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The Voice of Hope with Dr. Ken Huey
Join Dr. Ken Huey on The Voice of Hope, where real stories and expert insights meet to inspire healing and transformation. With decades of experience in behavioral health and trauma therapy, Dr. Huey draws from his personal journey and professional expertise to offer practical advice for families, adoptees, and anyone seeking growth. Discover strategies to navigate trauma, build stronger relationships, and embrace hope in every episode. Tune in for thoughtful conversations that uplift and empower.
The Voice of Hope with Dr. Ken Huey
Dr. Tara Chalakani – CEO, Preferred Behavioral Health Group
In this episode of The Voice of Hope, Dr. Ken Huey sits down with Dr. Tara Chalakani, CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group and a nationally recognized healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience in behavioral health leadership.
Dr. Tara shares her deeply personal “why,” the winding path that led her into healthcare leadership, and how trauma-informed care became the cornerstone of her work. From ACEs and wounded healers to servant leadership, burnout prevention, and building culture at scale, this conversation is both practical and profoundly human.
Together, Ken and Tara explore what it means to lead with vulnerability, advocate for mental health in complex systems, and hold onto hope in a world that desperately needs it.
This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is possible — and that leadership, at its best, creates space for people to thrive.
(00:14) – Introduction
Ken Huey introduces Dr. Tara Chalakani, CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group, nationally recognized healthcare executive, Forbes contributor, and co-host of the Welloff Podcast.
(00:40) – What is your “why,” and how did you land in this space?
Dr. Tara explains her core motivation: leaving every person, place, and organization better than she found it. She reflects on her nonlinear career path, her decades in healthcare, and how consistently showing up and doing her best ultimately led her into executive leadership — even though becoming a CEO was never part of her original plan.
(03:08) – What leadership lesson has stayed with you over time?
Dr. Tara shares how she learned as much from ineffective leaders as she did from exceptional mentors. She describes leadership as a “buffet,” taking the best lessons from many experiences to form one’s own leadership identity.
(04:40) – How do you juggle being a CEO, thought leader, and podcast host — and do you worry about burnout?
Dr. Tara discusses intentional time management, choosing passions over distractions, and the importance of making space for what truly matters. She speaks candidly about burnout, self-awareness, rest, and practicing the self-care principles she teaches — including knowing when sleep matters more than productivity.
(07:09) – How did trauma-informed care become so central to your work?
Dr. Tara reflects on her own trauma history and discovering the ACEs questionnaire. She explains how personal healing and professional curiosity converged, leading her doctoral research — and ultimately her organization — to fully embrace trauma-informed care as a cultural foundation.
(10:17) – Shared Reflection on ACEs and Being “Drawn to Your People”
Ken and Tara connect around shared experiences with high ACEs scores and the calling to serve others who carry similar wounds, transforming crisis into capability.
(12:18) – What do organizations often miss when building culture?
Through a leadership lens, Dr. Tara emphasizes vulnerability, humility, and empowering every team member — regardless of title — to lead their role. She reframes leadership as partnership and reinforces the idea that everyone is the “CEO” of their own position.
(14:17) – Was there a turning point that shaped your leadership or advocacy?
Dr. Tara explains that leadership is shaped by hard decisions made daily. She shares a moving story from within Preferred Behavioral Health Group, where a staff member became a foster parent to a teenage mother and her child — illustrating the depth of compassion and mission-driven work she witnesses regularly.
(16:38) – What gives you hope right now?
Dr. Tara reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic brought mental health into the mainstream. She expresses hope that increased awareness will reduce stigma, expand access to care, and ultimately save lives — especially among children and those struggling with addiction.
(18:25) – How can people find and follow you?
Dr. Tara shares her websites and social platforms, encouraging anyone in need to reach out for support.
(18:53) – Closing
Ken thanks Dr. Tara for her leadership, compassion, and powerful voice for good.
