Our Work
Every training, every session, and every hour of support Guiding Star Collective offers grows out of these three pillars — three points of light guiding toward the same True North. Below is a closer look at what each one means in practice — with real examples from Rachel's own trainings, and the words of the people who have sat in the room.
Pillar One · Healing
Healing work at Guiding Star Collective starts from a single reframe: instead of asking "what's wrong with you?" we ask "what happened to you?" That shift — from judgment to curiosity — is the foundation of every trauma-informed relationship we build, whether we're supporting a survivor directly or training the advocates who will.
Looking for one-to-one support rather than training? Meet Nova, our space for individual healing →
Trauma-informed care isn't a script — it's a posture. It means following a survivor's lead instead of dragging them toward where you think they should be. It means understanding that a person's pace of change is often slower than we'd like, and that outpacing what's truly possible for someone right now can do more harm than good.
We teach professionals across every field to see themselves as partners and co-navigators, not directors. A survivor is the captain of their own ship. If what they're asking for today is help covering a bruise so they can attend a family wedding, that's the help they get — nothing more is assumed, and nothing less is offered.
It truly was a wonderful experience, open for learning and honesty. I have no notes for improvement.
Allowed for open communication and was so kind throughout the day!
The morning session really had me pausing and doing self evaluation.
Kept everyone's attention. Very knowledgeable!
Pillar Two · Advocacy
Advocacy means knowing the law well enough to fight for what someone is legally owed — and knowing how to say it out loud when a system tries to shortcut a person's right to communicate. Rachel's advocacy trainings walk through exactly that: what the law guarantees, and what to do the moment it's denied.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, effective communication for a Deaf individual isn't a courtesy — it's a legal requirement. Hospitals, police departments, courts, schools, and any business with 15 or more employees must provide qualified interpreters at no cost, and family or friends cannot be substituted except in genuine emergencies.
We train advocates and Deaf individuals alike on how to recognize a denial of access, how to name it clearly in the moment, and how to document and escalate it if it isn't fixed — because equal access is not a privilege, it's a legal right.
The entire workshop was fantastic! I appreciated getting Rachel's actual experiences with interpreters in high risk settings.
Showcased different perspectives.
This workshop went a lot more in depth than most one day workshops. The facilitator was very knowledgeable about the subject and managed the room well.
Pillar Three · Accessibility & Navigation
Before anyone can navigate a system well, they need to understand the people in it. This pillar is about closing the gap between hearing and Deaf communities — dismantling the misconceptions that quietly shape how services, systems, and everyday interactions treat Deaf people.
Many of the barriers Deaf people face aren't physical — they're attitudinal. Audism, the assumption that hearing and speaking ability makes someone superior, shows up in small ways: not signing when you know how, lowering expectations, or leaving a Deaf person out of decisions about their own care. Naming it is the first step to removing it.
We also teach intersectionality directly — being Deaf is only one part of who someone is. Race, gender, class, language, and lived experience all layer together, and real advocacy starts with seeing the whole person, not just the parts of them that are unfamiliar to us.
Great mastery of the concepts. Very knowledgeable presenter.
I liked the flow.
I appreciated her being open to all opinions and not showing a preference to a specific side.
Bring This to Your Team
Every session is tailored to the room — advocates, interpreters, service providers, and Deaf community members alike.
Workshop rate: $300/hour
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