Trauma Informed Leadership

Facilitated by Jessica Shields & Katie Hitchinson

Managers have a powerful influence on the experience people have at work. Research from the UKG Workforce Institute found that 69% of employees say their manager has as much impact on their mental health as their spouse or partner. This highlights how important everyday leadership interactions can be.

This webinar explores the role empathy plays in trauma-informed leadership, and how a better understanding of stress and behaviour can help leaders respond more thoughtfully during challenging or high pressure moments at work, both with their teams and with themselves. The session aims to share practical ideas that leaders can reflect on and apply in their roles.

What to expect:

• How to support your team with empathy during high stress times
• Ways to improve communication and connection with your team
• A simple, practical tool to better understand stress and behaviour at work
• Space to reflect on how you look after yourself as a leader
• Q&A at the end

Managers and leaders who are curious about developing a more empathetic and supportive leadership approach are warmly invited to attend.

About the facilitators

Katie Hitchinson

Katie Hitchinson is a qualified integrative psychotherapist and former lecturer who works with children, young people and adults. She takes a trauma-informed, relational approach, helping people understand how stress and lived experience shape behaviour while supporting psychologically safe, compassionate environments. Alongside her psychotherapy work, she offers workplace training on supporting pregnancy and infant loss and infertility in the workplace.

With Katie’s knowledge of trauma-informed approaches and Jess’s experience of supporting leaders practically through coaching, they work together with organisations to support their leaders in developing empathy and trauma-informed approaches to instil a vital human element to their leadership capability.

Jessica Shields

Jess is an Executive Coach with 11+ years of experience working with leaders across a number of organisations including NHS, Prison & Probation Services, charities, manufacturing and engineering sector. Alongside coaching, Jess is a Mental Health First Aid instructor (MHFA England) supporting businesses to achieve their staff wellbeing strategies through effective training.