Drama Free Teams | Trauma-Informed Leadership for High-Performing Teams

You may have noticed the podcast has a new name. But why?

After three months of publishing weekly episodes, I received something unexpected—messages from leaders saying they loved the show, but didn’t feel comfortable sharing it because the word trauma in the title felt too intense for the workplace.

Even though, as a trauma-informed leadership coach, I stand by the importance of trauma-informed tools in leadership, I also believe th...

Are you constantly absorbing your team’s stress, replaying difficult conversations in your head, or holding back in meetings just to keep the peace? If this sounds like you, you might be carrying the invisible weight of drama at work, and this podcast is for you.

Hi, I’m Dr. Annie Campanile, trauma-informed executive coach and former healthcare director. On Drama Free Teams, we go deeper than communication tips. We unpack the invisi...

Do you ever try so hard to get it right - only to feel like it’s never enough?

Do you look outside yourself for answers, believing that others know better than you - even though you’re smart and capable?

In this deeply personal episode of Heal Your Trauma, Find Your Voice, trauma-informed executive coach Dr. Annie Campanile shares the story of an emotional breakdown that became a professional breakthrough. 

What started as a moment of...

You told yourself you’d stop checking email after dinner…But somehow, it’s 11pm again, and your laptop is still open.

If you’re a high-achieving leader who wants to set healthy boundaries at work, but you keep getting pulled back in out of fear you’ll drop the ball, this episode is for you.

We’re talking about what’s really behind the late-night work cycle, and why most leadership advice about work/life balance completely misses the ...

You’re spending more time mediating team drama than leading your team—and it’s exhausting. One person is constantly checking up on their coworkers, calling out unfinished tasks, and stressing over work that’s not even theirs. Meanwhile, the rest of your team is walking on eggshells to avoid the next emotional outburst.

If you’ve ever had a team member who means well but ends up creating tension, today’s episode is for you.

I’m diving...

Have you ever had a team member suddenly go silent... stop replying to your messages... or even quit without warning?

In high-performing teams, breakdowns in communication can happen fast—and when they do, it’s tempting to either ignore it or push for answers. But what if the silence isn’t defiance... but a sign of Cactus Trust—a trauma-informed response that shuts others out to feel safe?

In this episode, I’m kicking off a powerful ...

Ever wonder, "How much longer can I keep giving like this before I burn out?"

If you're a high-achieving leader in healthcare or another high-pressure space, this episode is your breath of fresh air.

This week on the show, trauma-informed executive coach Dr. Annie Campanile shares a surprising, fun story about a silent moment of human connection—and how it unlocked a healing practice she now teaches to leaders across t...

Feel like you're constantly bracing for conflict at work? This episode reveals a simple nervous system reset to help you stay grounded, speak clearly, and break free from the fight response—before it damages your relationships or your career.

Have you ever walked into work already bracing for a fight?
Maybe your jaw clenches before anyone even says a word. Maybe you anticipate conversations, imagining how you’ll defend you...

Is your work ethic secretly working against you?
When you're the person everyone relies on, it can feel impossible to say No — especially when it feels like your career, reputation, or relationships are on the line.

You take pride in being dependable and driven. But when that strength turns into an unspoken agreement to always do more, it can leave you overworked, under-appreciated, and resentful.

If you're tired of fe...

Imposter syndrome doesn’t always show up as "I'm a fraud!" — sometimes it’s the quiet voice that wonders, “Do I actually know what I’m doing?”

In this episode, we’re unpacking the hidden ways imposter syndrome lingers, even in people with years of experience and real results behind them. 

Whether you’re starting something new, stepping into leadership, or simply trying to trust yourself more deeply, this is the episode...

✨ Are your work thoughts still buzzing long after you've “clocked out”?

You close your laptop, but your mind’s still spinning. You try to relax, but you're stuck rehashing that email, that meeting, or that moment you wish you’d handled differently.

In this episode, I dive into a struggle so many of us face: being “off the clock” but mentally still at work. If your evenings are filled with racing thoughts, anxiety, or rehash...

You know that moment—when your body tenses up before a hard conversation, and suddenly the words don’t come out right... or don’t come out at all?

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple, powerful technique to overcome that.

It's called the 90-Second Reset—and you’ll hear from my client Ally, a nurse practitioner who used it to shift her relationships at work from conflict and tension to confident, clear connection.

We're bust...

Giving difficult feedback—whether at work or at home—can feel like emotional Jenga: one wrong move and the whole relationship could collapse. But I promise it doesn't have to be that dramatic!

In this episode, I share my powerful, trauma-informed Empowered Feedback Method, which helps you give feedback in a way that honors your truth and also the relationship, whether it's with a colleague, a customer, a partner, or a clos...

Ever find yourself making snap decisions under pressure, only to regret them later? What if the very speed you pride yourself on is actually sabotaging your success—damaging trust, creating costly mistakes, and leaving you burned out and anxious?

In this episode, I share a simple yet life-changing practice to help you break the cycle of fear-based decision-making and start choosing with confidence, clarity, and ease.

You'll Disc...

Have you ever felt unsafe or on edge in a relationship — even when you're with someone who truly loves you?

For trauma survivors, trust doesn’t always come naturally. Your nervous system stays stuck in survival mode, bracing for rejection, criticism, or abandonment — even in safe relationships.

In this episode, I sit down with my husband, Christopher Campanile, for a real, vulnerable conversation about why trauma makes it hard t...

Trust is the foundation of every great relationship—but if trust were simple, we wouldn’t keep repeating the same painful patterns. In this episode, I sit down with my husband, and fellow trauma survivor, Christopher, to explore a different kind of trust—Kindred Trust—where both people feel safe to be themselves without fear of judgment or rejection.

We unpack:

✨ The difference between survival-driven trust and love-driven trust

✨ Why...

Self-Reliance Feels Safe—But Is It Keeping You Lonely?

You pride yourself on being independent. You don’t need anyone. But if you’re honest, there are moments when self-reliance feels more like loneliness than strength.

That’s Cactus Trust—a trust pattern where keeping people at a distance feels safer than letting them in. It’s why you struggle to ask for help, shut down emotional conversations, and secretly wonder why connection fee...

Do you find yourself constantly seeking reassurance in relationships—asking if everything’s okay, replaying conversations, or wondering if you did something wrong?

Many trauma survivors have learned to cling to love when it appears, not realizing that their eagerness to bond with a new friend or partner might actually push them away.

In this episode, I unpack Velcro Trust, a trust pattern where the need for reassurance can be overwhe...

Have you ever promised yourself you wouldn’t trust the "wrong" person again, only to be blindsided when they broke your trust—or walked away? 

Many trauma survivors follow patterns when deciding whether or not someone is trustworthy, not realizing that their perception might be shaped by past wounds rather than present reality.

In this episode, I introduce the three trust patterns that shape all relationships - your key to ...