EP 106: Trauma, Leadership, and Healing: A Colleague Conversation with Sarah Buino

The Unburdened Leader

Do you have thoughts about how the word “trauma” and other therapy-speak terms have bled into our day-to-day conversations in person, at work, and on social media?

Do you feel pressure to perform being “okay,” even when you’re anything but?

Have you ever pursued a project or career milestone only to realize, once you achieved it, that it no longer fits your life, values, or interests?

Today’s guest is a long-time, respected colleague who joins me for a profound and thought-provoking conversation about all of the above and then some. It’s a privilege to have people with whom we can engage in deep conversations without hesitation or self-editing; this chat is no exception.

Our guest, Sarah Buino, is a renowned speaker, educator, and therapist. She is the founder of Head/Heart Therapy, Inc. and Head/Heart Business Therapy, and a member of the adjunct faculty at Loyola University Chicago. Sarah is also a podcast host, known for her series, ‘Conversations With a Wounded Healer' and 'The Burnt Out Practice Owner.’ Her work focuses on the role of personal healing in caregiving and the challenges of group therapy practice ownership.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How the concept of ordinary trauma helped Sarah recognize what was and wasn’t her responsibility as she healed
• The essential difference between discomfort and trauma and how it relates to our relationship with agency
• Why being “okay” is just a data point, not a destination
• How mindful awareness sets the stage for healing, regardless of modality
• Why Sarah maintains that therapy is political and that we have to lead through values and relationships
• How Sarah and her colleagues brought their values into their group practice
• How Sarah came to realize that she was done owning her practice and ready to move on

Learn more about Sarah Buino:

• Head/Heart Business Therapy
• Instagram: @HeadHeartBizTherapy
• Conversations with a Wounded Healer Podcast
• The Sarahs

Learn more about Rebecca:

• rebeccaching.com
• Work With Rebecca
• Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email

Resources:

• How trauma became the word of the decade — and the Covid-19 pandemic - Vox
• What is NARM?
• Farewell, Strategic Accommodation, An Elegy to White Supremacy by Sarah Suzuki
• Decolonizing Therapy for Black Folk 2024
• Politicizing Your Practice
• Living In The Tension: The Quest for a Spiritualized Racial Justice, Shelley Tochluk
• Olivia Rodrigo - vampire
• The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch
• Saved by the Bell