Transforming Trauma

"Healing is not about improvement of daily functionalities or reduction of symptoms. Healing is deeply relational, cultural, and it's a political act." - Yukako Sortino On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth welcomes Yukako Sortino, Manager of the Refugee Behavioral Wellness Program at Heartland Alliance Health, for a profoundly moving dialogue on trauma, resilience, and relational healing within refugee and immigrant communities. Drawing from her work in Chicago and her lived experience as an immigrant, Yukako invites listeners to reconsider healing as a collective, nonlinear journey that honors dignity, body, identity, and culture. Yukako illuminates the "triple trauma paradigm"—pre-migration, migration, and post-migration trauma—emphasizing how experiences of displacement and systemic oppression are woven into the fabric of everyday life for many refugees and immigrants. She shares how the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®) influences her approach as a relational lens, not a rigid method—prioritizing paced, attuned presence, honoring survival adaptations, and centering co-regulation before self-regulation. Through a vivid case study and reflection, she illustrates how micro-interventions, group-based and somatic supports, and culturally rooted practices restore agency and belonging amid ongoing adversity. The conversation also highlights the structural barriers and burnout faced by providers, advocating for rest as an ethical imperative and collective care as essential resistance. Listeners are called to see beyond clinical outcomes, to foster authentic community, and to recognize the vital role of therapist self-care and sustainability. We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. *** **SPACE:** SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** **The Complex Trauma Training Center:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com **View upcoming trainings:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ *** The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. *** We want to connect with you! **Facebook ** https://www.facebook.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **Instagram ** https://www.instagram.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **LinkedIn** https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-trauma-training-center/ **YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ComplexTraumaTrainingCenter **X** https://x.com/CTTC_Training

"It's simple, not always easy—but movement, writing, and a little fresh air changed my life." – Lawrence Chrystopher Harris On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth sits down with Lawrence Chrystopher Harris, a youth empowerment speaker who transforms his lived experience of childhood trauma into practical hope for young people and their supporters. Lawrence reflects on growing up as a neurodivergent child in Philadelphia, surviving family abuse, and overcoming alienation, offering an inside look at the barriers he faced and the hard-won lessons that now guide his work. The conversation centers on accessible tools for healing—journaling, exercise, and getting outdoors—framed as a "mental, physical, spiritual triangle." Lawrence shares how consistent daily practice of these simple habits helped him learn self-reflection, emotional regulation, and self-love, breaking free from patterns of self-doubt and disconnection. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity in self-inquiry, the courage to acknowledge both shadow and light within, and the profound difference between our feelings and our identity. The episode is a powerful call to caregivers, educators, and youth themselves: transformation is possible when we start with manageable, sustainable steps anchored in agency and imagination. We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. *** **SPACE:** SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** **The Complex Trauma Training Center:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com **View upcoming trainings:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ *** The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. *** We want to connect with you! **Facebook ** https://www.facebook.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **Instagram ** https://www.instagram.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **LinkedIn** https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-trauma-training-center/ **YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ComplexTraumaTrainingCenter **X** https://x.com/CTTC_Training

"Hip hop culture is a fuel for life… an organic healing culture with roots that empower both individuals and communities." – Dr. Raphael Travis On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth welcomes Dr. Raphael Travis, an educator, researcher, and social worker who has devoted his life to understanding how hip hop culture serves as a powerful tool for individual and collective healing. Dr. Travis traces hip hop's five key elements—MCing, breakdancing, DJing, graffiti, and knowledge of self—and discusses how each contributes to identity reconstruction, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. He reflects on his own lived experiences growing up in New York during the early days of hip hop, and shares stories from his work with youth in clinical and community settings. Listeners will explore how hip hop's expressive arts create vital counter narratives to trauma-induced identity threats and why culturally grounded modalities are essential for trauma transformation. Dr. Travis explains how shifting from a deficit-based to an empowerment-based approach to youth development can catalyze agency, belonging, and social change. He shares practical strategies—ranging from lyric analysis to innovative uses of technology like beat making and haptic devices—for building therapeutic connection and intentional healing within youth and communities. The conversation highlights the importance of relationship, positive development, and the transformative potential of the arts in fostering both individual and community recovery. We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. *** **SPACE:** SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** **The Complex Trauma Training Center:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com **View upcoming trainings:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ *** The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC also offers the SPACE Inner Development Program for Therapists, providing a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. *** We want to connect with you! **Facebook ** https://www.facebook.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **Instagram ** https://www.instagram.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **LinkedIn** https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-trauma-training-center/ **YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ComplexTraumaTrainingCenter **X** https://x.com/CTTC_Training

"We heal not through perfection, but through presence." – Lisa Gillispie, as reflected by Emily Ruth On this special year-end episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth welcomes Brad Kammer, LMFT, LPCC, Training Director of the Complex Trauma Training Center, for an intimate conversation on the evolving landscape of trauma therapy practice and community. Together, they look back on a year filled with wisdom from leading voices in the field of complex trauma, and the courage to embrace imperfection. Emily Ruth and Brad reflect on memorable episodes featuring NARM®-trained colleagues and guests innovating across approaches including Somatic Experiencing, Jungian Psychology, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). They explore how practitioners like Lisa Gillispie and Kelly Cook are advancing integrative trauma modalities within schools, clinical supervision, and diverse care settings. The conversation honors stories from therapists working with marginalized groups, such as those impacted by the criminal justice system and LGBTQ+ communities, emphasizing how real transformation unfolds through deep relationships and shared humanity. Brad also shares insights from the inaugural year of the SPACE Inner Development Program, created to support therapists in supporting presence, awareness, connection and embodiment. The dialogue surfaces ongoing growth edges and challenges while celebrating the resilience and creative spirit within the complex trauma therapy field. We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. *** **SPACE:** SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** **The Complex Trauma Training Center:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com **View upcoming trainings:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ *** The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. *** We want to connect with you! **Facebook ** https://www.facebook.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **Instagram ** https://www.instagram.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **LinkedIn** https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-trauma-training-center/ **YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ComplexTraumaTrainingCenter **X** https://x.com/CTTC_Training

"[SPACE] is really a dynamic, alive experience… One person even said, "I could keep doing this for the rest of my life." – Marcia Black On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth reunites with Brad Kammer, Stefanie Klein, and Marcia Black for a heartfelt group reflection on the inaugural year of the SPACE Inner Development Program at the Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC). Together, they explore the intentions behind creating a professional community where therapists can reconnect with themselves and each other—without judgement or performance—for authentic support, mentorship, personal and professional growth. Hear how the SPACE program emerged as a co-creation not only among facilitators but with participants themselves, deepening into real-time feedback, transparent dialogue, and evolving interests. The conversation highlights key program themes—cultivating greater internal space as therapists, navigating relational enactments with clients, honoring the transpersonal, and embracing healthy vulnerability and support-seeking as mental health professionals. Brad, Stefanie, and Marcia share observations from small groups and triads, discuss the power of naming challenges like asking for help or facing therapeutic enactments, and affirm the value of centering the therapist's own healing journey as vital to trauma-informed care. Enriching personal stories and participant anecdotes illustrate the transformation that occurs when space is held for open exploration and connection. The team also looks ahead to new program offerings from CTTC and their ongoing commitment to building an inclusive, compassionate learning community for those deepening into SPACE, practicing NARM® (NeuroAffective Relational Model®) and other trauma-informed practices. We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. *** **SPACE:** SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** **The Complex Trauma Training Center:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com **View upcoming trainings:** https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ *** The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. *** We want to connect with you! **Facebook ** https://www.facebook.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **Instagram ** https://www.instagram.com/complextraumatrainingcenter/ **LinkedIn** https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-trauma-training-center/ **YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ComplexTraumaTrainingCenter **X** https://x.com/CTTC_Training