The Enlightened Family Business Podcast
The Trauma-Informed Trustee with Amanda Koplin
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Amanda Koplin, LPC — licensed professional counselor, entrepreneur, author of The Trauma Informed Trustee, and certified hostage negotiator. Amanda brings a unique and deeply human lens to the world of estate planning and trust administration, revealing how unaddressed trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges can derail even the most carefully constructed estate plans. She shares how her work with Koplin Consulting bridges the gap between behavioral health and the trusted advisor community, offering practical strategies for trustees, estate planners, and wealth advisors to better serve families navigating these complex intersections.
Episode Chapters
· 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Amanda Koplin
· 03:30 – What it means to be a "trauma-informed" trustee
· 08:15 – How addiction and mental illness show up in estate planning
· 14:00 – Real stories: when trust distributions do more harm than good
· 20:30 – The role of trusted advisors in supporting beneficiary mental health
· 27:45 – Amanda's journey from mental health urgent care to Koplin Consulting
· 34:00 – What hostage negotiation taught her about family dynamics
· 40:15 – Practical tools for trustees dealing with high-conflict beneficiaries
· 47:30 – Building sustainable support systems within estate structures
· 53:00 – Final thoughts and how to connect with Amanda
Websites
· koplinconsulting.com
Book
· The Trauma Informed Trustee by Amanda Koplin
· Amanda Koplin LPC
About Amanda Koplin
Amanda Koplin, LPC is a mental health counselor, entrepreneur and thought leader who creates innovative solutions to fill gaps in the mental healthcare system. She is also the author of "The Trauma Informed Trustee" and a certified hostage negotiator.
Amanda frequently speaks to trusted advisors such as estate planners, trustees, family business offices, and wealth advisors to educate, train, and support them in understanding how addiction, mental illness, and eating disorders impact the creation and implementation of estate plans and trust administration. She is passionate about helping people achieve mental wellness and creating sustainable support systems and solutions which integrate seamlessly into real life.
In 2016, she sold her first business, a mental health urgent care clinic, to create Koplin Consulting, a nationwide concierge behavioral health treatment team service. Amanda is a speaker and a nationally sought after consultant who specializes in creating unique treatment plans and recommendations for individuals struggling with psychological concerns such as addictions, eating disorders, lack of motivation, and other issues impacting mental wellness. She is particularly adept at involving trusted advisors and family members in order to create the greatest impact.
