It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story? How did you get to where you are today?
It’s my pleasure, and thank you for this opportunity. That is a really great question. I guess I would have to say my journey started early, growing up in Brooklyn, where my community ties became my window to activism, leadership, and success. I grew up in Brooklyn’s public housing, witnessing firsthand how lack of resources and systemic barriers impacted communities. At 15, I started offering free GED training to adults in my housing development—my first step toward community transformation. This early work shaped my academic journey through business, education, behavioral science, and theology, ultimately leading to the development of trauma-informed leadership approaches.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Sometimes I feel like that is an understatement—there were times when I felt like I was just being boxed in by roadblocks. However, I am a firm believer that there can always be triumph in the trenches. That said, the greatest challenge has been transforming personal trauma into purposeful action.
In 2017, I lost my only nephew to gun violence. That tragedy and pain tested everything I believed about healing and resilience. Navigating through that painful experience deepened my understanding of trauma’s impact and strengthened my commitment to creating sustainable change.
Building credibility as both an academic and community leader required proving that evidence-based approaches could work alongside cultural healing practices. I worked hard to put my pain into action and co-authored Mel’s Law to ensure families who lose a child while in college can receive their posthumous degree. The passage of Mel’s Law in 2023 marked a pivotal moment, demonstrating how personal loss can catalyze systemic change.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in, and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I love this question! I specialize in revolutionizing workplace culture through my innovative leadership development program that addresses a critical but often overlooked challenge: psychological safety. As you can see, in today’s society, this is ever so needed. My trauma-informed framework transforms organizations by equipping leaders with practical tools to build resilient teams, significantly reduce turnover, and foster genuine employee well-being.
Now, why should people or organizations work with me? My business is like no other. What sets us apart is our unique integration of behavioral science, lived experience, and proven policy impact. Our Trauma-to-Triumph model has demonstrated measurable results, consistently showing that investing in psychological safety delivers real returns—higher productivity, reduced burnout, and stronger talent retention. We don’t just teach theory; we transform organizations through evidence-based, culturally competent approaches.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
This remains one of my favorite questions in an interview! Success begins with understanding your authentic purpose. I encourage everyone to start with self-reflection to identify where their experiences and expertise intersect with community or target audience needs. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—start with what you have, where you are.
Most importantly, measure success not just by personal achievements but by the sustainable impact you have on others. Sometimes, your greatest success comes from the difference you make in someone else’s life.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
I truly believe this changes over time. As you develop as a leader and business owner, your mindset and ideology begin to expand, and so does your view of success.
Nevertheless, at its foundation, success is creating sustainable transformation that outlives your direct involvement. It’s seeing communities develop their own healing capabilities, organizations embrace trauma-informed practices, and individuals break cycles of generational trauma. True success lies in empowering others to become agents of change.
What’s next for you?
We’re launching a comprehensive digital learning platform to make trauma-informed leadership training accessible nationwide. Additionally, we’re expanding our community healing centers and developing new certification programs. The goal is to scale our impact while maintaining the cultural competency that makes our approach effective.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
First, I want to thank you again for sharing your platform and audience with me! For those interested in learning more about Gold Mind Thoughts Leadership Development Firm or booking me as a speaker for an upcoming event, they can connect with me via my website:
🔗 Leadership Training: www.goldmindthoughts.com
🔗 Speaker Bookings: www.revdrxeniabarnes.com
To stay connected and in the know about what’s new with Dr. Xenia Barnes, follow me on social media:
📲 Instagram: @coachbarnesgmt_
📺 YouTube: Subscribe Here
💡 A Little Golden Nugget: I regularly share resources on trauma-informed leadership and cultural competency on my YouTube channel, so don’t forget to subscribe!
