We are on a mission to inspire caring professionals in behavioral health and criminal justice to foster healing, resilience, and transformation to help people thrive in the face of trauma, professional distress, and other suffering.

Core Value

Research and Evidence

We promote proven interventions and approaches based in social science and test novel strategies that build on our expertise. Sometimes we make our best guess based on what we know, and we're honest when that's the case.

Safety and Trust

We foster interpersonal interactions that create a sense of psychological and emotional safety and a work environment that supports open communication without fear. We make decisions transparently and share our reasoning. When we make commitments to funders, partners, colleagues, and stakeholders, we keep them.

Like everyone, we mess up sometimes. When we do, we acknowledge it and make it right.

Compassion and Connection

We care about each other and the people we serve. We approach our work with compassion and empathy for trauma survivors and the suffering of others, including ourselves and our colleagues. We treat each interaction as an opportunity to build high-quality connections.

Sometimes we forget ourselves or get grumpy, but we try rein it in, apologize if appropriate, and try again next time.

Strengths and Agency

We work together, share ideas, and leverage our collective strengths, while empowering each other to grow, learn, and explore new areas of interest. We support the people we serve to build skills and confidence, recognizing and affirming their strengths, their contributions to our lives and learning, and their self-determination and efficacy.

Hope and Optimism

We approach our work with a spirit of hope for a better future and a deep desire to support the healing and growth of people and communities from trauma and hardship.

Renewal and Growth

Trauma and suffering can lead to profoundly positive individual and group changes, and people can find renewal and growth after even the most painful experiences and personal failings. We see all people as capable of renewal and growth, and we aim to act with mercy and forgiveness toward ourselves and others.

Lived Experience

Lived experience leads many of us and the people we work with into work that is meaningful and connected to their pasts. Personal history can motivate people and give them practical wisdom that can benefit others. People with lived experience can serve as vicarious models that inspire confidence in others on their journeys.

We remain conscious that work that is motivated by lived experience also comes with risks like burnout and organizational practices that inadvertently harm or exploit people's commitment.

We know we won't always be perfect, but we aim to enable participation by professionals with lived experience while avoiding harmful practices.

Identity and Experience

Programs and services should be attuned to the historical, cultural, and community experiences of the people they serve while enabling the appropriate expression of the cultural, historical, and community experiences of workers.

In our interactions and programs, we honor the role of group differences while moving past stereotypes regarding race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion with humility, aiming to honor the full individuality of each person and their individual experiences.

Sometimes we get it wrong, and we try to learn from it.

Perspective and Humility

We listen to our colleagues, the people we serve, and others with an open mind and a desire to understand their perspectives. We give people the benefit of the doubt, assume they mean well until they say or prove otherwise, and consider the possibility we might be wrong. But on some days, we feel stubborn and righteous, and we just need to take a breather.

Joy and Gratitude

While working in contexts and exploring experiences that can be difficult and even painful, we embrace a spirit of joy, warmth, and gratitude for the opportunity to work together in service of others, and we engage with each other and the world with authenticity and kindness. But on some days, we are tired and don't get it right.

Board of Directors

Chris Pratt

Board Chair

"I am inspired by the stories of those that have suffered trauma and have been able to channel it into positive impact. I am excited for the opportunity to work with a leadership team that is compassionate, driven to implement change, and has a proven record of accomplishment of producing high impact programs. I think we have an opportunity to improve lives of those that have suffered trauma in the local DMV area and nationally, and I am honored to work in support of this mission."

Simone Greene

Board Member

"I recognize the enormous impact trauma has on our society. Many people are dealing with traumas on their own. Additionally, many don't recognize the trauma of others and unintentionally re-traumatize them. I am excited to play a role in an organization that wants to create change and raise awareness for a subject that too often goes unrecognized."

Chris Lindsey

Board Member

"There's a massive opportunity to support and educate those who have experienced or been exposed to various forms of trauma in their lives. There's often a stigma associated with seeking help in our society which can prevent people from receiving the care they desperately need. I believe in the Trauma Informed mission and am honored to serve as a Board Member to help create change and raise awareness on a topic that's often forgotten in our community."

Trauma Informed's Executive Director Mark O'Brien discusses his experience of trauma.

Our Founder

Mark O'Brien is the Founder and Executive Director of Trauma Informed. His passion for healing and growth comes from his experience with trauma, grief, and criminal justice involvement.