I help changemakers tell impactful stories that resist harm by speaking about trauma-informed storytelling.

If you want someone to facilitate learning on trauma-informed and ethical storytelling, that person should do so with abundant kindness, empathy, and grace.

And that’s where I come in.

I’m Maria Bryan, and I help storytellers safely gather and tell painful stories. Over the past 15 years in the nonprofit and public sector, I have trained thousands globally in person and virtually—focusing on trauma-informed storytelling and purpose-driven marketing.

I’ll provide you with an interactive virtual or in-person training for your upcoming conference, summit, retreat, or for your teams and members. Storytellers will feel equipped with actionable insights and resources grounded in kindness and empathy.

So, if you’re planning an event and need someone to teach trauma-informed and ethical storytelling with compassion and grace, let’s talk.

Training Sessions

When Bearing Witness: Trauma-Informed Storytelling Training

Storytelling has the power to move hearts and minds. Marketing tradition tells us that "if it bleeds, it leads," which is easy in nonprofit marketing since we're solving the world's biggest problems. Those we serve are experiencing tremendous pain and overcoming insurmountable challenges.

Can we gather and share nonprofit stories in a way that protects, dignifies, and respects those we serve? This training will explore trauma-informed storytelling, a safe and healthy process for your beneficiaries, audiences, and even storytellers. You'll be equipped with actionable insights and tools to tell trauma-informed and ethical stories that have a huge impact.

This training will benefit a range of nonprofit roles, including fundraisers, marketers, communicators, grant writers, researchers, and videographers.

Takeaways

> Understand the impact of trauma and why trauma-informed storytelling matters.

> Learn about the three kinds of people impacted by a story— the story owner, the story receiver, and the witness.

> Gain simple and actionable steps to integrate trauma-informed practices in all aspects of storytelling, including media gathering, media usage, and media distribution.

> Review and discuss trauma-informed and ethical marketing case studies.

> Develop trauma-informed and ethical marketing principles, policies, and workflows.

> Learn self-care practices as a nonprofit professional vulnerable to secondary trauma.

What’s Included

> Up to two hours of hands-on training

> Trauma-Informed Messaging and Media Case Studies

> Media Consent Form

> Trauma-Informed Principles and Best Practices Sheet

> Trauma-Informed Story Gathering Workflow

> Trauma-Informed Interview Questions and Guidelines 

> Ethical Langauge Guide 

> DEI Marketing Checklist

> Digital Accessibility Checklist 

> Somatic Exercises for Storyteller Self-Care

Break Through The Noise: Nonprofit Messaging that Moves Hearts, Creates Community, and Inspires Action

If you feel stuck on how to tell your nonprofit's stories, you're in good company. In this training session, I’ll break down the steps to create stories that generate movers and shakers. What's more, we'll explore how to tell nonprofit stories with an ethical and trauma-informed lens that dignifies, respects, and protects.

Takeaways

> Take-home templates to kick off your messaging right after our session, including audience personas, key messaging points, client interview questions, trauma-Informed storytelling checklist, and more.

> Develop a deeper understanding of your audience and how to develop story-based messaging to reach them.

> Learn how to position your nonprofit as the go-to authority in your industry.   

> Gain practical tools to gather and create trauma-informed and ethical stories.

How to Plan 3 Months Of Content In 1 Day

Let’s demystify the content planning process. In this training, participants will gain the tools to create content with purpose and intention—that converts. And we'll dig into tools and practices to gather nonprofit stories in a way that is ethical and trauma-informed.

Takeaways

> Take-home tools and templates to kick off your content planning right after our session, including a year editorial calendar, a social media calendar, a marketing production calendar, key messaging points, and more.

> Learn what it takes to plan a birds-eye view of a year's worth of stories in a day and build three months of content in a day.

> Learn how to tell your incredible stories that compel action.

> Create purpose-driven content that is ethical and trauma-informed.