Belonging Is A Birthright

CARE OUTLOUD: The Heart of It All – Solo Series with Mary Coughlin

When we talk about trauma-informed care, we must also talk about belonging.
In this solo reflection, Mary explores how premature babies—and so many of us—are born into systems that were never built for us. The wound of exclusion runs deep, but healing begins with remembering: you were never meant to earn your place here. You already belong.

This episode weaves stories from the NICU with generational patterns of disconnection, introduces the FACES–SPACES–PLACES framework by Lisa Cherry, and offers a gentle, powerful invitation to reclaim and redesign spaces of belonging—from the bedside to the ballot box.

🎧 Listen in for soul-tending truth and one bold call to action.

Affirmation

I do not have to shrink to fit in.I belong in the fullness of who I am—and I can create space for others to belong, too.

Call to Action:

• Make space. Amplify a voice that’s been left out. Say, “You belong.”
• Access the reflection guide: HERE
• Learn more about trauma-informed belonging: HERE