From Rochester to the Frontlines of Change: Meeting the Demand for Trauma-Informed, Emotionally Intelligent Professional Development

We were in Rochester yesterday for the Northeast Child Abuse Conference! Debra Cady, LCSW, and Brandi Collins proudly represented Silver Linings International, LLC, and it was such a meaningful experience connecting with fellow change-makers from local child-serving agencies.

One thing was crystal clear: professionals across the youth-serving landscape are hungry for tools that go beyond compliance checklists. They’re looking for real, practical, emotionally resonant strategies to show up stronger—for themselves, their teams, and the youth they serve.

We had powerful conversations about:

🔹 How trauma shows up at work

🔹 Why self-care isn’t optional (it's essential!)

🔹 How secondary trauma is prevalent among staff—and often goes unaddressed

🔹 Why supervisors often don’t receive the support and training they need to retain and uplift their teams

🔹 How we customize trainings to meet each team’s unique needs

And here’s the good news: this is exactly what we do.

At Silver Linings International, we offer a wide range of trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent professional development opportunities designed specifically for youth-serving organizations. Whether you’re in education, mental health, child welfare, or juvenile justice, we partner with you to build a culture of compassion and accountability.

Our Professional Development Offerings Include:

✅ Trauma-Informed Youth-Serving Systems Training Foundational and advanced trainings that help staff recognize trauma’s impact, regulate their own nervous systems, and respond to youth with compassion and clarity.

✅ The Emotionally Intelligent Professional Series Because emotional intelligence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a professional asset. These sessions boost self-awareness, empathy, and communication, helping teams reduce burnout and improve morale.

✅ Resilient Supervision & Leadership Coaching Too often, leaders are promoted without being trained. We support supervisors and managers with practical tools to lead through a trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent lens—and create healthier teams as a result.

✅ Customizable, On-Site or Virtual Training Packages No cookie-cutter content here. We tailor every session to fit your team’s needs, culture, and goals—whether that means a one-hour lunch & learn or a multi-day retreat.

Whether you're looking for virtual or in-person options, we meet you where you are—literally and figuratively. ✨

We’re so grateful for spaces like the NE Child Abuse Conference, where we had the chance to connect, share, and co-create change. If you weren’t able to attend, we’d still love to connect! Let’s talk about what your team is facing—and how we can support you.

👉 Explore all our trauma-informed professional development options.

Together, we can build systems that truly support those who serve—and the youth they care for.