Village Talks Ep. 13 — Seeing Yourself Fully — Debra Giunta on SEL, Second Chances, and the Power of Being Re-Seen

Episode 13: Seeing Yourself Fully — Debra Giunta on SEL, Second Chances, and the Power of Being Re-Seen

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A powerful Village Talks conversation with Debra Giunta on social-emotional learning, identity, second chances, and why real growth happens when someone chooses to see you differently.

Village Talks Episode 13

Seeing Yourself Fully — Debra Giunta on SEL, Second Chances, and the Power of Being Re-Seen

Some episodes feel like an interview.
This one felt like family.

On Episode 13 of Village Talks, I sat down with my homegirl—somebody I genuinely call a friend and colleague—Debra Giunta. And from the jump, I knew it wasn’t going to feel like a “15–20 minute segment.” The chemistry was already there. The trust was already there. And because the trust was already there, the truth showed up.

Debra has spent the last 17 years building in the social-emotional learning space through multiple organizations across Chicago—bringing SEL into schools, after school, and into the deeper layers of classroom culture and adult development. Today, she serves as the Executive Director of Prismatic, and she also consults with mission-driven organizations to help leaders and teams grow with clarity and emotional intelligence.

But her work isn’t driven by buzzwords. It’s driven by one core passion:

Helping people see themselves more fully—so they can become the best version of who they are.

And once we got into that… the whole conversation opened up.

Why “Seeing Yourself” Is Never Just Personal

One of the first things Debra did was flip a common assumption about “personal growth.”

A lot of us hear personal development and think it’s just about self-improvement. Better habits. Better routines. Better performance. But Debra made it plain:

When you’re connected to yourself, you don’t just win internally—you win relationally.
You connect better. You show up better. You contribute better. You love better. You build better.

She said something that hit me:

When people get stuck in a rigid narrative about who they are, they start closing off. And when we close off, relationships suffer. Community suffers. Mental health suffers. The downstream effects show up everywhere—addiction, isolation, burnout, disconnection.

So this isn’t just “be your best self” talk.

This is village talk.

Because the village only works when people believe they can evolve.

Debra’s Story: The Season People Wouldn’t Let Her Outgrow

At a certain point in the episode, the conversation stopped being theoretical.

Debra shared a personal story I honestly didn’t expect—not because it didn’t fit her, but because she carries herself with such steadiness and brilliance that you wouldn’t automatically assume she had a rough patch like that.

As a kid, she was high-performing and involved—organizing volunteer events, performing, singing, engaged in school life. But when she transitioned into high school, she experienced a serious mental health shift. She started making decisions that became public. She got labeled. And eventually, things got heavy enough that she entered counseling and therapy.

But here’s what she said was the hardest part of recovery:

Other people were unwilling to see her differently.

That’s the part that stuck with me.

Because there are so many young people right now who aren’t just battling the thing they did—
they’re battling the story people attached to them after they did it.

Debra talked about teachers who had written her off. Friends she couldn’t “win back.” And how even when she was trying, the world around her kept insisting she was still that same version.

And then she said something that felt like a blueprint for how the village is supposed to work:

Sometimes the biggest gift you can give a young person is being the adult who meets them fresh.
The adult who doesn’t start with, “I heard you’re the bad kid.”
The adult who doesn’t let the past be the ceiling.

Leadership, Vulnerability, and the Wisdom of “Why Are We Sharing?”

Since Debra is also a leader, I asked her something I think every leader wrestles with:

Where does vulnerability belong?

Debra kept it real—she’s naturally open, and she shares a lot. But she’s learned something important:

There are moments where vulnerability is a superpower that builds connection.
And there are moments where what people need from you is direction, not more emotional weight to carry.

The key difference?

Intention.

Debra said we have to ask ourselves: Why am I sharing this?
Is it for authentic connection? Or am I sharing as a transaction—hoping to pull something out of someone else?

That right there is emotional intelligence.

And it’s also a reminder that “being real” isn’t just spilling everything—
it’s being real with purpose, timing, and care.

The Magic Wand: What Debra Would Change About Education Overnight

Every episode, I give guests the “magic wand” question: if you could change one thing to activate the village, remove barriers, and build better outcomes—what would it be?

Debra went straight to education.

She said if she could shift one thing overnight, she’d transform the education system into something more experiential:

• More community-based learning

• More project-driven opportunities

• More learner-centered environments

• More spaces where students can “practice” versions of who they might become

Because we’re still using outdated measurements of success—checking boxes, chasing metrics—while ignoring what prepares young people to live a good life: confidence, connection, meaning, identity, agency.

Her belief was clear: if students had more chances to drive their learning and explore who they are, we’d see less mental illness, more engagement, and stronger social connection.

In other words:

We’d see a healthier village.

Debra’s Final Word: What She’d Tell Her Teenage Self

At the end, I asked Debra something personal: to speak—now, as her current self—to the teenage version of herself who was struggling.

Her response was quiet, grounded, and powerful.

She said she’d remind that teenager:

The light parts and the dark parts of who you are are all human.
The worst decisions and best decisions are still part of your humanity.
And whatever people reflect back to you does not define what you’re capable of.

That’s not just a message for teenage Debra.

That’s a message for a lot of people reading this—young and grown.

Because if the village is going to work, it has to be a place where growth is allowed.
Where you can evolve.
Where you can be re-seen.

Connect with Debra’s Work

If you want to learn more about Debra’s work and the Prismatic community, visit:
https://prismaticmovement.org 

Closing

Episode 13 reminded me of something I don’t want us to forget:

People don’t just need programs.
They need permission to become.

And sometimes, the most life-changing thing you can do for somebody isn’t advice—
it’s choosing to see them fully… and refusing to reduce them to their worst season.

Peace out, Village.