Speaking Engagements
Inspiring Audiences, Driving Innovation
Debra Cady is a dynamic and engaging speaker who has captivated audiences worldwide with her insightful presentations and inspiring talks. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and certified Appreciative Inquiry facilitator, Debra brings over 35 years of experience in facilitating strength-based, positive change for individuals, teams, and entire systems.
Her adaptive, creative, and compassionate leadership style makes her an exceptional speaker, coach, consultant, and trainer. She has led presentations and facilitated experiences at national conferences, leadership forums, government training, and cross-sector collaboratives.
At Silver Linings International, our mission aligns with Debra’s dedication to creating environments where people feel safe, valued, and empowered to lead change. We integrate trauma-informed practices, positive psychology, and Appreciative Inquiry to help people and organizations thrive—from public agencies and nonprofits to private sector companies and educational institutions.
Whether it’s a keynote that sparks system-wide vision, a team workshop that builds psychological safety, or a strategic retreat that sets a course for culture change—our speaking engagements are interactive, customized, and rooted in real-world impact.
Speaking Topics:
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Trauma-Informed Principles
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Appreciative Inquiry
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Leadership Development
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Psychological Safety
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Emotional Intelligence/Emotional Labor
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Staff Development/Team Building
Thinking about your next event? Let’s explore what’s possible.
Keynotes
Big ideas. Deep connection. Lasting impact.
Our keynote addresses are crafted to spark insight and catalyze change. Whether you’re opening a statewide conference or anchoring a summit, Debra’s presentations blend warmth, wisdom, and evidence-based strategy in an unforgettable way.
Missouri Children’s Trauma Network Annual Summit
Spring 2024
Topic: Learning Through the Lens of Young People
Audience: Youth-serving professionals, educators, mental health providers
Format: Opening Keynote + Lived Experience Youth Panel
At the Missouri Children’s Trauma Network Annual Summit, Silver Linings International had the honor of opening the conference with a powerful keynote and youth-led panel that brought the voices of lived experience front and center.
Debra Cady, LCSW, opened the session by framing the Healthy Transitions program’s evolution, highlighting the urgent need for trauma-informed systems that truly support youth and young adults (ages 16–25) as they navigate the complex transition to adulthood. Her keynote emphasized what systems often miss—and what young people say they need most: respect, voice, flexibility, and safety.
Following the keynote, five courageous young adults took the stage to share their lived experiences navigating mental health systems. Their stories highlighted barriers, resilience, and powerful insights for practitioners.
Through this keynote and youth panel, attendees walked away with:
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Concrete strategies to build more youth-friendly environments
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Insights into cross-system challenges and how to better coordinate care
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A deeper understanding of the trauma-informed Methods of Engagement™ model developed by Silver Linings International
“We didn’t just hear youth voice—we felt it, understood it, and committed to doing better.”
The session sparked both emotion and action, helping youth-serving professionals translate lived experience into system-level change.
Tennessee Healthy Transitions Summit
Spring 2024
Topic: From Recovery to Resilience: Supporting Youth in Life Transitions
Audience: Statewide coalition of youth-serving agencies, advocates, and cross-sector leaders
Format: Opening Keynote + Strategic Alignment Session
As part of the Tennessee Healthy Transitions–Improving Life Trajectories (HT-ILT) initiative, Silver Linings International delivered a powerful keynote that highlighted the statewide effort to improve outcomes for youth and young adults (ages 16–25) experiencing serious mental health challenges.
Drawing on insights from the State Transition Team’s strategic planning work and the lived experiences of youth in transition, Debra’s keynote set the tone for the summit by illustrating the cracks young people often fall through when navigating between child and adult systems—and the bold, trauma-informed approaches needed to close those gaps.
Using stories, data, and Appreciative Inquiry principles, the keynote celebrated Tennessee’s leadership in launching collaborative, system-level change. Participants were inspired to reimagine what’s possible when youth voice is centered, policy is aligned, and supports are coordinated across systems.
“Debra reminded us that when we shift the lens from fixing to partnering, we don’t just support transition—we transform it.”
This session energized statewide leaders to recommit to the Healthy Transitions vision, setting the stage for collaborative implementation planning across juvenile justice, behavioral health, education, and family systems.
Facilitations
Transform meetings into movements.
We guide organizations through interactive strategic planning, visioning retreats, and cross-sector collaboration using trauma-informed Appreciative Inquiry. These sessions foster clarity, connection, and collective ownership.
Staff Development Day Series
New York State Division of Disability Determinations
May-June 2025
Topic: Recipe for Renewal: Strengthening Connections & Self-Care Strategies
Audience: Disability Analysts, Supervisors, and Administrative Staff
Format: 4 In-Person Sessions (NYC, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo) + 1 Virtual Session
In partnership with leadership at the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) , Silver Linings International co-designed a customized, full-day professional development experience to meet the unique needs of their Division of Disability Determinations statewide team. Together, we created a space for over 500 staff to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with themselves and each other.
The result was Recipe for Renewal, a fun and restorative day rooted in trauma-informed principles, emotional intelligence, and peer support. Using a cooking-themed framework, participants explored real-life stressors and walked away with personalized “self-care menus,” practical tools for connection, and renewed motivation.
This wasn’t just a training—it was a signal of culture change, affirming that the emotional well-being of staff matters. The feedback was resounding:
“I left feeling more human, more connected—and more hopeful.”
“The best staff development day we’ve ever had.”
Strategic Planning
North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services:
NC Healthy Transitions Initiative 2.0
July 2024 - current
Topic: Strategic Visioning to Support Youth Transitioning into Adulthood
Audience: State & regional agency leaders, behavioral & mental health providers, & community-based partners
Format: 1 In-Person Kickoff + 4 Virtual Facilitation Sessions
Silver Linings International partnered with the North Carolina Healthy Transitions (HT) 2.0 initiative to co-design and lead a statewide strategic planning process focused on collaboration, innovation, and youth voice. Working closely with project leadership, we facilitated a highly interactive kickoff that brought together key stakeholders—some still recovering from Hurricane Helene—to co-create a shared vision and roadmap for supporting youth and young adults (ages 16–26) with serious mental health challenges.
The in-person kickoff featured visioning exercises, interactive mapping of transition points, connection-building activities like “Bingo,” and analysis of pre-survey data. Teams identified immediate actions aligned with three shared goals:
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Improve coordination across support systems
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Expand youth-led mental health supports
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Increase access to life skills training and financial literacy
Follow-up virtual sessions helped teams refine priorities and begin implementation—ensuring that ideas from the kickoff led to concrete next steps.
“This process gave us the clarity and connection we needed to move forward with purpose.”
“Debra helped us move forward from recovery to resilience.”
This initiative demonstrated the power of trauma-informed, appreciative facilitation to align stakeholders, spark innovation, and build momentum for lasting, youth-centered change.
Regional Collaborative Strategic Planning
Northwest Ohio Trauma-Informed Care Collaborative
June–November 2025
Format: Strategic Planning Process + Micro-Training Series + Needs Assessment
Audience: Cross-sector community leaders and organizational stakeholders
Silver Linings International partnered with the Northwest Ohio TIC Collaborative to guide a regional initiative focused on strengthening trauma-informed systems and collaboration. The engagement launched with a brief trauma-informed micro-training and continued with a three-part virtual strategic planning series grounded in Appreciative Inquiry and SAMHSA’s trauma-informed principles.
To support engagement and accessibility, we developed a custom web page to share updates, host the recorded training, and collect data through an online needs assessment. This helped streamline participation and ensured broad community input.
Through this inclusive process, community partners from education, healthcare, law enforcement, and beyond came together to explore shared strengths, clarify their collective purpose, and co-create an actionable plan for regional growth.
Key outcomes included:
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A community-informed needs assessment and SOAR analysis
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A unifying purpose statement and identity for the Collaborative
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A 2026 action plan for education, engagement, and sustainability
“This process gave us the clarity, energy, and connection we needed to take real action.”
This project exemplifies how trauma-informed facilitation and digital tools can strengthen collaboration and drive meaningful, cross-sector change.
Workshops
Hands-on. Insightful. Impactful.
Our workshops blend trauma-informed care, emotional intelligence, and Appreciative Inquiry to build stronger teams and more supportive workplaces. Each session is interactive, practical, and tailored to meet your group’s unique needs—whether in person or online.
Trauma-Informed Motivational Interviewing (TI-MI) Training
Spring 2025
Client: Oregon Behavioral Health System, in partnership with DHS Child Welfare
Audience: Supervisors, direct service providers, and behavioral health professionals
Format: 8-hour in-person intensive
Silver Linings International developed and delivered a customized Trauma-Informed Motivational Interviewing (TI-MI) training in response to a direct request from the Oregon behavioral health system. After identifying the need for a more emotionally attuned approach to client engagement, leadership from Oregon’s Department of Human Services Child Welfare team invited Debra Cady to design and facilitate an experience that would integrate the strengths of Motivational Interviewing with the core principles of Trauma-Informed Care.
What emerged was a powerful 5-session training that supported participants in building trust, navigating resistance, and facilitating change in a way that was safe, empowering, and emotionally sustainable—for clients and staff alike. The course included interactive practice, role plays, reflection tools, and a dedicated session on emotional labor and self-care.
“This was exactly what I needed. It helped me reset and approach clients from a place
of empathy, not just efficiency.”
“Debra was so engaging and clear—she brought these concepts to life.”
“I feel better equipped to support change without pushing people beyond what they’re ready for.”
💡 Where MI and TIC intersect:
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Prioritize autonomy and resilience through a strengths-based lens
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Create safety and reduce defensiveness in client conversations
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Practice empathy and active listening to validate lived experiences
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Avoid re-traumatization through safe, empowering interactions
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Support shared decision-making and long-term growth
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This Oregon partnership launched an ongoing offering (in person or virtual workshop sessions) now available to other public and private sector agencies seeking to embed compassion, skill, and strategy into their service delivery.
The Northeast Child Abuse Conference
Spring 2025
Type: Exhibitor + Attendee Engagement
Audience: Child welfare professionals, advocates, clinicians, and cross-sector partners
Format: Interactive Tabling + Direct Engagement
At the 2025 Northeast Child Abuse Conference, Silver Linings International showed up not just to inform—but to affirm. Our team hosted an interactive table designed to offer attendees a moment of grounding and encouragement during a heavy and emotionally charged event.
Instead of handouts and pamphlets alone, we offered:
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Personalized affirmations to uplift and inspire
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Thoughtful treats and wellness giveaways
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One-on-one conversations with leaders and practitioners
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Resources on trauma-informed leadership and organizational change
Our presence wasn’t about presentation—it was about connection. Attendees told us how much it meant to be seen, appreciated, and reminded of their value in the middle of such vital work.
“I didn’t expect to tear up at a table—but your message reminded me why I do this.”
This experience reaffirmed our belief that sometimes the most powerful impact comes from small moments of care. We were honored to be part of a gathering so deeply committed to the healing and protection of children.
New York State Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center Conference
Fall 2024
Workshop Series Title: Strengthening the Workforce Through Trauma-Informed Practice
Audience: Supervisors, human services professionals, peer supporters, administrators, and evaluators
Format: In-person Workshop Series
At the Fall 2024 NYS Trauma-Informed Network & Resource Center (TINRC) Annual Conference, Silver Linings International facilitated a series of dynamic and deeply resonant workshops focused on building resilience, leadership capacity, and psychologically safe organizational cultures.
Each session blended story, strategy, and strengths-based practice—equipping attendees with tools to lead and work in ways that honor the human experience behind the professional role.
Workshop 1: Trauma-Informed Supervision – Practical Strategies for Today’s Workforce
Facilitator: Debra Cady, LCSW
Supervisors are the heartbeat of organizational culture. This session offered concrete strategies to help them build trust, model emotional regulation, and lead with empathy—especially in high-pressure, trauma-exposed environments.
Workshop 2: The Weight We Carry – Building Resilience Through Trauma-Informed Practice
Facilitator: Debra Cady, LCSW
This interactive session created space for helping professionals to reflect on the emotional toll of their work—including moral distress, secondary trauma, and burnout. Attendees walked away with personalized resilience plans and renewed energy.
Workshop 3: Measuring What Matters – Using Psychological Safety Data to Drive Culture Change
Facilitator: Brandi Collins, MPA
Designed for evaluators, program administrators, and decision-makers, this workshop unpacked real psychological safety data gathered from human services teams across New York. Brandi guided participants through interpreting trends, identifying red flags, and turning insights into actionable strategies for culture transformation.
“The session really made me reflect on my program/agency’s evaluation practices.
Very thought-provoking!”
Ohio Statewide Trauma-Informed Care Collaborative – Learning Session
Summer 2025
Topic: Psychological Safety Starts with Me: Trauma-Informed Self-Care and Organizational Change
Audience: Cross-sector professionals committed to trauma-informed systems
Format: Virtual Interactive Workshop
Silver Linings International was honored to facilitate this session for the Ohio Statewide TIC Collaborative’s regular meeting. In this deeply engaging and practical workshop, participants explored how psychological safety isn’t just an organizational goal—it starts with each of us.
With a balance of evidence-based insight and interactive exercises, this session unpacked:
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The core elements of psychological safety and why it matters now more than ever
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Concrete strategies for embedding trauma-informed principles into team culture, policies, and supervision
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The critical link between self-care, resilience, and emotionally safe workplaces
From reflective journaling prompts to breakout groups on peer support and boundaries, attendees were invited to pause, connect, and consider what’s within their control to foster a culture of trust, inclusion, and well-being.
Participants walked away with:
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A deeper understanding of how psychological safety impacts team performance and morale
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Practical tools for embedding trauma-informed care in everyday actions
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A renewed commitment to cultivating safer spaces—starting with themselves
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“This was the first time I felt like we weren’t just talking about trauma-informed
care—we were actually doing it.”
This workshop is part of Silver Linings’ ongoing commitment to supporting culture change across systems through psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and strengths-based leadership development.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Global Jam Cultivating Connections Conference
Spring 2025
Topic: Rooted in Safety, Rising with Courage: Facilitating Brave Spaces in a Trauma-Impacted World
Audience: Global Appreciative Inquiry Practitioners and Facilitators
Format: Virtual Interactive Workshop
As part of the AI Global Jam’s “Rooted and Rising” theme, Silver Linings International led a bold and timely workshop exploring how Appreciative Inquiry can evolve to meet the emotional realities of today’s world.
In “Facilitating Brave Spaces in a Trauma-Impacted World,” Debra Cady invited participants from around the globe to reflect on the rising need for trauma-informed psychological safety. The session challenged the idea that safety equals comfort—and instead emphasized that growth requires courage, risk-taking, and mutual accountability.
Through live storytelling, facilitated reflection, and co-creation of "Brave Space Agreements," the workshop offered concrete tools to strengthen connection and trust during times of uncertainty. From emotional labor and moral distress to creative adaptations of appreciative agreements, participants shared strategies for showing up authentically and holding space for discomfort, dissent, and learning.
This session stood as a powerful example of how trauma-informed facilitation and Appreciative Inquiry can work together to create inclusive, responsive, and forward-moving dialogue.
Media & Community Engagement
I am beyond grateful to the incredible Katie Kurtz, MSW LISW-S, for having
me on her podcast episode, “A Trauma-Informed Future”!
This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a heartfelt call to action for all of us to
reshape our workplaces and lives placing psychological safety at the core.
I had the honor of joining The Healing Hour Podcast with the amazing Sarah Fargo O'Brien, LCSW, bestselling author, and trauma-informed leader.
We explored the deep stuff: moral distress, emotional labor, and the prevalence of trauma in today’s workforce. We talked about how essential it is for leaders to recognize defense responses like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn — and to lead with self-awareness, self-care, and peer support.
You’ll also hear how blending trauma-informed principles into Motivational Interviewing and supervisory training makes it more impactful, more human, and more relevant for today’s workplace. And it helps with mental wellness for all.
✨ And so much more...
🎙️ You don’t want to miss this important episode!
Ready to elevate your next event?
Book Debra as your keynote speaker or workshop facilitator.
Contact us today to discuss your specific needs and explore how she can inspire and empower your audience.