I created Rooted in Hope because I know, both personally and professionally, that healing doesn’t happen in isolation, and transformation doesn’t come from quick fixes. It comes from safe, consistent relationships and from environments that honor both pain and possibility. This framework anchors everything I do: my consulting, my clinical work, and this book. It’s a reminder that hope isn’t passive or abstract. Hope is a skill, a mindset, and a choice. It’s something we can model, teach, and build for ourselves, our students, and one another. 

Rooted in Hope rests on twelve core elements: 

Resilience, Origin, Openness, Trust, Empowerment, Discernment, Intentionality, Neuro-Informed Practice, Hope, Ownership, Purpose, and Engagement. 

These elements emerged from my journey as a trauma survivor, educator, therapist, and consultant. They weave together research and real life. They provide a flexible, human-centered structure for individuals and systems to become trauma-responsive, neuro-informed, and authentically connected.