"Emma delivered her keynote over lunch to a room with 700 people in it. Her message was so poignant that people stopped eating. You could hear a pin drop."
"I was on the edge of my seat the entire time Emma spoke."
"Emma held our full attention for two straight hours."
"Her ability to understand our unique business challenges is remarkable."
EMMA CHURCHMAN, MDIV
Speaker, Bestselling Author, and Executive Mentor
As a nationally certified trauma chaplain and executive mentor based in North Carolina, I offer keynote talks and workshops in three key areas: (1) building resilient leadership, (2) creating trauma-informed workplaces, and (3) disaster recovery and preparedness.
Recent research shows that 92% of workers consider emotional and psychological well-being crucial in their workplace (APA, 2023), validating the critical importance of this work.
Drawing from 25+ years of experience and current PhD research in Conscious Business Ethics, I help organizations:
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Implement practical tools for managing workplace stress and trauma activation
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Create environments where psychological safety drives innovation and performance
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Build trauma-resilient teams using the 4-phase recovery framework
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Develop leadership capabilities for crisis navigation and emotional intelligence
Studies demonstrate that psychological safety has enduring protective benefits for workers during periods of stress (NIH, 2024), with 89% of employees reporting it as essential for their well-being and performance.
Through my comprehensive Trauma Recovery Certification program and keynote talks, I empower leaders to:
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Recognize and respond to trauma activation in real-time
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Foster environments of belonging and personal autonomy
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Transform crisis into organizational wisdom
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Build sustainable resilience practices at all levels
My evidence-based methodology integrates both lived experience—chronicled in my upcoming book The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene—and research-backed practices from thought leaders like Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Katherine Manning and Janina Fisher.
Featured in SUCCESS Magazine and endorsed by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and Mennonite Disaster Service, my work bridges spiritual intelligence with practical business strategies—helping organizations move from crisis to conscious leadership.
I offer motivational talks and a two-hour wellness training to help employees become more emotionally and mentally resilient. This enhances performance and increases employee retention.
RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
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Mennonite Disaster Service 75th Anniversary - February 2025
Keynote talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia -
Women Business Empowerment Show - March 2025
Keynote talk on processing trauma in real time -
Fontana Library System Staff Training - April 2025
Two hour wellness session on cultivating mental and emotional resilience in the workplace -
Warren Wilson College - Recovery, Rebuilding & Rethinking Post-Helene Series - April 2025: Keynote talk on survival, resilience, and transformation in the wake of Hurricane Helene
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Virginia Emergency Management Association Faith-Based Caucus - May 2025
Keynote talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia -
National Voluntary Organizations Aiding in Disaster (NVOAD) Annual Conference - May 2025: Plenary talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia
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Women's Business Enterprise National Council Annual Conference - June 2025
Two hour wellness session: From Crisis to Wisdom - Building Resilient Business Leadership
Why Emma's Story Matters
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Timely and Universal Topics: Leadership during disasters, mental, emotional, and spiritual resilience, and creating trauma-informed workplaces and psychological safety for employees and customers.
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Inspiring Personal Journey: Emma’s triumph over her own trauma adds authenticity and depth to her message.
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Practical Takeaways: Actionable steps for individuals and businesses to navigate and prepare for traumatic events, through the four phases of trauma recovery.
"Our team especially appreciated the other tools Emma shared for cultivating mental and emotional resilience, and de-escalation techniques. In fact, one employee shared that she learned more tools from Emma in two hours than she has in five years of therapy!
What sets Emma's training apart is her ability to blend evidence-based trauma recovery techniques with the specific demands of library service. Her practical and profound approach offers immediate solutions while building long-term resilience.
It is sometimes difficult to find a presenter that staff respond to but Emma Churchman kept staff interested and really understood what staff go through day-to-day. The investment in this training has already shown returns in improved staff confidence and more effective patron interactions."
Tracy Fitzmaurice, Director
Fontana Library System
Speaking Highlights and Topics
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From Crisis to Wisdom: Building Resilient Leadership (60-90 minutes)
Comprehensive framework for transforming crisis challenges into competitive advantages through resilient leadership development. -
The Hidden Cost of Unaddressed Trauma in Leadership (45-60 minutes)
Business impact focus, addressing direct P&L impact of unaddressed leadership trauma with ROI-driven content. -
Turning Crisis into Competitive Advantage (60 minutes)
Strategic innovation focus demonstrating systematic transformation of crisis challenges into sustainable competitive advantages. -
Building Trauma-Informed Workplaces (90 minutes)
Comprehensive workplace transformation providing detailed frameworks for creating trauma-informed workplace cultures. -
Resilience: What Disaster Survivors Really Need (30-60 minutes)
Combining real-world disaster experience with recommendations for helping survivors to heal. Comprehensive framework for transforming crisis challenges into competitive advantages through resilient leadership development.
Excerpt from Keynote Speech
at the National Voluntary Organizations Aiding in Disaster
National Conference (750 people)
in Louisville, KY - May 22, 2025
Excerpt from Keynote Speech
at the
Mennonite Disaster Service
75th Anniversary Celebration (300 people)
in Wichita, KS - February 15, 2025
About Emma
Emma M. Churchman, MDiv is a nationally certified trauma chaplain and executive mentor who has spent over 25 years guiding individuals and organizations through the unspoken aftermath of trauma. With a rare blend of spiritual insight and strategic leadership, she has helped thousands transform pain into power—drawing deeply from her own harrowing journey through acute childhood adversity.
Emma is the founder of the Trauma Recovery Certification program, a groundbreaking training for professionals who want to address trauma at its roots—not just manage symptoms. Her teachings blend clinical understanding with soul-deep wisdom, making her a sought-after speaker for those ready to engage in real, raw healing.
Her bestselling book, The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene (GracePoint, 2025), takes readers on an unforgettable journey of spiritual resilience during one of nature’s most recent catastrophic events.
Her forthcoming memoir, Unshattered: Surviving My Mother’s 123 Personalities and Transforming a Legacy of Abuse (GracePoint, October 2025), is a bold invitation to rewrite the stories we inherit.
Her third book, The Deep End: Resilient Leadership in a Volatile World, explores navigating leadership in crisis (GracePoint, June 2026).
Whether she’s speaking to Fortune 1,000 leaders, faith communities, or trauma survivors, Emma teaches practical, evidence-informed trauma recovery techniques that empower individuals and organizations alike to reclaim agency, reconnect with their core selves, and navigate life’s storms with integrity. As a PhD candidate in Conscious Business Ethics, she bridges the gap between soulful leadership and actionable strategy.
Emma is the founder of the Trauma Recovery Certification program, a groundbreaking training for professionals who want to address trauma at its roots—not just manage symptoms. Her teachings blend clinical understanding with soul-deep wisdom, making her a sought-after speaker for those ready to engage in real, raw healing.
Her bestselling book, The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene (GracePoint, 2025), takes readers on an unforgettable journey of spiritual resilience during one of nature’s most recent catastrophic events.
Her forthcoming memoir, Unshattered: Surviving My Mother’s 123 Personalities and Transforming a Legacy of Abuse (GracePoint, October 2025), is a bold invitation to rewrite the stories we inherit.
Her third book, The Deep End: Resilient Leadership in a Volatile World, explores navigating leadership in crisis (GracePoint, June 2026).
Featured Speaker For:
Considering hiring me as your keynote speaker or workshop trainer? Let's chat.
Email speaking@emmachurchman.com or click the button to schedule a short call.