What does a Relational and Organization Repair Therapist do in schools?

I help schools and organizations repair conflict and rebuild trust.

Maybe the impact of the conflict looks like this:

• Staff who've stopped trusting leadership

• Department distrust against another department that impacts collaboration

• A situation occurred that surfaced values around equity work from different educators and has caused a rift in their collaboration

• Secondary trauma is impacting staff's ability to take on new initiatives or feedback

• A decision was made without staff input, and people feel "done to" rather than included

• Frequent leadership turnover has left staff reluctant to invest in anything new

• Longtime and newer staff have split into camps around how things "should" be done

• Classified staff feel invisible or less valued than certificated staff

• A conflict between two colleagues has spilled over, and others feel pressure to take sides

• Staff of color feel isolated or burdened with carrying the building's equity work

• A PD session on race or identity left people feeling shamed, defensive, or unsafe

• A crisis or loss in the school community exposed who felt cared for and who didn't

• An investigation or HR process has ended, but the team remains fractured

• A new initiative was rolled out without buy-in and is now seen as "one more thing"

Morale keeps sinking, no matter what gets announced. You know staff need a climate that feels healing, and you care about getting it right. But your days are consumed by student crises, keeping kids safe and well, meeting shifting expectations from the district, and keeping every system in your building running.

So the work of repairing trust keeps getting pushed to tomorrow. Not because it doesn't matter, but because it matters too much to rush. You know restorative work done hastily can cause more harm than good, and right now, you don't have the time to give it the care it deserves.

That's where I come in. I partner with building leaders to take this work on thoughtfully. I bring experience navigating district dynamics, the clinical lens to hold the mental health side of repair, and the systems knowledge to build support into the structures you already have, without adding to your plate.

What's your background?

I bring a mental health background, an MTSS approach, and over a decade navigating schools and districts from the inside, first as a counselor, then in district leadership. My approach is antiracist and liberation-centered: I don't treat conflict as symmetrical. It usually isn't. It maps onto who holds positional power and who doesn't, whose voice gets centered in a room and whose gets managed, and repair has to account for that instead of smoothing it over.

What could support look like?

It depends on what a team needs: 1:1 confidential check-ins with the people most affected, co-creating tools and transparent communication plans with leaders, confidential group facilitation for staff, or reviewing existing systems to find where wellbeing can be built in rather than tacked on.

How long do you stay involved?

I stay embedded in the work rather than just training your team for the day and disappearing. I'm not trying to become a permanent fixture either. I stay until you have a concrete plan your team can carry forward with real fidelity.

Doesn't bringing in an outsider work against building your own capacity?

As an educator, I know the limits of time and energy. Sometimes the most effective move is bringing in a trained partner from the community who can help get people into a space where they're ready to build a system of support together.

Will you just report staff complaints to leadership?

No. What you share with me individually, formally or informally, stays confidential. It helps shape the collective picture I build with your team, but I never relay who said what.

When something is a systems issue, whether it's a communication gap, a policy, or a decision-making structure, I name it as exactly that, wherever it lives. My focus isn't on assigning blame. It's on how we move forward together, so everyone contributes to a workplace where people feel safe.

The only exceptions are situations where I'm required to act, such as concerns about a child's safety or a risk of serious harm. If that ever comes up, I'll be transparent with you about what happens next.

Education budgets are limited. Is there a way to do this without spending an enormous amount?

Yes. As a newer practice, I'm offering Founding Cohort rates at the lowest end of my pricing, and every engagement comes with a clear scope and defined caps, so you know exactly what you're getting with no surprise costs.

The work itself isn't new to me. With one partner, you get district-level leadership experience, hands-on restorative practice, and clinical training in mental health and relational repair, a combination that would otherwise often mean bringing in separate people. I stay embedded with your team to move the work forward rather than handing over tools and leaving.

Repairing climate can also help you keep the staff you've invested in, rather than absorbing the cost of rehiring and retraining, and it addresses the ripple effect distrust has on students and families.

We can start small without cutting corners. Just as MTSS begins with a clear picture of the whole system, our work begins by understanding what's happening across your building. A free consult, and when needed, a focused Deeper Discovery, gives us that picture at a modest cost. From there, the data guides where support goes, so every dollar is spent where it will have the most impact.

Do you also do this clinically?

What a very specific question! Yes — I do this work in private practice as well, relational repair with couples, families, and other units. You can learn more at www.charsantosfranz.com