Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide

Cyndi Bennett
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  • CAREERS

Traditional career development not working for you as a trauma survivor? Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide reimagines professional success with your healing journey in mind. Join trauma survivor turned trauma-informed career coach, Cyndi Bennett, MBA, M.Ed., for strategies that actually work for trauma survivors seeking career growth. Subscribe for weekly tips on building a career that honors your healing journey.

  1. 18H AGO

    I Don't Know What I Want — And That's Not Your Fault | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 52

    "I don't know what I want" — What if that's not a flaw, but a survival response? 💙 If you've ever gone completely blank when someone asks what you want to do with your life, this episode is for you. Cyndi Bennett gets deeply personal about why trauma survivors feel disconnected from their own desires — and why it was never your fault. 🎙️ What You'll Learn: ✅ Why trauma survivors struggle to identify what they want ✅ What fawning is and how it silently shapes your career ✅ Why standard career advice fails trauma survivors ✅ How survival mode disconnects you from your own strengths ✅ Why "I don't know what I'm good at" is not the same as having no strengths ✅ How reconnecting with yourself IS career development — not a detour 💡 Key Truth: You are not behind. You are not broken. You need a different kind of support — and that support exists. 📞 Free Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/cyndibennettconsulting/30min?month=2026-04 (No pressure — just a real conversation) 🔔 Subscribe for weekly trauma-wise career guidance! 👍 Like if this finally made you feel seen. 💬 Comment — did you recognize yourself in this episode? ⏱️ Time Chapters: 00:00 – Opening: "I didn't know I was allowed to want it" 00:45 – Welcome & Introduction 01:30 – The Most Common Thing Cyndi Hears from Trauma Survivors 02:00 – Cyndi's Story: Waiting Instead of Choosing 03:00 – How Trauma Teaches You to Focus on Others' Needs 03:45 – Understanding the Fawning Response 04:30 – Why the Blankness Isn't a Character Flaw 05:30 – Survival Mode Leaves No Room for "What Do I Want?" 06:30 – Attachment Wounds & Wanting Help but Not Receiving It 07:30 – Knowing What You Don't Want vs. What Lights You Up 08:45 – The Turning Point: Claiming Her Strengths 09:45 – The Power of Choice & Autonomy 11:00 – Why Standard Career Advice Fails Trauma Survivors 12:30 – Reconnecting with Yourself IS Career Development 14:00 – Free Discovery Call & Closing When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    15 min

  2. APR 7

    Narcissism in the Workplace with Kimberly Weeks | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 51

    Have you ever walked into a work meeting and suddenly felt like a child again — shrinking, people-pleasing, or reacting in ways that surprised even you? You're not imagining it. Narcissistic workplace dynamics can mirror the family systems many trauma survivors grew up in, and your nervous system knows it even when your conscious mind doesn't. In this episode, I sit down with Kimberly Weeks — narcissistic abuse recovery coach and co-founder of the Global Trauma Institute — for a deeply honest conversation about how narcissism shows up at work, why it feels so familiar, and what you can do about it while honoring your healing journey. In this episode we explore: How childhood family system dynamics replay themselves in the workplaceWhat narcissistic behaviors actually look like at work — and how to recognize themHow to "gray rock" a narcissistic coworker without compromising your integrityThe difference between repair and reconciliation — and why that distinction mattersReclaiming your agency and choice when you feel stuck and voicelessWhy distance is sometimes the most professional and protective responseTimestamps: 01:00 Kimberly's story — narcissistic family systems and her healing journey04:00 How childhood patterns replay in the workplace06:00 Why trauma survivors feel like children in the boardroom09:00 The Workplace Trigger Tracker tool16:00 Building embodiment to catch workplace warning signs early26:00 Trust has to be earned: checking the fruit of people's lives31:00 Setting boundaries after a workplace blowup37:00 When the other person isn't willing or able to repair41:00 Narcissistic workplace systems — golden children, scapegoats, and flying monkeys47:00 What narcissistic behaviors actually look like at work53:00 Reclaiming what "professional" actually means01:01:00 You have choices — even when it doesn't feel like it01:06:00 Building new pathways through discomfort🎁 Free Resource: Download the Workplace Trigger Tracker at https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e8e187781752946ff2bd8d 📅 Ready to explore trauma-informed career coaching? Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/cyndibennettconsulting/30min?month=2026-04 Connect with Kimberly Weeks: Website: thenarcissisticabusecoach.comInstagram: @iamkimberlyweeksStand Firm Women's Community: DM Kimberly on InstagramWhen you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    1h 9m

  3. MAR 31

    When Work Gets Ugly: Righting Your Emotional Ship as a Trauma Survivor | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 50

    Have you ever been triggered at work so badly you couldn't function? 😔 You're not alone. In this raw, real, and deeply personal episode, trauma-informed career coach Cyndi Bennett takes you behind the scenes of a workplace blowup — and walks you step-by-step through how she got herself regulated in under 24 hours. This is Episode 1 of a 3-part series on navigating conflict in the workplace as a trauma survivor.  🎙️ What You'll Learn: ✅ What happens in your nervous system when you're triggered at work ✅ Why trauma survivors default to self-blame — and how to break that cycle ✅ How to separate past trauma from present conflict ✅ The power of setting boundaries when you're dysregulated ✅ How curiosity leads to compassion (even toward the person who hurt you) ✅ Why music, movement, and sleep are non-negotiable regulation tools ✅ How to use the FREE Workplace Trigger Tracker to prepare before blowups happen  🆓 Get Your Free Workplace Trigger Tracker: 👉 https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/resources 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode! 👍 Like this video if it helped you feel less alone. 💬 Comment below — how do YOU get regulated after a workplace blowup? 📌 Share this with a trauma survivor who needs it today.  00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview 01:30 – Series Preview: 3-Part Workplace Conflict Series 02:00 – Cyndi's Background & Why It Matters 03:30 – The Workplace Blowup: What Happened 05:30 – The Private Text & Public Fallout 06:30 – Stepping Away & First Regulation Steps 07:30 – Telling Her Manager & Taking Accountability 09:00 – What Was Happening on the Inside 10:00 – The Trauma Survivor's Knee-Jerk Response: Self-Blame 12:30 – Reaching Out to Repair Relationships 14:00 – Replaying the Event & Why Your Brain Does This 15:30 – Using Music & Movement to Regulate 19:00 – Getting Outside Perspective to Validate Your Reality 21:00 – Setting a Clear Boundary: Declining the Meeting 23:00 – Separating Past Trauma from Present Conflict 25:30 – Containing the Past & Returning to the Window of Tolerance 27:00 – Moving from Pain to Curiosity to Compassion 33:00 – Regulated in Under 24 Hours: A Major Win 35:00 – Closing Encouragement & Call to Action When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    38 min

  4. MAR 24

    Turning "Failure" Into Fuel: What Your Setbacks Are Actually Telling You | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 49

    When something goes wrong in your career, your nervous system doesn't just feel setback — it feels proof. When something goes wrong in your career, your nervous system doesn't just feel setback — it feels proof. Proof that you're not enough, not ready, not cut out for this. And for trauma survivors, that voice has a history behind it. In this episode, I'm continuing the conversation from last week — where I issued a public apology to my community after leaving a coaching program that wasn't trauma-informed — and getting real about what happens after accountability. Specifically: how do you stop calling it failure and start calling it information? In this episode we explore: Why trauma survivors have a harder time with professional setbacks (and why that makes complete sense) What actually happened when I left the program — and what it clarified about my values Four things setbacks are doing that we usually miss when we're in the middle of them Why you can't think your way into a reframe until your nervous system has had its response What trauma-informed career resilience actually looks like in practice This isn't about toxic positivity or "failing forward" platitudes. It's about learning to extract something real from the hard moments — on your own timeline, in your own way. 🔗 Ready to work through a setback with someone who gets it? Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/cyndibennettconsulting/30min?month=2026-03 Timestamps: 0:00 – Hook: What happened after last week's apology 1:00 – What we've been taught about failure 5:00 – My story: what actually happened 10:00 – The four things setbacks reveal 16:00 – The nervous system piece no one talks about 21:00 – Closing + how to work with me When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    22 min

  5. MAR 17

    Why I Quit the Program Everyone Said Would Work | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 48

    Did you follow a program perfectly… and still fail? You're not alone. 💔 In this raw and honest episode, trauma-informed career coach Cyndi Bennett shares the story of how she invested thousands of dollars into a business coaching program, followed it exactly as instructed — and watched it fail. Not because she did anything wrong, but because the program was never designed for trauma survivors. If you've ever trusted someone else's system over your own instincts, this episode is for you. 🎙️ What You'll Discover in This Episode: ✅ Why mainstream business and marketing programs can actively harm trauma survivors ✅ How psychological triggers in email marketing do the opposite of what trauma survivors need ✅ The moment Cyndi realized she trusted a program more than her own nervous system ✅ What "practicing the pause" looks like in real business decision-making ✅ How to reclaim your voice and choice as a trauma survivor AND business owner ✅ Why quitting the wrong path is actually an act of resilience — not failure 💡 Key Takeaway: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop, pause, and choose a different direction — one that actually fits YOU and the people you serve. 🔗 Resources & Links: 📌 Learn more about the Resilient Career Academy: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/resilientcareercoaching-waitlist 📌 Follow Cyndi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilient_career_academy/  00:00 – Introduction & Cyndi's Story Begins 01:15 – The Target Leave Date That Created Pressure 02:00 – Joining the Coaching Program & Investing Big 03:00 – Following the Program Exactly & Still Failing 04:00 – Why Psychological Triggers Hurt Trauma Survivors 05:00 – Zero Sign-Ups Despite Advertising Investment 05:45 – Practicing the Pause: Stopping to Evaluate 06:30 – The Realization: This Program Wasn't Trauma-Informed 07:30 – Ignoring Her Gut & the Cost of Not Trusting Herself 08:30 – You Have a Choice: Voice & Agency as a Survivor 09:30 – Canceling the Membership & Choosing a New Path 11:00 – Serving Over Selling: Cyndi's Real Goal 12:00 – Listening to Her Community Going Forward 13:00 – Encouragement for Trauma Survivor Business Owners 14:00 – Closing Message: You Are Resilient When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    15 min

  6. MAR 10

    Why Saying "NO" Feels Dangerous (And What It's Really Telling You) | Trauma & Career Ep. 47

    Does your chest tighten the moment you think about saying no? Do you automatically say yes — even when your body is screaming the opposite? You're not weak. You're not dramatic. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it learned to do. In this episode of Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide, trauma-informed career coach Cyndi Bennett unpacks why saying "no" feels threatening for trauma survivors — at work, in relationships, and even in therapy itself. She introduces the concept of fawning (the 4th trauma response most people never talk about) and what it's quietly costing you in your professional life. This isn't a script to memorize. This is a healing conversation. 00:00 – Introduction: Two "no" moments that revealed a pattern 02:15 – What this podcast is about (Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide) 03:00 – Why saying "no" is a threat response, not a skill gap 04:30 – What is fawning? The 4th trauma response 05:45 – How fawning shows up at work (overcommitting, unrealistic deadlines, silence in meetings) 07:30 – How fawning followed Cyndi into therapy 09:15 – Learning that "no" can exist in safe relationships 10:45 – The reframe: discomfort around "no" is healing information 12:00 – The 3 stages of reclaiming your "no" (all of them count) 14:00 – What fawning costs you professionally (resentment, visibility, leadership) 16:30 – The visibility paradox: why fawning makes you LESS visible as a leader 17:45 – This is a healing process, not a skill-building exercise 19:00 – You are not meant to do this alone + closing encouragement 🔗 Book a FREE 30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/cyndibennettconsulting/30min?month=2026-03 If you're a trauma survivor navigating your career while honoring your healing journey, this podcast was made for you. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share this with someone who needs to hear it. When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    11 min

  7. MAR 3

    When Building Your Business Becomes the New Trigger | Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide Ep 46

    You left the workplace because it was too triggering to survive. So why does building your business feel just as dysregulating? For a lot of trauma survivors, entrepreneurship isn't a passion project — it's an exit strategy. And when your business is your only way out, the urgency to make it work fast can activate the exact same threat responses you left employment to escape. In this episode, Cyndi names the structural tension that nobody in the business coaching world is talking about, and explores what it actually looks like to build something sustainable when your nervous system is part of the equation. In this episode: Why trauma survivors often turn to entrepreneurship as a protective decision, not just a professional oneWhat moving at the pace of your nervous system actually looks like in practiceHow urgency becomes its own trigger — and what it costs you when you push past your capacityWhat a trauma-informed approach to offer design, revenue models, and timelines looks likeThe triathlon analogy that reframes everything about pacing as a trauma survivor entrepreneurTIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - The hook: when urgency becomes the new dysregulator 1:00 - Welcome & who this episode is for 2:00 - Why trauma survivors choose entrepreneurship 5:00 - Moving at the speed of your nervous system 11:00 - Growth discomfort vs. dysregulation — knowing the difference 12:30 - The triathlon analogy: pacing when you carry extra weight 19:00 - When urgency becomes the new trigger 24:00 - How survival mode shows up in your business decisions 26:30 - Building a business that holds both realities 27:00 - Five trauma-informed tips for entrepreneurs 30:00 - Reflection question & CTA  Ready to talk about what support might actually help? Book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/cyndibennettconsulting/30min?month=2026-03 Cyndi Bennett, MBA, M.Ed. is a trauma survivor and trauma-informed career coach. She hosts Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide podcast and leads the Resilient Career Academy, helping trauma survivors translate their healing wisdom into professional advancement. Cyndi's approach is grounded in her own 21+ years of navigating healing alongside a corporate career. When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    32 min

  8. FEB 24

    Coming Out as a DID System at Work | Your Trauma Wise Career Guide Ep 45

    What happens when a trauma-informed career coach comes out publicly as a DID system — and what it means for everyone navigating their career while healing? In this raw, unscripted episode, Cyndi shares three big life updates: coming out as a DID system on Monica Ostroff's Healing My Parts podcast, attending the Healing Together Conference in Orlando, and the upcoming launch of the Empowered Leader Coaching Intensive. If you're a system trying to figure out how DID shows up in your career — or you're just tired of hiding who you are at work — this one's for you. In this episode: * Why coming out as a DID system felt like freedom (and why it matters professionally) * What the Healing Together Conference taught Cyndi about resilience and community * How DID shows up differently in careers — and why nobody's talking about it * What's coming next: the Empowered Leader Coaching Intensive (8-week beta program, 15 spots) TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro & going unscripted 1:30 - Why showing up authentically is part of the healing 5:30 - Coming out as a DID system publicly 9:00 - The DID career continuum nobody talks about 11:30 - The Healing Together Conference in Orlando 15:00 - Creating DID-specific career content 16:00 - The Empowered Leader Coaching Intensive launch 📌 Interested in the Empowered Leader Coaching Intensive? https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/til 🎙️ Listen to Cyndi's conversation with Monica Ostroff on the Healing My Parts podcast — Business, Boundaries, and Being Plural: https://open.substack.com/pub/healingmyparts/p/business-boundaries-and-being-plural?r=5g1ein&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web 🌿 Learn more about the Healing Together Conference by An Infinite Mind: https://www.aninfinitemind.org/healing-together-conference-1 Cyndi Bennett, MBA, M.Ed. is a trauma survivor and trauma-informed career coach. She hosts Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide podcast and leads the Resilient Career Academy, helping trauma survivors translate their healing wisdom into professional advancement. Cyndi's approach is grounded in her own 21+ years of navigating healing alongside a corporate career. #DissociativeIdentityDisorder #TraumaSurvivor #TraumaInformedCareer When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career journey: Free trauma-informed career development resources from my website! Visit https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com for always up-to-date tips.Ready to build a fulfilling career with trauma-informed support? Join The Resilient Career Academy Learning Community, where trauma survivors support each other, share resources, and develop career resilience in a safe, understanding environmentReady for personalized trauma-informed career coaching? Explore my range of virtual coaching packages designed for different stages of your career journey. Visit my website to find the right support for where you are now. [Visit my website: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/1-on-1-coaching]DISCLOSURE: Some links I share might contain resources that you might find helpful. Whenever possible I use referral links, which means if you click any of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation at no cost to you.

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Traditional career development not working for you as a trauma survivor? Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide reimagines professional success with your healing journey in mind. Join trauma survivor turned trauma-informed career coach, Cyndi Bennett, MBA, M.Ed., for strategies that actually work for trauma survivors seeking career growth. Subscribe for weekly tips on building a career that honors your healing journey.

Information

  • Creator
    Cyndi Bennett
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide
  • Show Website
    Your Trauma-Wise Career Guide