Ep 121. How Trauma Changes Us, and What Helps Us Heal

In this episode of Lead Well!, I speak with author Steve Borodkin about survival, abuse, healing, vulnerability, animals, art, and what honesty really requires. Steve’s memoir Street Level tells a deeply personal story of trauma and survival. But what struck me most in this conversation was not only what he went through. It was the fact that he emerged with remarkable warmth, empathy, and humanity. We explore: Why trauma processing is not a one-time event The role of therapy, honesty, and long-term inner work Why vulnerability is especially difficult for men How animals can become a source of healing and connection What art and music make possible when words are not enough Why how we carry pain matters as much as what happened This conversation also touches on something I often see in leadership work: Unprocessed experiences shape behavior. Not always visibly. But reliably. If safety, trust, or emotional regulation are missing, behavior changes. In humans and in animals.