When Bearing Witness®: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Storyteller
The When Bearing Witness® podcast is an invitation to explore trauma-informed storytelling, a safe and healthy process of gathering and telling painful stories. Join my conversations with trauma-informed experts and fellow social-good storytellers as we help shape the intersection of trauma-informed care and the storytelling process. Stories are sacred, and we can create a safe space to tell and share them.
The Question That Changed My Work
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, Maria shares the question that changed the trajectory of her work and ultimately led to the creation of the When Bearing Witness® Trauma-Informed Storytelling Certification Program.
After years of working in nonprofit marketing and communications, Maria was leading a virtual storytelling webinar when someone asked her a question she didn’t have the answer to.
Maria explores what she began to notice once she looked back at her own storytelling work through this new lens, from the limits of good intentions and signed consent forms to the...
Trauma-Informed Storytelling on the Fundraising Stage with Jenna Watanabe
Send us Fan Mail
Fundraising events are often where nonprofit storytelling faces its highest stakes. The room is full, the energy is high, and there is real pressure to move people toward giving. In this episode, Maria sits down with Jenna Watanabe, Creative Director at The Fundraising Event Company, to talk about what it takes to build events that are moving without becoming extractive.
Jenna shares the personal experience that shaped her approach to this work, and the two dig into what happens when consent gets lost in the momentum of a live event, why...
Centering Safety in Human Trafficking Storytelling with Preston Goff
Send us Fan Mail
Storytelling in the anti-trafficking space carries a particular weight, where the urgency to communicate impact can pull against the responsibility to protect the very people whose stories are being told. Many nonprofit communicators working in this space are asking how to tell stories that move people to action without exploiting pain or compromising survivor safety.
In this conversation, Preston Goff, Vice President of Global Communications at The Exodus Road, helps us explore what that balance looks like in practice. We discuss the organization's red lines around consent, why some of their...
Building a Nonprofit Story Bank With Consent and Care with Natalie Monroe
Send us Fan Mail
In This Episode
Nonprofit storytelling is changing. Organizations are being asked to think more carefully about how stories are gathered, who holds power in the storytelling process, and what it means to share stories with dignity, transparency, and ongoing consent. As more nonprofits move away from transactional testimonials and toward community-centered storytelling, many teams are still navigating how to do this work ethically while continuing to communicate impact.
In this conversation, Natalie Monroe from MemoryFox helps us explore what this shift looks like in practice. We discuss...
The Mid-Year Reset Your Storytelling Practice Might Need
Send us Fan Mail
By this point in the year, storytelling can start to feel different.
You’re still showing up to the interviews, the deadlines, the back and forth. But something begins to shift. A story lingers longer than you expect. A decision stays with you after it’s made. You start to notice the weight of the work in a way that’s harder to ignore.
In this episode, I’ll explore with you what it means to arrive at that moment, not as something to fix, but as something to pay atte...
How Ethical Storytelling Becomes a Movement With Diana Farias Heinrich
Send us Fan Mail
Diana, CEO of Habrá Marketing and creator of the Equastory framework, joins us for a conversation about what it takes for trauma-informed storytelling to become more than an individual practice. It becomes a movement when people begin challenging harmful norms, building new practices together, and treating consent, privacy, and agency as shared responsibilities.
We explore how the stories we share can shape not only audience understanding, but a story owner’s sense of safety long after something is published. We reflect on what it means to tell stories with people, not abou...
Bringing Nonprofit Storytelling Back to the Campfire with Michael Kass
Send us Fan Mail
What if storytelling returned back toward its oldest purpose: connection?
In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Kass, founder of Story & Spirit, to imagine what it would look like to flip the way we tell nonprofit stories, not as content, not as a tool, not as a mechanism, but as something living. Something that restores connection, belonging, and shared humanity.
And to do that, we must first explore the historical roots of nonprofit storytelling and how many of our inherited fundraising practices were shaped by systems of inequality. To...
Joy As A Liberatory Practice with Frank Velásquez Jr.
Send us Fan Mail
Content warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, systemic harm, and experiences of marginalization, shared with care and intention.
This conversation begins with a truth many of us feel but don’t always name, that while trauma-informed storytelling often centers pain and loss, there is another force that has sustained communities for generations: joy.
In today’s episode of When Bearing Witness, we sit down with the Founder of 4 Da Hood, Frank Velásquez Jr., to explore joy not as an escape from hard work, but as a for...
Five Ways to Build a Trauma-Informed Storytelling Practice In 2026
Send us Fan Mail
As we step into a new year of storytelling, this episode invites you to slow down, take a breath, and ground your practice in deeper care. Trauma-informed storytelling is not just about avoiding harm. It’s about building systems, rhythms, and habits that protect the people at the center of your work — including you.
In this conversation, Maria shares five practical ways to strengthen your trauma-informed storytelling practice in 2026. These approaches don’t require new software or a bigger team. It’s a gentle, practical invitation for anyone who wants to begin th...
Repairing Storytelling Harm with Rachel D'Souza
Send us Fan Mail
In today’s episode of When Bearing Witness, we step into a conversation that sits at the heart of trauma-informed storytelling: what happens when a story intended to inspire instead causes harm, and how we move toward repair. Storytelling is powerful, but it is never neutral. When nonprofits share personal experiences without care, consent, or curiosity, those choices can leave deep emotional and relational wounds. This episode honors the truth that repair is possible, but only when we slow down enough to acknowledge harm and choose a different path forward.
Joining me...
Leading Ethical Storytelling from the Outside with Kristi Scott
Send us Fan Mail
Nonprofit storytellers are tasked with sharing stories that move people to act, yet we also carry the responsibility of protecting the dignity and agency of those whose stories we tell. And when we are working on the outside of an organization, as contractors or consultants, the power to ensure ethical and trauma-informed practices can feel limited.
So, how do we uphold care and consent when we are not the final decision makers?
In this episode, we are joined by Kristi Scott, an email marketing consultant who helps small nonprofits t...
Tending to Storyteller Vicarious Trauma with Michelle Vande Hay
Send us Fan Mail
Content Warning: Michelle briefly talks about the death of a loved one. Be mindful of your emotional capacity as you listen in.
Storytelling in the nonprofit world is a powerful act of witness, but it can also take a quiet toll. When we listen to story after story of grief, injustice, or survival, our bodies absorb more than we realize.
This is vicarious trauma, the invisible weight that settles in when we hold space for other people’s pain without tending to our own. Many storytellers and miss...
The Art and Practice of Resilient Storytelling with Angela Soliz
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, Maria sits down with Angela Soliz, a resilience coach, artist, and founder of Gela Road, a creative resilience agency helping people uncover their identity and build purpose-driven brands from the inside out.
Angela’s journey weaves together artistry, trauma-informed coaching, and the wisdom gained from scaling both real and metaphorical mountains. She brings a grounded and courageous approach to transformation that challenges traditional ideas of success and celebrates the slow, intentional work of healing.
Together, Maria and Angela explore what it means to...
Flipping the Script on Nonprofit Media Relations with Amanda Clelland
Send us Fan Mail
For many nonprofits, earned media is a powerful way to raise awareness, build credibility, and connect with new supporters. But when stories involve lived experiences of trauma, the stakes are high.
On this episode of When Bearing Witness, I’m joined by Amanda Clelland, Director of Communications and Advocacy at Thistle Farms in Nashville. Amanda has spent nearly 15 years in nonprofit and government communications, and today she leads the messaging, media, and advocacy work for an organization that supports women survivors.
Amanda and I talk about why nonprofit communicators mus...
Survivor Storytelling as a Catalyst for Change with Anne K. Ream
Send us Fan Mail
What happens when storytelling isn’t just about raising awareness or driving donations, but about creating a space where survivors can be truly seen, heard, and supported?
On today’s episode of When Bearing Witness, I sit down with Anne Ream, founder of The Center for Story & Witness. Anne has spent two decades alongside survivors of gender-based violence, facilitating writing workshops and initiatives that honor lived experience while protecting the dignity and agency of each storyteller.
We discuss what she has learned about the healing potential of storytelling, how to c...
Directing with Care: The Ethics of Documentary Filmmaking with Heidi Burkey
Send us Fan Mail
What does it look like to practice trauma-informed storytelling behind the camera?
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, filmmaker Heidi Burkey shares how she approaches documentary work with care and a deep respect for those she films. With projects featured on Netflix, Hulu, PBS, and Disney+, Heidi brings powerful insights into ethical storytelling practices that nonprofit leaders and communicators can learn from.
Together, we explore the parallels between documentary filmmaking and nonprofit storytelling, especially when it comes to navigating consent, power dynamics, and cultural context. Heidi reflects on m...
Slow Down, Listen, Disrupt Bias, Repeat with Dr. Desmond Upton Patton
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, Dr. Desmond Upton Patton invites us into a conversation about humility, listening, and the ethics of digital storytelling. He shares what he has learned from years of research at the intersection of social work, technology, and racial justice.
And he doesn’t stop at analysis, he challenges us to examine our own assumptions and shows how deep listening can disrupt bias and reshape how we understand digital expression.
A researcher, social worker, and AI ethicist, Dr. Patton explores how grief is often mis...
Centering Accessibility in Nonprofit Marketing with Dominique Dunlop
Send us Fan Mail
Ensuring your digital marketing is accessible for all audiences may seem like a daunting task, but today’s guest, Dominique Dunlop, makes it feel not only doable but meaningful.
Dominique is the founder of A11y Impact and a champion for digital inclusion in the nonprofit world. With her background in inclusive education and lived experience with ADHD, she brings both heart and strategy to this conversation. We talk about how trauma-informed storytelling, nonprofit communication ethics, and accessibility are all connected, and why accessibility is more than just a box to che...
Meeting Organizational Resistance with Curiosity with Dallase Scott
Send us Fan Mail
In nonprofit storytelling, there’s often a disconnect between the trauma-informed and ethical practices we aspire to and the systems we’re working within. Many of us feel the urgency to do less harm and tell stories with greater care, but when trauma-informed storytelling meets organizational resistance, it can be hard to know where to begin.
Today’s guest, Dallase Scott, brings clarity and encouragement to that exact moment.
Dallase is the founder of Trust, a consulting firm that helps organizations navigate change with empathy, transparency, and strategy. She has sup...
Building Work Cultures We Don’t Need to Heal From with Lindsey Fuller
Send us Fan Mail
What does it really mean to create a work culture we don’t need to heal from?
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, I’m joined by Lindsey Fuller, an educator, coach, and Executive Director of The Teaching Well, for a deep and necessary conversation on trauma-informed storytelling, nonprofit communication ethics, and collective care.
We talk about how nonprofit storytelling impacts our nervous systems, why self-care alone isn’t enough, and what it looks like to build human-centered organizations rooted in ethical storytelling practices.
About Li...
Marketing Without Fear Tactics with Stephanie Bilinsky
Send us Fan Mail
How do we communicate with care when marketing and fundraising often rely on urgency and pressure?
Today’s guest brings a thoughtful lens to one of the most overlooked areas in nonprofit storytelling: the words we choose and how they land. Stephanie Bilinsky is a trauma-informed copywriter who helps ethical entrepreneurs and organizations connect with their audiences through intentional, human-centered messaging.
In this conversation, we explore how trauma-informed storytelling practices can strengthen nonprofit leadership and communication ethics. Stephanie unpacks common copywriting tactics that unintentionally harm audiences, like scarcity, urgency, and...
Leading with Story in Times of Crisis with Catherine Alonzo
Send us Fan Mail
What does it mean to lead with care when everything feels like it’s on fire?
Today’s guest brings clarity to one of the most important tools we have in times of crisis: storytelling. Catherine Alonzo is a strategist, storyteller, and CEO of Javelina, a branding and marketing agency helping purpose-driven organizations deepen their social impact. From minimum wage to marriage equality to climate justice, Catherine has helped shape the messages behind some of the most influential movements of our time.
In this episode, we explore trauma-informed storytelling as a...
Finding Courage in Community with Diana Farias Heinrich
Send us Fan Mail
In This Episode
What if ethical transformation in the nonprofit sector doesn't start with policy, but with people?
In this episode, Maria Bryan is joined by Diana Farias Heinrich, founder of the Ethical Nonprofit Summit, to explore how courage, connection, and accountability can reshape the way we fundraise, communicate, and lead.
This conversation isn't a checklist of best practices. It's a powerful reflection on what happens when we acknowledge our past harm, choose integrity over fear, and build spaces that remind us we are not a...
Content Warnings That Actually Resist Harm with Rachel Edwards
Send us Fan Mail
Content warnings have long been treated as mere disclaimers—brief nods to potential triggers without much thought to their real impact.
But what if they could do more? Rachel Edwards believes they can.
As a senior content designer at Content Design London and the creator of the book Designed with Care: Creating Trauma-Informed Content, Rachel brings together voices from health, government, and nonprofit sectors to explore how words can support those experiencing trauma. Her book is a groundbreaking resource for anyone looking to communicate with empathy and intention.
In...
Purpose Over Pressure: Sustainable Marketing with Quinn Tempest
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, we explore how purpose, clarity, and sustainability can shape the way we show up as nonprofit storytellers and marketers. Our guest, Quinn Tempest, is a business and brand strategist and the founder of Create Your Purpose®, a movement that empowers women entrepreneurs to build meaningful, sustainable businesses without sacrificing what matters most.
Through Quinn’s lens of purpose-driven marketing and her concept of “gentle consistency,” we reflect on what it means to communicate with intention—especially in a culture that often rewards hustle and scarcity. Together, we dig into how...
The Courage To Stand Up and Speak Out with Vu Le
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, we navigate how nonprofit leaders can speak up with courage during politically divided times. Our guest today, Vu Le, a bold voice in the nonprofit sector, combines humor with unflinching honesty to challenge systemic issues.
In this candid and vulnerable conversation, we'll explore the real costs and consequences of speaking truth to power, the responsibilities that come with privilege, and practical approaches to communicating during politically divided times. Vu shares insights on balancing organizational survival with moral imperatives and offers guidance for nonprofit leaders wrestling with when to s...
Dismantling the White Coat: Reshaping Mental Health Care with Dr. Neeru Bakshi
Send us Fan Mail
In this eye-opening episode, Maria talks with Dr. Neeru Bakshi, a psychiatrist who's shaking things up in mental healthcare. Neeru, a South Asian woman, works in a field dominated by Western viewpoints. She offers insights on why diverse voices in leadership roles matter for mental health care.
Neeru shares stories of questioning the system, from asking why certain patients were turned away to challenging culturally limited approaches to treatment. Her candid observations reveal how even well-intentioned care can miss the mark when cultural context is overlooked.
This episode offers...
The Evolution of Ethical Storytelling with Carly Euler
Send us Fan Mail
Join Maria Bryan and Carly Euler, Marketing Director at MemoryFox, to explore the insights from the hot-off-the-press 2024 Ethical Storytelling Report.
As nonprofits navigate the delicate balance between sharing compelling stories and respecting the dignity of those they serve, this conversation takes a deep dive into the evolving landscape of ethical storytelling practices in the nonprofit sector.
Carly reveals the fascinating gap between what nonprofit professionals believe about ethical storytelling and what's actually happening in practice. You'll hear inspiring success stories—including an organization that exceeded fundraising goals by 75% through str...
Breaking the Invisibility Tax: The Science Behind Who Gets Heard with Chloé Nwangwu
Send us Fan Mail
When brand scientist Chloé Nwangwu discovered that crucial Yemen voices were excluded from peace talks during its civil war, she realized something profound: brands teach others how to treat you. This revelation led her to develop groundbreaking research on what she calls the "invisibility tax" - the hidden costs that under-recognized groups must pay to gain visibility in spaces where decisions are made.
In this episode, Chloé illuminates how visibility biases shape whose voices are heard in critical conversations. Through the lens of behavioral science, she explains how these biases manifest in...
Ethical Calls to Action: Moving Beyond Manipulation in Nonprofit Storytelling
Send us Fan Mail
Gone are the days of guilt-driven appeals and false urgency in nonprofit marketing. In 2025, we are embracing trauma-informed storytelling that empowers, not exploits. In this episode, we unpack why ethical calls to action matter and how they can inspire meaningful engagement without manipulating emotions.
We explore the harm caused by donor saviorism, shame-based giving, and misleading urgency—and offer practical ways to reframe your nonprofit’s messaging to honor the agency of your community while building authentic donor relationships. It’s time to rethink outdated CTAs and invite people into a moveme...
Can You Tell This Story? Legal Considerations with Attorney Allie Levene
Send us Fan Mail
As nonprofit storytellers, navigating the legal landscape of consent, privacy, and story ownership is daunting.
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, we sit down with attorney Allie Levene to answer your most pressing questions about storytelling and the law.
What elements should a media consent form include to truly protect both the storyteller and the organization? What should we keep in mind if we want to compensate story contributors? What rights do storyowners have if they want to edit or retract their story after it’s been published? <...
Lessons Learned in Trauma-Informed Storytelling: Reflections for 2025
Send us Fan Mail
In this reflective solo episode kicking off season two of When Bearing Witness, Maria Bryan shares valuable insights gained from a transformative year of conversations about trauma-informed storytelling.
Join us as we reflect on lessons from the past year and tackle big questions: How do we move beyond surface-level discussions to foster deeper action? What role does empathy play in overcoming resistance to new approaches? How can we navigate the guilt that accompanies unlearning harmful practices?
Whether you're new to trauma-informed storytelling or a seasoned practitioner, this episode provides bo...
Finding Balance and Joy in Nonprofit Storytelling with Kishshana Palmer
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of When Bearing Witness, we talk with Kishshana Palmer, a dynamic international speaker, coach, and author, to discuss her new book, Busy Is a Four-Letter Word: A Guide to Achieving More by Doing Less.
Kishshana’s candid insights offer a much-needed pause for nonprofit professionals and storytellers navigating the relentless demands of their work. We discuss the importance of slowing down to avoid burnout and maintain the authenticity and empathy necessary for impactful storytelling.
Through actionable advice and relatable anecdotes, she illustrates how storytellers can challenge unre...
Humanizing Environmental and Conservation Justice with Melissa Romero
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, we sit down with Melissa Romero, Associate Director of Marketing at The Nature Conservancy, to explore the critical intersection of environmental advocacy and trauma-informed storytelling. We delve into how environmental and conservation challenges profoundly impact communities, revealing the human stories often hidden behind environmental issues.
Melissa sheds light on the often-overlooked trauma that environmental challenges can impose on people, from the devastating impacts of climate change to the displacement caused by conservation efforts. Her insights expose the deep human dimensions of environmental transformation.
We explore the...
The Realities of Storyteller Vicarious Trauma with Àmáká Òkóyè
Send us Fan Mail
Crisis journalist Àmáká Òkóyè has witnessed some of the most harrowing conflicts and atrocities in Nigeria’s recent history. And her commitment to elevating the human stories behind the headlines came at a heavy personal cost.
In this powerful episode, Àmáká bravely opens up about her mental health crisis after immersing herself in conflict reporting. Her story shines a much-needed light on the profound mental and emotional toll of bearing witness.
Àmáká's journey shows us the importance of storytellers prioritizing their own well-being, building strong support n...
Using Empathy to Foster Social Impact with Joseph Cope
Send us Fan Mail
In an era where social change often feels like one step forward and two back, this impactful conversation with "The Empathy Guy," Joseph Cope, offers a fresh perspective on how we can move the needle on significant social issues.
Thanks to Joseph, leaders around the country have begun to discover one of the keys to authentic human connection—the most unheralded of leadership superpowers—empathy.
For anyone who has ever felt frustrated by resistance to change in their organization or struggled to bridge the gap between different perspectives, this will...
Exploring Ancestral Trauma with Meenadchi
Send us Fan Mail
Meenadchi is many things, including being a somatic healing practitioner, TEDx speaker, and communications expert whose work centers on social change and embodied transformation.
She also helps folks clear ancestral trauma to create intergenerational healing.
Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of generational healing, offering insights that could transform your perspective on personal growth and self-discovery.
The impact of understanding generational trauma extends far beyond individual growth. It plays a vital role in cultural healing, helping us comprehend the broader implications of collective trauma on...
Becoming an Anti-Ableist Storyteller with Tiffany Yu
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, we sit down with Tiffany Yu, disability rights advocate and author of the groundbreaking new book The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, as she shares her journey from a childhood car accident to becoming a leading voice in disability inclusion.
For storytellers, content creators, and anyone looking to make their work more inclusive, this conversation is an essential guide to understanding how language shapes perception and how we can all contribute to building a more accessible world.
Through candid discussion and practical insights, Tiffany challenges us to move beyond o...
Rx for Storyteller Wellness with Therapist Shulamit Ber Levtov
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, I sit down with Shulamit Ber Levtov, "The Entrepreneurs' Therapist," to address a critical issue in the nonprofit world: the mental health of storytellers who bear witness to challenging narratives.
In the nonprofit sector, many of us wear multiple hats - we're not just storytellers but also fundraisers, advocates, project managers, and more. This balancing act, coupled with the emotional weight of the stories we tell, can lead to a unique form of stress and burnout.
How do we continue to do impactful work without sacrificing o...
Beyond Sensationalism: Navigating Human Trafficking Stories with Matthew Fairfax
Send us Fan Mail
Join us as we explore the complex world of human trafficking storytelling with Matthew Fairfax, co-founder of the Justice and Soul Foundation.
Content warning: This episode discusses sex trafficking and sexual violence. Please be mindful of your emotional capacity while listening.
Matthew's journey from salon owner to advocate is both surprising and inspiring. His organization is dedicated to empowering survivors and at-risk youth through professional cosmetology training, offering them a path to self-sufficiency and renewed confidence.
In this episode, we'll explore how Matthew's experiences in Cambodia transformed h...
