The best predictor of happiness, health, & longevity
is the quality of our relationships.*
I’m a relationship scholar, trauma-informed certified victim’s advocate, educator, consultant, and coach.
I've dedicated my career to understanding the continuum of healthy and unhealthy relational dynamics. For 15+ years, I’ve collaborated with people who have experienced abuse, interdisciplinary scholars, students, clients, and community members to gain a holistic approach to relational safety, health, and wellness. I’ve researched it, studied it, lived it.
I founded Through the Fray Coaching to help people navigate the complexities of connection—both personal and professional.
With a deep understanding of research grounded in experience and practical tools, I use trauma-informed care principles to help individuals & organizations:
strengthen communication fundamentals
identify destructive/toxic/abusive behavior patterns & practice healthy, constructive ones
navigate conflict in productive ways
build safe, reciprocal relationships after harm & trauma
build healthier, safer support systems
Our communication shapes our relationships, and our relationships shape our lives. This fact is the heart of my work at Through the Fray Coaching.
*”The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness” (Waldinger & Schulz, 2023)
Hi. I’m Dr. Jennifer Guthrie,
but you can call me Jenny.
*”The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness” (Waldinger & Schulz, 2023)
Services: Individual Coaching & Organizational Consulting & Training
See below for services overview or visit Coaching or Consulting & Training for specifics.
Services: Individual Coaching & Organizational Consulting & Training
See below for services overview or visit Coaching or Consulting & Training for specifics.
One Mission.
In this world that is full of so much hurt, violence, fear, & hate, I aim to help individuals and communities have the healthiest, happiest, and most satisfying relationships & collaborations possible.
It is in times of struggle that we need information and tools the most, so I use my 15+ years of experience in research, teaching, coaching, and advocacy to help others better understand their struggles and use their strengths to overcome them.
We all can improve our personal and professional lives by not only minimizing negative behaviors, but by also maximizing positive behaviors in ways that are authentic, kind, and effective.
Three Paths.
Communication Fundamentals
Clarity & Confidence
Individuals & Organizations
• Public Speaking • Writing • Professional Communication • Listening • Leadership Presence
Relational Health
Connection & Resilience
Individuals
• Relationship Skills at any stage: formation (dating), maintenance (keeping relationship strong & healthy), & dissolution (breakups, untangling, co-parenting, sense-making) • Conflict Navigation & Skills • Difficult Conversations & Repair • Confidence and self-trust • Boundary-setting • Understanding un/healthy relationship patterns • Supportive Communication
Organizations
• Organizational Climate • Conflict Management • Difficult Conversations & Repair • Emotional Intelligence • Team Dynamics • Systems Approach • Respect in the Workplace (examining internalized bias & ways to actually be a safe place for the global majority and other systemically excluded groups)
Gender-Based Violence
Trauma-Informed Safety & Advocacy
Individuals
• Relationship-focused abuse recovery • Healthy relationships after harmful or confusing dynamics • Understanding un/healthy relationship patterns • Rebuilding your voice after being made small for survival • Creating relationships that feel safe and mutual • Building on strengths & coping skills
*(I do not provide emergency services. Please see the resources page for FREE services from providers who will know your local resources better than I!)
Organizations
• The Effects of Trauma on Victim/Survivors • Trauma-Informed Interviewing • Types of Interpersonal Violence • IPV Myths • Trauma-Informed Survivor Support • Toxic Work Environments • Sexual Harassment & Organizational Culture
Research & Expert Witness Services
• Educating juries about IPV patterns, cycles, common reactions, effects, & complexities • Commonalities of how victims vs. abusers communicate and behave • Case Analysis (including evidence analysis & interviews) • Report writing (research & qualitative analysis)
For nearly two decades, people have come to me for help with…
-
Understanding the dynamics of abuse (coercion, manipulation, power/control)
Supporting survivors through abuse recovery
Naming and making sense of experiences
Untangling gaslighting, coercion, and manipulation
Reclaiming confidence & identity after unhealthy, abusive, or controlling relationships
Developing support systems and healing strategies
Understanding communication patterns that make us feel stuck & practicing healthier patterns
Learning trauma-informed interviewing and communication
Understanding the effects of trauma on victims
Improving organizational responses to interpersonal violence
-
Overcoming anxiety about public speaking - from writing to presentation
Strengthening everyday communication (clarity, confidence, presence)
Improving business communication, group interaction, and teamwork
Navigating difficult conversations at work and home
Identifying and expressing authentic voice
Struggling with confidence, self-trust, or overthinking
preparing for an important moment of visibility — a speech, presentation, interview, or leadership role
learning communication skills regarding difference & being inclusive
Building communication practices that reduce destructive conflict
Conduct ethically grounded, people-centered research
-
Navigating conflict at home or work
Recognizing unhealthy communication patterns
Building healthy relationship skills
Managing emotional intensity in conflict
Setting and maintaining boundaries
Developing self-esteem and relational confidence
Practicing more secure connections & attachments
Feeling stuck in unhealthy or confusing relationship patterns
Building emotional intelligence
Providing effective support for others
-
Overcoming anxiety about public speaking - from writing to presentation
Strengthening everyday communication (clarity, confidence, presence)
Improving business communication, group interaction, and teamwork
Navigating difficult conversations at work and home
Identifying and expressing authentic voice
Struggling with confidence, self-trust, or overthinking
preparing for an important moment of visibility — a speech, presentation, interview, or leadership role
learning communication skills regarding difference & being inclusive
Building communication practices that reduce destructive conflict
Conduct ethically grounded, people-centered research
-
Navigating conflict at home or work
Recognizing unhealthy communication patterns
Building healthy relationship skills
Managing emotional intensity in conflict
Setting and maintaining boundaries
Developing self-esteem and relational confidence
Practicing more secure connections & attachments
Feeling stuck in unhealthy or confusing relationship patterns
Building emotional intelligence
Providing effective support for others
-
Understanding the dynamics of abuse (coercion, manipulation, power/control)
Supporting survivors through abuse recovery
Naming and making sense of experiences
Untangling gaslighting, coercion, and manipulation
Reclaiming confidence & identity after unhealthy, abusive, or controlling relationships
Developing support systems and healing strategies
Understanding communication patterns that make us feel stuck & practicing healthier patterns
Learning trauma-informed interviewing and communication
Understanding the effects of trauma on victims
Improving organizational responses to interpersonal violence
…because of my training, experience, knowledge, and approach.
My approach blends:
• evidence-based interdisciplinary research
• a trauma-informed, survivor-centered lens
• practical skills and strategies
• compassion and clarity
• non-judgmental, genuine respect for your expertise in your own life (while co-creating accountability)
• with a knack for helping people identify and understand the relational patterns in their lives
I spent over a decade as a university professor and researcher focused on communication, relationships, and gender-based violence (interpersonal/domestic violence, abuse, sexual harassment, etc.).
My work has been:
published in leading journals (check out some of my research here)
taught in university courses
shared in news, media, & radio
used to train advocates, government agencies, and diverse organizations
shared with juries and attorneys
informed by hundreds of survivors who generously shared their expertise
Now I’m a full-time relational nerd dedicated to helping you build a healthier, safer system from the inside out.
I’m grateful for the trust others place in me to hold space for their story.
I am honored to witness your resilience and walk this path with you.
Now I’m a full-time relational nerd dedicated to helping you build a healthier, safer system from the inside out.
I’m grateful for the trust others place in me to hold space for their story.
I am honored to witness your resilience and walk this path with you.
What People are Saying
*Shared with permission!
I turned to Jenny for help during a challenging transition in my career and personal life. Jenny's guidance and support helped me understand alternative possibilities and new ways to understand where and why I felt "stuck." Her expertise in communication makes her both an outstanding listener and a creative, collaborative thinker. Being coached by Jenny gave me a newfound confidence and perspective on what was possible. -C
By week one, she made me feel safe and comfortable in my vulnerabilities and gave me the tools to be confident in them. She altered my perspective to be hopeful for the future and not be fearful. She has a way about her that can calm you in any chaos. She constantly reminded me that I was capable and taught me the tools how to be, through her brilliant teachings. I wouldn’t be as successful as I am in my job today, if it wasn’t for what Jenny has taught me. -J
Jenny's work is rooted in her focus on caring for people beyond their roles and responsibilities. Her role as both an educator and an advocate helps people feel empowered, and this is a feeling that is needed in the world more than ever before. -G
During the most destabilizing period of my life, Jenny was a steady, grounded presence. Coming out of a difficult marriage, I had lost a sense of myself — my confidence, my clarity, and at times even my emotional footing. She helped me separate fear from fact, regain perspective, and rebuild from a place of strength and calmness rather than reaction. What stood out most was her ability to combine empathy with accountability. She didn’t just validate how hard things were — she helped me see where I still had agency. Through her guidance, I learned how to regulate my emotions, set healthier boundaries, and show up more calmly and consistently for my children. I’m in a fundamentally different place today — steadier, more self-aware, and more confident in who I am. I’m deeply grateful for her role and support in that transformation. -K
Why “Through the Fray”?
Because life gets messy.
Relationships get tangled.
Communication gets strained.
And yet — we grow through it, not around it.
My work is about helping you move through the fray with clarity, confidence, and support.
You don’t have to walk it alone.
Ready to Begin?
Whether you’re rebuilding after harm, navigating complicated relationships, or simply ready for healthier patterns, you deserve support rooted in clarity, compassion, and expertise.
Click here to book a free meeting with me to see if we’re a good fit!