In this episode, Lorraine sits down with trauma-informed mentor, speaker, and The Survivors Chair host Kim Russell to explore how growing up in foster care and being adopted shaped her leadership, resilience, and calling to create safe spaces for healing. Kim opens up about the realities of substance use as a teen, why behavior is communication, and how consistent, caring adults can change a young person’s life. Together, they discuss how to build trust with youth, what educators and mentors can do in real classrooms, and how self-healing helps us lead with empathy and self-trust. 

Behavior communicates unmet needs.

Consistency and care build trust.

Offer help without judgment.

Let youth share at their own pace.

Regulate yourself to lead with empathy.