---
title: "From Learner to Leader: A Risking Connection Faculty Trainer's Journey"
description: Discover Jodie Tingle-Willis' transformative journey through trauma-informed care and the profound impact of the Risking Connection® model on her life and work.
image: https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/hubfs/JTWTestimonialImage.png
---
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# [From Learner to Leader: A Risking Connection Faculty Trainer's Journey](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/blog/from-learner-to-leader-a-risking-connection-faculty-trainers-journey)
June 16, 2026 / by [Jodie Tingle-Willis](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/blog/author/jodie-tingle-willis)
We think of abundance and joy when we think of [Jodie Tingle-Willis, LCSW,](https://www.traumaticstressinstitute.org/about-2/rc-faculty-trainers/) owner of [Supreme Peace Yoga and Wellness](https://supreme-peace-yoga.com/), and her journey says everything about the power of the [Risking Connection®](https://www.traumaticstressinstitute.org/services/risking-connection-change-model/) (RC) Change Model. She first encountered the [Traumatic Stress Institute](https://www.traumaticstressinstitute.org/) and RC as an employee at an RC client agency. Here is Jodie's story, in her own words:
> "Nearly 20 years ago, I found myself overwhelmed in a leadership role at a human services agency that was exploring trauma-informed care. Like many helping professionals, I was doing my best to keep it together — holding in my distress for fear it would be seen as weakness. When I was invited to attend a Risking Connection® (RC) Basic Training at a sister agency, I had no idea how profoundly it would change the course of my work — and my life.
>
> During \[that\] Risking Connection training I first heard the term [vicarious trauma.](https://www.traumaticstressinstitute.org/about-2/company-history/) I remember the wave of recognition that swept over me. What I was experiencing wasn’t a personal failing – it had a name. I*t was real.* And, most importantly, it was meant to be acknowledged, shared, and healed in connection with others.
>
> At the time, RC included a checklist of vicarious trauma (VT) symptoms. I remember feeling both mortified and unsurprised by how many boxes I checked. But something shifted in that moment. I set a quiet intention: this has to change. If I was going to keep doing this work, it needed to be sustainable.
>
> Our whole team fell in love with the RC model. Just a few months later, we invited Steve Brown and Pat Wilcox to bring the training to our full agency. As I sat through the RC Basic a second time — this time with my co-workers — I completed the same VT checklist. To my surprise, the number of symptoms had already decreased; simply naming and normalizing the impact of trauma had created space for healing.
>
> The transformation didn’t stop there. Our agency committed to implementing RC at every level — from the Board of Directors to direct care staff. We examined everything: policies, benefits, team dynamics, and the way we interacted with the people we served. It wasn’t easy. But it was absolutely worth it.
>
> Like many Risking Connection agencies, we saw measurable outcomes: for instance, reduced use of restraints and decreased staff turnover. But the deepest impact was felt in the quality of human connection — with our clients, our colleagues, and ourselves. I became a more attuned therapist, a more compassionate supervisor, and — I hope — a better friend, partner, and person. My own wellness practices, like yoga and community work, took on a new urgency and became foundational to my ability to stay grounded and effective.
>
> In 2011, I was honored to be invited by Steve and Pat to become an RC Faculty Trainer. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of facilitating trainings across the U.S. and Canada. It’s a joy to witness the transformation that happens during those three training days — and even more meaningful to hear about its long-term impact during RC Associate Trainers' biannual Recertifications.
>
> As I look toward the future, I’m excited to see how Risking Connection continues to evolve in response to what our communities need. The heart of this model — honoring relationship, authenticity, and the healing power of connection — remains as vital now as it was when I first encountered it."
This year is Jodie's 15th year as a Risking Connection (RC) Faculty Trainer – and she was an RC Associate Trainer a few years before that! Today, the transformation is so complete that it’s hard for us to remember that earlier chapter in her career. Jodie brings both a powerful, healing presence and an unflappable calm into every training she leads.
Her journey demonstrates the power of the RC Change Model, and her impact continues to ripple outward – equipping others to lead, to teach, and to sustain this work in their own communities.
Review our posts from this past year on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/traumatic-stress-institute/posts/) to see more reflections from our RC community members.
[](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLI9XTw3cshO21GVLQhyq%2BaAD5xhG1n%2FORNUovAljYqlab3Fi3f2Zr4AlHfkfWugLB4fIYkXNaPBcY6LtAKwGOZf2RC%2Bp15ZL5SHFdVjnWXsBNsms4IOYnMRy2XOiNnFIeaEGeNTZ1CRSzRp%2Fff3Alw5nQakJrYBCmGnX79GHTHwD%2F5xXz%2BrpikjgZBL%2BF10oQqDzrlcO7d5251w6yMAyzGy0S98LIfj9Vw2lxw43by0rUVQF8Q%3D&webInteractiveContentId=215100703788&portalId=6854647)
Tags: [Whole-System Change](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/blog/topic/whole-system-change), [Mindfulness](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/blog/topic/mindfulness)
#### Written by [Jodie Tingle-Willis](https://blog.traumaticstressinstitute.com/blog/author/jodie-tingle-willis)
Jodie Tingle-Willis, LCSW, has over 20 years of experience collaborating with children and families impacted by trauma in residential treatment settings as a clinician and director of programs. Tingle-Willis received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Spalding University, and her Master of Science in Social Work with a specialization in School Social Work from the University of Louisville. Today, she consults with social service agencies that desire a greater awareness of, and success in supporting their employees in the area of Vicarious Traumatization. She is also the owner of Supreme Peace Yoga in Louisville, KY, a trauma-sensitive yoga studio and training center, and enjoys blending her skill sets to help students manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
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