The Ripple Series | Post 3: Reclaiming the Sacred in the System

“Presence is how we bring the sacred back into systems that forgot how to care.” – Mary Coughlin

Most systems—especially the ones we work in—weren’t designed with healing in mind.
They were built for efficiency. For survival. For control.
And over time, we’ve been taught to leave the sacred at the door.

But what if presence is a way to bring it back in?

What if we treated protocols not as scripts, but as scaffolds for reverence?
What if we recognized policy not just as regulation, but as an opportunity to embed care?

Because here’s the truth no one teaches us in orientation:
Systems are made of people. And people carry presence.
And when we return to that truth—again and again—we begin to reclaim the sacred from within.

The NICU as a Portal

In the NICU, everything is monitored, measured, and medically justified.
And yet…

• A nurse still hums quietly while placing a lead

• A father places a tiny knitted cap with shaking hands

• A therapist pauses for just one breath before lifting a fragile limb

These moments may not appear in the chart.
But they are sacred.
And they matter.

TIDC invites us to create systems that don’t just allow for sacredness—they require it.

• Healing environments that soothe instead of startle

• Protected sleep policies that honor neurodevelopmental timing

• Frameworks of care that remember the person, not just the patient

This is how we reclaim what’s been lost.

Caring Science: Love as a System Value

Jean Watson dares to say it out loud:

Love belongs in the system.

Not just as a feeling. But as a guiding principle.

What would it look like if we made sacred space a core measure?
Not just a soft skill—but a quality metric?

This isn’t about spirituality. It’s about soulful structure.
Systems that respect mystery.
That make room for grief and grace and the slow, steady rhythm of healing.

BUFFER: Sacredness in Practice

The BUFFER framework helps us weave the sacred into the system through:

• Belonging: Every body is holy. Every person is home.

• Understanding: Trauma isn’t pathology—it’s story.

• Forgiveness: Systems make mistakes. So do we. Repair is sacred, too.

• Frameworks: Sacred doesn’t mean structureless. It means intentional.

• Equanimity: Calm is a spiritual resource.

• Respect: Dignity is non-negotiable. Even when the chart is full and the shift is short.

A Reflection to Carry With You

Where do you still find the sacred in your system?
Where has it been stripped away—and how might you bring it back in?

Look around. Listen deeply.
You don’t need incense or icons to reclaim the sacred.
Just a willingness to treat each moment like it matters.

Call to Action: Step Into the Work with TIP 2.0

If this post speaks to your soul and your systems brain, I want to invite you into the next phase of this ripple:

The Trauma-Informed Professional (TIP) Certificate Program – TIP 2.0
This program goes beyond checklists and into the heart of trauma-informed leadership—grounded in science, shaped by soul, and guided by the BUFFER framework.

It’s for clinicians, educators, and advocates ready to lead from presence, not pressure.
From sacredness, not survival.

Keep tending the sacred,
Mary