In this Let’s Talk About it blog post, I wanted to write about how theory without praxis isn’t enough and can be harmful. Lately, I’ve found myself feeling disappointed, and if I’m honest, sometimes even hurt, when I see people present or write about theories, particularly ones rooted in justice, healing, or liberation, without any evidence of practice behind them. It’s not about perfection. None of us has it all figured out, and growth is a lifelong process. But there’s something unsettling about hearing someone claim they’re “trauma-informed” or that they use “restorative practices,” only to experience interactions with them that feel anything but.
I want to say this gently because this isn’t about finger-pointing or gatekeeping. This is a call-in, not a call-out. But I think we need to talk honestly about what happens when we treat frameworks like buzzwords instead of lived commitments. It’s not just misleading, it can be harmful.
Theories are beautiful. They give us language for what we’ve experienced and direction for where we want to go. I’ve been transformed by learning about trauma-informed care, emergent strategy, cultural humility, and so many others. But when you say publicly that you’re using a specific framework, there’s an implied promise. You’re telling the world, “This shapes how I show up. You can expect this from me.”
And when the way you act doesn’t align with that promise, it causes harm, especially to the very people those frameworks are meant to support. It’s okay to say, “This is something I’m learning about right now.” It’s okay to be honest about not being there yet. That transparency is a form of care. It gives people the opportunity to engage with you based on where you actually are, not where you wish you were or where you think you should be.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being accountable.
I’d love to see more people say, “I’m exploring restorative justice, but I haven’t applied it in my work yet.” Or, “I love the idea of trauma-informed practice, and I’m still working through what that looks like in real life.” That kind of honesty builds trust. It lets people know you’re on a journey, not trying to sell them a destination you haven’t reached. For instance, I have been engaging in scholarship about prison abolition, and the theory sounds amazing; however, sometimes I find it hard to use abolition as a framework. Also, I know that I am unlearning anti-fatness and grappling with the ways it shows up in my thinking and behavior, even when I don’t want it to. Being transparent about these contradictions and challenges doesn’t make my values any less real. It makes them more human. When we share where we’re still growing, we create space for others to do the same without shame or pretense.
Because if we’re going to build something better, whether that’s a classroom, a workplace, or a community, we can’t just talk about the frameworks. We have to live them. Or at the very least, be honest when we’re still figuring out how.
I will love to hear from you. What theories are you sitting with lately that you haven’t yet put into practice?
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