SERVICES | Tina Leigh Vavro

Services

Polyvagal
theory

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Trauma coaching
& Safety resourcing
for women

Neuroaffective
touch

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Grounded in Science, Held in Attunement

*Trigger warning:

Please understand/note that the word trauma is repeated frequently throughout this page. If your system feels activated by this, please feel free to skip this section.

What is trauma coaching?

Most simply put, trauma coaching is support for people who have had trauma. This includes any and every type of trauma (and I believe the majority of us have trauma in some form). The specifics of this support vary greatly by client need and coach experience and expertise.

How I see trauma coaching...

Trauma coaching to me is more than support. It is a way of being with each other during moments of pain. It is being held when life hurts and communicating the message, you are not alone. I believe such human experience is invaluable.

I work with adult women who are still hurting from childhood wounds. Often, women who grew up with trauma don't realize they're still carrying it. It can look like being on edge, feeling responsible for others, struggling with boundaries, or being very hard on yourself. These patterns are understandable responses to what you lived through, not something wrong with you. Part of my work is understanding that. It is looking at how your early experiences from childhood still show up in your life today and methods to move forward.

My trauma coaching is centered around the following:

Creating a sense of safety (see link)

Learning gentle ways to tend to feelings of stress and emotional overwhelm- this can look like grounding, mindfulness, body-based exercises, sensory interventions, and forms of self-soothe.

Rebuilding self-trust- this can look like learning to notice your own needs, listening to your instincts, and slowly practicing saying no or asking for what you need without pushing or pressure

Reducing/lessen feelings of shame by understanding how trauma shapes behavior

I incorporate elements of safety resourcing, polyvagal theory, and NeuroAffective touch to complement my coaching services.

A word on therapy...

This is not therapy. Trauma coaching does not go into the details of trauma of the past like you would in therapy. It’s using relationship, body, and brain-based interventions to go AROUND the trauma to create safety and resilience in the present.

Can be used before, during, or after other therapy modalities, and I invite and encourage collaboration with therapists. To addition of specific safety resourcing may enhance the effectiveness with other therapies.
I have personally gained so much insight, healing, and life from trauma-based therapy practices, and I encourage the use of these when applicable/desired.

However, the safety resourcing and nervous system regulation from trauma coaching can pair well with trauma therapy and can actually make it more effective.

I do work with women who have done therapy in the past, are currently in therapy, or plan to do therapy in the future. Safety resourcing and nervous system regulation

I have personally benefited from trauma work with coaches and therapists, sometimes both at the same time and other times one at a time.

With that being said, I personally have benefited greatly from trauma therapy, and I strongly advocate for its use when chosen with intentionality and consent.

Lived experience plays a large role in my coaching practice.

"Have you done your own trauma work?"

This is a fair question for anyone who works with people with trauma. I invite this question. If you want to know, ask me. Please, ask me. It can be a powerful way to establish a sense of safety and relatability.

I want to meet you where you’re at. Our work together is based around what you feel you need, not what I feel you need. You know your system best.

I’m here if you need me.

How does trauma coaching differ from therapy?

Trauma coaching:

Focused on the present

Help a person resolve their issues as they play out in the present moment; Creating resilience, safety resourcing, and nervous system regulation

Focused on the future

goal-setting, skill-building, action steps

Operates under a support model

Role is peer support, education, guidance, and mentorship

Trained/certified in trauma-informed practices.

Not licensed mental health professionals

Works with clients who have a functional baseline

Not acute crisis management or stabilization, risk of self-harm or harm of others.
Not for acute safety concerns.

Trauma therapy:

Focused on the past

Includes in-depth exploration of past events and “processing” past trauma

Uses structured treatment plans with specific therapeutic modalities (ie EMDR, CBT, etc)

Operates under the medical model

Role is diagnosing and treating mental health conditions (ie PTSD, anxiety, depression)

A licensed mental health clinician (ie Psychologist, LCSW, LMFT).

Works with clients with often complex or severe issues, such as active addiction, risk of self-harm, or risk of harm to others.

May provide emergency and crisis intervention services.

"So, which one do I choose?"

The short answer is that many trauma survivors need or could benefit from BOTH. Having a balanced mental health care team on your side that can utilize their unique professional strengths and training is a great way to keep the healing journey moving forward and efficient for all parties involved.

Trauma coaching can complement therapy perfectly to help people further integrate and build resilience after traumatic events.

I have personally benefited from trauma work with coaches and therapists, sometimes both at the same time and other times one at a time.

With that being said, I personally have benefited greatly from trauma therapy, and I strongly advocate for its use when chosen with intentionality and consent.

I am trained by the Global Trauma Institute (GTI), an organization

founded by trauma survivors, for trauma survivors.

Scope of practice statement for GTI Practitioners/Coaches:

Global Trauma Practitioners are certified professionals trained through the Global Trauma Institute to provide integrative, trauma-responsive support services. Rooted in cultural humility, evidence-informed practices, and a commitment to ethical integrity, GTI practitioners offer psychoeducational, resilience-building, and wellness-focused interventions that promote safety, empowerment, and healing for individuals and communities affected by trauma.