Why “Check Your Baggage” Is Bad Supervision Advice

Does this sound familiar? 

Tasha used to be your most reliable team member. She always showed up early, stayed late when needed, and jumped in to help others. But last fall, something changed. Her energy dropped. She snapped at a coworker. She began coming in late and checking out early.

In supervision, she told you everything was “fine.” But it wasn’t.

You were concerned—but unsure how to help without overstepping. After all, we’re taught to respect boundaries. To stay in our lane. To tell employees to “leave their personal problems at the door.”

Here’s the truth:

“Check your baggage at the door”

is bad supervision advice.

When someone’s nervous system is stuck in survival mode—due to chronic stress, unresolved trauma, or even the emotional toll of the work itself—telling them to leave it at home simply doesn’t work. It may even compound the problem.

Our workplaces are filled with professionals doing their best to cope—showing up with a smile, despite what they’re carrying inside. What they need isn’t pity or avoidance. They need supervisors equipped to lead with clarity, empathy, and boundaries.

That’s why we created the Trauma-Informed Supervisors Course.

This course isn’t about becoming a therapist. It’s about becoming a more effective, grounded, and prepared leader.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle ways trauma shows up in staff

behavior and performance

• Build a culture of both accountability and care

• Address concerns early—before they become full-blown crises

• Support staff without burning yourself out in the process

And this isn’t theoretical. Supervisors across recent cohorts of the course are seeing real, measurable changes in themselves and their teams:

✅ 93% satisfaction rate: participants consistently call the course professional, helpful, &

transformative

✅ Familiarity with trauma-informed supervision jumped from 4.7 to 8.3

✅ Confidence in recognizing and responding to staff trauma rose from 6.1 to 8.4

✅ Over 90% now feel confident owning mistakes and building trust with their teams

Here’s what some had to say:

“The interactive discussions and real-world applications

made this course incredibly valuable.”

“As a new supervisor, this course was transformative—

giving me skills I needed right away.”

“Even as an experienced supervisor, I gained fresh tools and

perspectives to strengthen my team.”

If you’ve ever wished for a way to lead that not only gets results but also strengthens relationships and workplace culture, this course was made for you.

Enrollment for our September session is now open.

Make this the season you transform the way you supervise—

your team will thank you for it. 

Not sure about whether this is right for you?

Book a quick discovery call with Debra.

"This program is Approved by the

National Association of Social Workers

for 13 continuing education contact hours."