What Is Uncommon Coaching™?
Uncommon Coaching™ was built for people no one knew how to coach. It’s for the woman who lost herself in the prison visitations. The man who got out but still sleeps with one eye open. The families stuck walking on eggshells. The professionals burned out and questioning if anything they do is making a difference. This isn’t about surface-level change—it’s about real-life recovery. Uncommon Coaching™ is rooted in healing, not just goal-setting. It’s trauma-aware, with a deep understanding of Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) and the survival habits it creates. It’s solution-focused, using Solution-Focused Brief Coaching (SFBC) to help you identify what’s working and build on it. It’s emotionally honest—we don’t avoid the hard stuff; we face it together and move through it. And most importantly, it’s built on lived experience. We’ve been through the fire, and this is coaching from the inside out.
Rooted in Real-Life Recovery
Trauma-Aware
Solution-Focused
Emotionally Honest
Built on Lived Experience
Not just goals, but healing.
I understand Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) and the survival habits it creates.
Using Solution-Focused Brief Coaching (SFBC) to help you find what is working and build from there.
I don’t dance around the hard stuff. We sit in it with you and then get to work.
I’ve been through the fire. This is coaching from the inside out.
About Shelia Bruno
Founder of Wife After Prison™ | Int'l Speaker | Author | PICS Educator | Certified Uncommon Life Coach | Certified Trauma Support Specialist and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Shelia Bruno never set out to become a voice for post-incarceration trauma. But when her high school sweetheart reentered her life after 38 years—and three years into marriage began treating her like a cellmate—everything changed. She hadn’t waited for him to come home from prison. In fact, she didn’t even know he had been incarcerated. But what she did experience was something most families live with silently: the emotional aftermath of incarceration.
That awakening led her to a truth few were talking about—Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS). Since then, Shelia has made it her mission to expose what really happens after the gates open. She founded Wife After Prison™, developed the trauma-informed Uncommon Coaching™ model, and became a powerful educator and speaker on the hidden impact incarceration has on individuals, families, and communities.
Through her books, workshops, and live events, Shelia helps individuals on their reentry journey make sense of their thoughts, triggers, and emotional patterns; helps families heal from pain they’ve carried in silence; and helps communities understand the human side of incarceration—and what real support looks like.
Her message is simple: Prison changes people. And if we don’t talk about it, it shows up in our homes, our relationships, and our mental health. Today, her work reaches into prisons, churches, conference stages, reentry programs, and living rooms across the world—creating space for healing, accountability, and honest conversations that are long overdue.
Coaching That Doesn’t Fit the Mold
Why It Matters: The Value of Uncommon Coaching™
Uncommon Coaching™ isn’t just a service—it’s a lifeline. It brings clarity where there’s confusion, direction where there’s overwhelm, and healing where there’s hurt. Here’s how it adds real, lasting value for the people we serve:
For Individuals Returning from Prison
For Families of Returning Citizens
For Reentry Professionals
You’ve done time—but now you’re trying to do life. That’s a whole different battle.
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Break free from survival mode and learn how to live, not just exist
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Understand your triggers and habits through the lens of Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS)
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Rebuild self-trust after years of being told who you were and what you could do
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Take real steps toward goals that reflect your values, not just society’s expectations
This coaching isn’t about fixing you. It’s about freeing you.
You didn’t go to prison, but you’ve been doing time too—emotionally, mentally, sometimes even financially.
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Tools to understand PICS and why your loved one may be “different” now
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A space to talk about your own trauma, resentment, confusion, and grief
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Support to stop enabling and start encouraging healthy boundaries and growth
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Clarity on how to show love without losing yourself in the process
Families need healing too—and your voice matters in the reentry journey.
You’re on the front lines, doing the work no one else sees. But without the right tools, the system eats away at your hope—and your energy.
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Trauma-informed training that goes beyond policies and into real-life psychology
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Coaching skills rooted in Solution-Focused Brief Coaching (SFBC) to shift conversations from stuck to forward-moving
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Mental and emotional support so you can serve without burning out
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Strategies for working with families and building stronger support systems around the people you serve
Because when you’re equipped, empowered, and encouraged—you change lives differently.
“This coaching didn’t just help me adjust to life outside—it helped me build one.”
“Before this coaching, I thought loving him was enough. I thought if I just supported him, gave him everything, stayed strong… we’d be okay. But I was drowning. Walking on eggshells. Afraid to speak up because I didn’t want to trigger something. Uncommon Coaching™ gave me a voice. It helped me understand his trauma—and mine. I stopped enabling and started healing. I found myself again. Now I love him from a place of strength, not sacrifice.”
“I didn’t think coaching was for someone like me. I thought it was for people who already had their life together. But I was lost after prison—angry, disconnected, waking up with that ‘watch-your-back’ feeling every day. This coaching didn’t sugarcoat anything. It helped me face the stuff I buried, understand why I was acting out, and finally deal with it. For the first time, I see a future I actually want. This coaching didn’t just help me adjust to life outside—it helped me build one.”
MY COACHING APPROACH
Rooted in Truth. Powered by Possibility
My coaching is grounded in two powerful frameworks: Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and Solution-Focused Brief Coaching (SFBC). This isn’t surface-level support—it’s real, intentional work that helps individuals heal from the impact of incarceration and rebuild with purpose.
With Trauma-Informed Care, I don’t ask “What’s wrong with you?”—I ask, “What happened to you?” Incarceration leaves invisible wounds, often stacked on top of earlier trauma. I create a coaching space where you don’t have to pretend everything is okay. I recognize emotional shutdown, anger, or hypervigilance as survival responses, not personal flaws. Together, we’ll name what happened, understand how it still shows up in your life, and create safety for healing to begin. Through Solution-Focused Brief Coaching, I help you shift from being stuck in the past to building what’s next.
This coaching isn’t about analyzing every mistake. It’s about asking powerful questions like, “What would a good week look like for you?” and helping you take small, forward-focused steps. We track growth using simple tools like 1–10 scales, celebrate small wins, and create goals that align with who you’re becoming—not who you used to be.
When these two frameworks come together, coaching becomes a space of truth, growth, and real change. You won’t be judged. You won’t be rushed. You’ll be supported, challenged, and empowered—one thought, one choice, one step at a time.
“Behind every citizen on their reentry journey is a story the world forgot to ask about. Healing starts when someone finally does.”
— Shelia Bruno
Why Trauma-Informed Care Is Essential for the Reentry Journey
Reentry isn’t just about coming home — it’s about healing. For many formerly incarcerated individuals, the trauma didn’t start in prison, but prison added layers to it. From constant surveillance and powerlessness to emotional shutdown and mistrust, incarceration reshapes how a person thinks, feels, and responds to the world. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) recognizes these survival-based behaviors not as character flaws, but as responses to overwhelming experiences.
Returning to society can trigger unresolved trauma. Adjusting to life on the outside is often overwhelming. Everyday challenges — from reconnecting with family to finding employment — can activate deep emotional responses. Trauma-Informed Care gives returning citizens
to manage these reactions, build self-awareness, and move forward without falling back into survival mode. Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) is real — and often misunderstood. Symptoms like emotional numbness, explosive anger, insomnia, and distrust aren’t just “bad attitudes” — they’re signs of unhealed trauma. Trauma-Informed Care creates a safe space where these patterns are understood, validated, and gently addressed. It meets people where they are, not where the system expects them to be.
Healing improves decision-making and stability. When people feel emotionally safe, their ability to think clearly and make healthy choices improves. TIC strengthens the foundation needed to navigate relationships, responsibilities, and long-term goals — all critical to successful reentry. Support is more than a checklist — it’s a connection. Housing and employment matter, but they’re not enough. Without healing, people struggle to maintain stability. Trauma-Informed Care offers the emotional scaffolding that turns short-term compliance into long-term transformation.
“You can’t expect someone to rebuild their life if they’re still living in survival mode.” Trauma-Informed Care isn’t a luxury. For reentry, it’s a lifeline. — Shelia Bruno
Uncommon Coaching: Frequently Asked Questions
Trauma-Informed. Solution-Focused. Rooted in Real-Life Reentry.
What is Uncommon Coaching?
Uncommon Coaching is a trauma-informed, solution-focused coaching experience I created for system-impacted individuals and their support networks. I combine proven coaching tools with education on Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) to help you heal, set goals, and move forward with clarity.
Who is this for?
Uncommon Coaching supports:
– Returning citizens navigating reentry challenges
– Family members who want to help but feel emotionally exhausted
– Reentry professionals and programs seeking trauma-informed insight and support
Whether you’re rebuilding your life or helping someone else rebuild theirs, this program is for you.
What makes this different from therapy or traditional coaching?
I don’t treat or diagnose—I coach. What makes Uncommon Coaching different is my deep understanding of incarceration trauma and PICS. I help you uncover patterns shaped by trauma and guide you in replacing them with empowered, intentional action. No reliving the past—just real growth, guided by your own strengths.
What is Trauma-Informed Coaching (TIC)?
Trauma doesn’t just affect your emotions—it affects your brain and nervous system. Long-term exposure to stress or incarceration can trap your body in a constant state of survival (fight, flight, freeze). Through Trauma-Informed Coaching, I create a safe space where you can re-regulate your nervous system, build trust, and shift from reaction to response. This is where healing begins.
What is Solution-Focused Brief Coaching (SFBC)?
SFBC is all about identifying what’s working and building from there. I help clients focus on their future—not their failures—by taking small, manageable steps toward meaningful change. It’s especially helpful for reentry, where overwhelm is common and confidence is often low.
How do family members benefit?
Families are deeply affected by incarceration too. I help you understand PICS and trauma responses, set boundaries, and avoid the trap of doing all the emotional labor. Whether you’re preparing for someone’s return or adjusting after they’re home, I’m here to support your growth too.
Can reentry programs and professionals work with you?
Yes. I collaborate with reentry programs, halfway houses, transitional housing teams, parole officers, and churches. I offer one-on-one coaching, group sessions, and trauma-informed education to help professionals better understand the behaviors of returning citizens—and how to support them with empathy and effectiveness
Will I have to talk about my past?
No. This isn’t therapy. You don’t need to unpack your trauma to move forward. If you want to share your story, I will honor it—but I’ll never require it. My coaching focuses on your next steps, not your past pain.
What kinds of results can I expect?
Clients often report:
– More confidence and emotional control
– Progress in housing, employment, and relationships
– A stronger understanding of PICS and trauma
– Less anxiety and more purpose
You’ll leave coaching with the tools to recognize trauma responses in real time—and shift toward clarity, calm, and intention.
How do I get started or partner with you?
– Citizens on their reentry journey & Families: Click here to schedule your first session
– Reentry Professionals: Contact me to discuss coaching support for your team or clients
Reentry requires more than paperwork—it requires healing, hope, and guidance. That’s what Uncommon Coaching delivers.
What kind of tools are used in Uncommon Coaching?
I use a combination of trauma-informed worksheets, self-reflection prompts, grounding exercises, and solution-focused tools to help clients identify goals, track progress, and manage emotional triggers. These tools are designed to be simple, practical, and easy to use outside of sessions.
How do these tools help during reentry?
The tools I use help calm the nervous system, clarify your thinking, and organize your next steps. Whether it’s a daily focus sheet, a trigger tracker, or a decision-making map, each resource is meant to support real-life reentry challenges like job searching, rebuilding relationships, and managing emotions.
Are the tools customized for each client?
Yes. While I have a library of proven resources, I always tailor them based on each client’s goals, learning style, and trauma history. My goal is to meet you where you are and equip you with tools that actually fit your life—not just generic worksheets
Can family members and professionals access these tools?
Absolutely. I provide select tools and tip sheets for families and reentry professionals to help them better understand trauma responses, set healthy boundaries, and provide support without burnout. When we work together, you’ll receive what you need to take action, not just information.
Real Stories. Real Healing. Real Talk.
These books don’t sugarcoat life after prison — they speak to the silent struggles,
the emotional aftermath, and the path to healing.
“What you are doing with your book and messages is going to have an impact for DECADES to come. You discuss critically important issues in a way that the public will understand them and begin to ‘care’. Thank you!!” – Dr. Lisa, Expert on Suicide in Jails, Prisons, and Juvenile Justice
“This book clearly breaks down what those of us who have experienced incarceration go through (mentally) as we navigate the process of reintegrating back into society. As much as we appreciate the fact that we’ve been blessed with this opportunity to rejoin society, we can’t pretend that incarceration didn’t affect our mental well-being.” – Jose Burgos, Formerly Incarcerated
Bulk Book Orders & Program Pricing
Are you part of a reentry program, correctional facility, counseling center, or community organization?
The Second Sentence and Wife After Prison; Caught in The Aftermath are both available at discounted bulk pricing for institutions, classrooms, and group programs. These powerful resources are designed to spark real conversations, build awareness of Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS), and support trauma-informed reentry.
Send us a message with your organization name, quantity needed, and any special requests. We’re happy to work with you.
Contact us for details today.
Let’s put healing and education into more hands.