Healing Betrayal, Healing Teams: How Personal Growth Transforms Workplace Culture

When Sarah walked into her Monday morning team meeting, she did what she’d been doing for months—she smiled, nodded at all the right moments, and kept her best ideas to herself. Not because she didn’t care about her work, but because somewhere deep down, a wound from past betrayal whispered: “Don’t get too close. Don’t trust too much. Protect yourself.”

What Sarah didn’t realize was that her invisible armor wasn’t just protecting her—it was holding her entire team back.

The Hidden Cost of Unhealed Betrayal

Here’s what most people don’t talk about: betrayal isn’t just a personal wound. It’s a professional one.

When someone experiences betrayal—whether in a past relationship, a previous job, or a broken friendship—they don’t leave that pain at home. They carry it into every workplace interaction. They hold back in meetings. They second-guess collaboration. They build walls instead of bridges.

And the impact? It’s far-reaching. Innovation stalls. Trust erodes. Teams function, but they never truly thrive.

The Ripple Effect of Healing

But here’s where it gets interesting.

When one person does the brave work of healing from betrayal and shows up more authentically, something remarkable happens: it gives others permission to do the same.

This is what I call the “trust cascade.”

One person drops their armor. They speak honestly in a meeting. They admit they don’t have all the answers. They offer a genuine compliment instead of playing it safe.

And suddenly, the entire dynamic shifts.

Others start to open up. Meetings become more honest. Collaboration becomes genuine. Innovation flourishes.

Healed people become anchors for their teams—not because they’re perfect, but because they’re present. Not because they’re invulnerable, but because they’re intentionally open.

Trust Is a Muscle

Think of trust like a muscle. When someone has been betrayed, that muscle atrophies. It becomes weak from disuse, protected by layers of defensive behavior.

But when someone does their healing work and chooses to trust again—wisely, intentionally—they’re exercising that muscle. They’re demonstrating to everyone around them that it’s possible to be hurt and still remain open.

They’re proving that you can build walls or you can build bridges—and bridges always create more opportunities.

A Simple Practice That Changes Everything

You don’t need a complete organizational overhaul to start building trust. You need one simple practice.

The Trust-Building Team Prompt

Time required: Less than 5 minutes at the start of any meeting

How it works: Before diving into your agenda, ask each person to answer this question:

“What’s one thing you need from this team today to do your best work?”

That’s it. One question. Five minutes.

Three Tips for Implementation

1. Go first. As the facilitator, model vulnerability by being honest about what you need. Maybe it’s patience because you didn’t sleep well. Maybe it’s creative input because you’re stuck. Whatever it is, say it out loud.

2. Listen, don’t fix. When people share, simply acknowledge what they’ve said. Resist the urge to problem-solve in the moment. The practice is about being seen and heard, not about finding immediate solutions.

3. Make it a ritual. Do this at every meeting. Consistency transforms a technique into a culture shift. What feels awkward in week one becomes the foundation of psychological safety by week twelve.

Why This Works

This simple prompt shifts everyone from transactional mode to relational mode. It reminds the team that you’re humans first, colleagues second. It creates a container where vulnerability is normal, not risky.

And when vulnerability becomes normal, trust follows.

We Don’t Heal in Isolation

Here’s the truth that changes everything: we don’t heal in isolation—we heal in connection.

When you do the brave work of healing from betrayal, you don’t just change your own story. You create the kind of workplace where:

• People bring their whole selves to work
• Trust is rebuilt intentionally and wisely
• Teams build something meaningful together
• Innovation happens because people feel safe enough to take risks

Your healing journey has a ripple effect far beyond what you can see.

Your Next Step

If you’re reading this and recognizing yourself—if you’ve been carrying invisible armor into your workplace, if you’re ready to heal and create lasting change—there’s a path forward.

The PBT Institute Transform Program offers proven frameworks for healing from betrayal and building the kind of trust that transforms both teams and cultures.

Because when you heal, you don’t just get your own life back.

You help create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Ready to begin? Learn more at thepbtinstitute.com/transform

What’s one thing you need from your team today to do your best work? Start there. Start now. The transformation begins with one honest answer.