Leadership Trauma: The Hurt No One Warns You About

Two months before graduation, Khara Croswaite Brindle’s internship supervisor told her she wasn’t ready to be a therapist. The reason? She was “too composed.” They wanted her to cry in supervision.

Her body knew it wasn’t okay before her mind did.

That moment became Khara’s first experience of leadership trauma: being hurt by a boss or supervisor in a way that makes you question your worth. Khara is an LPC, approved clinical supervisor, certified financial therapist, TEDx speaker, and best-selling author. She joins Ashley Charbonneau and Morgen Villegas to talk about leadership trauma and the wider problem of career trauma in therapists. Her research found that about half of the therapists she surveyed had been through professional betrayal, and nearly half had thought about leaving the field.

You’ll hear:

• What leadership trauma is and how it can turn into perfectionism or overwork
• The 6 career traumas: client suicide, sudden client death, client violence, professional betrayal, subpoenas, and grievances
• How to tell the difference between growing pains and real harm
• Why “I believe you” is often where healing starts
• Two tools you can use right away: the self-disclosure “short stack” and the DAP note “Reuben sandwich”

If you’ve ever wondered whether it was just you, it wasn’t.

Guest Bio:

Khara Croswaite Brindle, MA, LPC, ACS, CFT, loves giving people aha moments that create goosebumps and spark real action. She is a TEDx speaker, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Financial Therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and 2x Amazon #1 best-selling author based in Colorado. As a professor, consultant, and serial entrepreneur, Khara helps therapists build second income streams that protect against burnout. When she’s not writing her next book, she’s spending time with her daughter, walking near water, or enjoying gluten-free desserts with her family.

Guest Contact Info:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kharacroswaite/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kharacroswaite/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khara.croswaite

Website: https://croswaitecounselingpllc.com/

Your Hosts:

Ashley Charbonneau, LCSW, LAC, ACS, is a therapist, evaluator, clinical supervisor, consultant, and educator. She works with people affected by the legal system, with a focus on offender accountability, survivor healing, and restorative justice. She trains professionals across the country on restorative justice, addiction, clinical supervision, sexual offending, therapy boundaries, and mandatory reporting and is the author of The Resilient Therapist (Bloomsbury, 2026) and Supporting Clients of Sexual Trauma (PESI, 2026). Learn more at https://www.ensopllc.com/

Morgen Villegas, LCSW, LAC, ACS, is a therapist, consultant, EMDRIA Consultant, and author of Shadows to Light. Through her practice, Vida Idílica Therapy & Consulting, she specializes in helping women heal from trauma, attachment wounds, emotional neglect, and the lasting effects of overfunctioning and caregiving. Morgen also provides consultation to EMDR therapists seeking greater confidence and nuance in working with complex trauma. You can reach Morgen at https://www.vida-idilica.com