collaborative effort that brought its pages to life. 

With practical insights on trauma-informed design, Rachel shares how simple shifts in language can make information more accessible and less retraumatizing. Join us as we dig into the principles of trauma-informed design and discover how content warnings can move beyond disclaimers to become instruments of real safety and empowerment.

About Rachel Edwards

From dabbling in food writing to working as a librarian, Rachel has spent the best part of 2 decades working with words. As a content designer she has worked extensively with parliament, and government, helping people understand their rights. Her interest is how to create better content for people experiencing stress, anxiety and trauma. Originally from Canada, Rachel now lives in Scotland with her 2 children.

Connect with Rachel Edwards

Designed With Care | Linkedin | Get the Book

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we explore how purpose, clarity, and sustainability can shape the way we show up as nonprofit storytellers and marketers. Our guest, Quinn Tempest, is a business and brand strategist and the founder of Create Your Purpose®, a movement that empowers women entrepreneurs to build meaningful, sustainable businesses without sacrificing what matters most.

Through Quinn’s lens of purpose-driven marketing and her concept of “gentle consistency,” we reflect on what it means to communicate with intention—especially in a culture that often rewards hustle and scarcity. Together, we dig into how to resist burnout, market without manipulation, and stay connected to your values in both message and method.

Whether you're navigating nonprofit communications, content strategy, or your own trauma-informed storytelling practice, this conversation is a powerful reminder that sustainability and integrity are not at odds—they're essential partners in storytelling for social impact.

About Quinn Tempest

Quinn Tempest is a business + brand strategist and the founder of Create Your Purpose®, a movement empowering women entrepreneurs to build meaningful, sustainable businesses without sacrificing what matters most. Through her community, strategic resources, and thought leadership, she helps women redefine success—trading burnout and busywork for businesses that fuel their purpose, well-being, and impact. At the heart of her work is a deep belief in reclaiming agency—not just in business, but in how we shape our time, our stories, and our lives.

Connect with Quinn Tempest

QuinnTempest.com | Instagram | Create Your Purpose Quiz

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we navigate how nonprofit leaders can speak up with courage during politically divided times. Our guest today, Vu Le, a bold voice in the nonprofit sector, combines humor with unflinching honesty to challenge systemic issues. 

In this candid and vulnerable conversation, we'll explore the real costs and consequences of speaking truth to power, the responsibilities that come with privilege, and practical approaches to communicating during politically divided times. Vu shares insights on balancing organizational survival with moral imperatives and offers guidance for nonprofit leaders wrestling with when to speak up and when to step back. 

Get ready for a conversation that's as thought-provoking as it is timely—because the stakes have never been higher for nonprofits navigating today's complex political landscape.

About Vu Le

Rabblerouser Vu writes the blog nonprofitAF.com. He has led two nonprofits and is involved in several movements including Crappy Funding Practices and Community-Centric Fundraising.

Connect with Vu Le

Nonprofitaf.com | Bluesky 

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Send us Fan Mail

In this eye-opening episode, Maria talks with Dr. Neeru Bakshi, a psychiatrist who's shaking things up in mental healthcare. Neeru, a South Asian woman, works in a field dominated by Western viewpoints. She offers insights on why diverse voices in leadership roles matter for mental health care.

Neeru shares stories of questioning the system, from asking why certain patients were turned away to challenging culturally limited approaches to treatment. Her candid observations reveal how even well-intentioned care can miss the mark when cultural context is overlooked.

This episode offers real hope for change beyond spotlighting the cracks in the system. 

Neeru walks us through practical ways to transform mental healthcare, from diversifying research participants to rethinking education for future practitioners. For anyone who cares about honest storytelling and inclusive healing spaces, this conversation demonstrates how bringing different perspectives to the table creates care where folks feel truly understood and respected.

About Dr. Neeru Bakshi

Neeru Bakshi is a board-certified psychiatrist with expertise and passion in antiracist mental health care and eating disorders. Dr. Neeru Bakshi has dedicated her career to addressing the amplified stigma and barriers to care that exist within the South Asian community. Her mission is to center women of color in leadership and create more accessible, culturally responsive mental healthcare.

Connect with Dr. Neeru Bakshi

LinkedIn | Instagram | Threads

About Host Maria Bryan

Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. 

Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email