We can say we value trust, safety, collaboration and care. But what are the everyday choices that actually help people experience those things? In this episode of GLIMMERS of Another Way of Being, I’m joined by Katie Kurtz, an internationally recognised and award-winning trauma-informed thought leader, speaker and consultant. Through a trust-centred, trauma-informed approach, Katie helps socially conscious professionals and companies close the gap between intention and action, ensuring their values translate into measurable impact. Her work blends neuroscience, systems thinking and practical skill-building to help people create environments where trust, collaboration and resilience can thrive. Together, we explore trauma-informed practice not as something reserved for therapists or clinical settings, but as a deeply human approach to how we live, work, communicate and relate to one another. Katie reminds us that we can’t simply say a space is safe or ask someone to trust us. Trust is built through our actions, over time and, importantly, at the pace of our nervous systems. We talk about: What Katie means when she says trauma-informed really means human-informedWhy trust and safety have to be demonstrated through our actions, not simply named as valuesHow small choices around communication, transparency and slowing down can change our experiencesWhy trust is built at the pace of our nervous systems — and why we need to give it timeThe relationship between trauma, isolation and the systems we live withinWhy receiving support and allowing ourselves to need other people can feel so vulnerableHow late-stage capitalism encourages urgency, individualism and the belief that we should be able to do everything alonePractical ways to build greater trust and support our nervous systems through people, pets, plants, places and playThe importance of glimmers, familiar places, art, food, nature and the seemingly small things that help us feel more grounded and connectedWhy trauma-informed practice is ultimately an incredibly hopeful practice — one that can help return power, connection and humanity to ourselves and each otherAs Katie puts it, this work isn’t necessarily complicated, but it does take choice. Again and again, we get to practise building the kinds of relationships, communities and spaces we want to be part of. And perhaps that’s one of the glimmers: another way of being isn’t only something waiting for us in some imagined future. We can begin choosing it, in small and imperfect ways, now. Connect with Katie: Website: https://katie-kurtz.com Podcast: https://katie-kurtz.com/podcast TRUST Works: https://katie-kurtz.com/trustworks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-kurtz-76658b187/ Thank you so much for listening. If this conversation gave you hope, challenged your thinking, or left you with something to carry into your own life, I'd be so grateful if you subscribed, left a review, or shared this episode with someone who'd enjoy it too. It really helps more people discover these conversations. If you'd like to bring a little more of the spirit of GLIMMERS into your own day-to-day, I've created a free gift for you: Your Glimmers Practice—a gentle 20-minute guided audio and reflection workbook to help you notice the moments of hope, beauty and possibility that are already around you. You can download it for free at: https://stephaniemackinnon.myflodesk.com/glimmers And if you're longing for more support as you begin creating another way of being in your own life, I'd love to welcome you into ROOTED, my coaching and community space. You can find out more at: https://stephaniemackinnon.com/rooted Until next time, keep noticing the glimmers.
