Today on Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with friend and trailblazer in the trauma-informed space, Rachel Archambault, to talk about what trauma-informed care actually means in practice.

Awareness of trauma-informed care is growing, which is needed, but it’s also so much more than a buzzword. Rachel and Erin vulnerably explore their therapeutic use of self, how they show up in sessions, and the small shifts clinicians, caregivers, and humans can make to help children feel truly safe.

In this conversation we talk about recognizing our own triggers as providers, how language can unintentionally create or reduce safety, removing compliance-based or harmful phrasing, supporting regulation in the moment, and why trust is built through relationship rather than technique. We also discuss cultural humility, community responsibility, and the role systems and policies play in trauma-informed care.

This conversation matters deeply to both of us, and we hope you enter it with an open mind, curiosity, and plenty of grace for yourself.