In nearly every community, pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare providers: seeing patients up to 12 times a year or more. Yet burnout rates are staggering, and meaningful connection often gets lost in the grind. On this episode of A Trauma-Informed Future podcast, host Katie Kurtz talks to Dr. Ashley Builta who reveals how trauma-informed care is changing everything in pharmacy delivery. She shares how it's not another task to add to an overwhelming workload, but rather a simple mindset shift that takes just three extra minutes and transforms both patient outcomes and professional purpose. From a life-changing Sunday morning encounter to training the next generation of pharmacy students, discover how Dr. Builta is using this approach to reshape pharmacy practice across Michigan and beyond.

Learn more about Ashley:

Dr. Ashley Builta is a dedicated pharmacy professional and educator currently serving as the Director of Professional Development and Education at the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA). In this role, she leads initiatives that empower pharmacists to better support the mental well-being of their patients and communities. She brings a wealth of experience to her role in advancing pharmacist education and public health initiatives.

Ashley holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor, a credential that enables her to expanded her impact with healthcare professionals, training them in recognizing and responding to mental health and substance use challenges. Her work bridges the gap between pharmacy practice and mental health support, helping to reduce stigma and promote early intervention.

Ashley’s work reflects a deep commitment to holistic patient care, emphasizing the critical role pharmacists play in early intervention and mental health advocacy. Her leadership continues to shape a more compassionate and informed healthcare landscape across Michigan.

Connect with Ashley:

• Website: https://www.michiganpharmacists.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-builta

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Leadership isn’t about titles or productivity: it’s about how you show up in everyday moments, especially in uncertain and turbulent times. In this episode, host Katie Kurtz explores what it really means to lead right now, offering a grounded look at how our nervous systems are responding, both individually and collectively, and how we can move from reaction to intentional, responsive leadership. As stress, burnout, and disconnection rise, trauma-informed leadership becomes essential for creating connection, stability, and trust in our lives and communities. This episode is a rallying call to lead with greater awareness, humanity, and accountability and to choose a different kind of leadership.

Mentioned in this podcast: January 30th workshop on Trust Behaviors

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Content Warning (CW): This episode centers the discussion of gun violence and explicit mentions mass shootings. Please be mindful as you listen and provide this content warning when sharing.

I didn’t want to record this episode. And that’s exactly why we did. So let's cut straight to the truth: we need to get real about gun violence. This is an important and timely episode with Josh Novick (he/him) is about gun violence, trauma exposure, and what it actually costs to care inside broken systems. No platitudes. No easy answers. Just the truth—and the choice in front of us. Working in education throughout his career, he has been both the responder and the experiencer of the impact of gun violence. It wasn’t until a mass shooting hit his own backyard at the Highland Park Parade Shooting in 2022 that he began to his advocacy journey.This is not a theoretical conversation—it’s a grounded, urgent look at how trauma shows up in classrooms, communities, and bodies, why gun violence is a public health crisis (not a mental illness), and what trauma-informed care actually demands from us. Honest, sharp, and unapologetically human, this episode names the harm, challenges the myths, and calls listeners into action.

Learn more about Josh:

Josh Novick, LCPC, PEL-SC is a nationally recognized therapist, school counselor, speaker, and advocate who combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and unapologetic passion in the fight for safer, more connected schools and communities. He is the founder of Trust and Grow Consulting, where he partners with schools, districts, and community organizations across the country to expand trauma-informed, equity-centered practices that support resilience and recovery.

Josh’s perspective is shaped by his years as a school counselor in North Lawndale on the West Side of Chicago, where he worked alongside students and families navigating systemic inequities, community violence, and extraordinary resilience. His commitment to trauma-informed recovery deepened after the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting, which impacted his own community and led to his leadership role in creating a temporary Community Counseling Center. In just one week, the center provided immediate relief to more than 3,000 community members with the support of over 650 volunteer therapists, becoming a model for rapid, compassionate crisis response.

An Ambassador with Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, he is a leading voice on educator wellness and community response after critical incidents, helping schools navigate the aftermath of violence with compassion and clarity.

His work has been featured at national and regional gatherings including the Building Resilient Communities for Children Conference, the Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools Conference, and the Illinois School Counselor Association Conference. His expertise has been quoted in regional and national articles, extending his impact beyond direct practice and into broader public discourse.

Connect with Josh:

• Website: https://trustandgrow.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.

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Get certified + create a sustainable practice with TRUST™ Works

Interested in a keynote or consulting? Connect with Katie!