As a clinical psychotherapist with certification as a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, I have specialized training and experience in helping individuals heal from the impact of trauma, including narrative exposure therapy (NET), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
An understanding of the complexity of your experience lends to my heartfelt approach. Our comprehensive human trafficking counseling is rooted in somatic and emotional regulation, allowing you to find calm before delving into your healing journey. Your therapist will guide you in relaxation techniques and resilience-building strategies.
Healing is possible. We will work together, focusing on emotional regulation, safety, and resilience, to help you move forward from your experience. Call us today for a free consultation.
Human Trafficking Online Therapy or Virtual Consultations
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a crime that involves labor exploitation, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or other forms of servitude. Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to manipulate others into activities against their will.
There are two main types of human trafficking, including:
- Labor trafficking: Forcing someone to work in inhuman conditions for little to no pay.
- Sex trafficking: Forcing commercial sexual exploitation on someone for someone else’s financial benefit.
By raising awareness of human trafficking and helping survivors, we can hopefully create a future with no human trafficking.
How Can Human Trafficking Affect You?
Human trafficking can have long-term effects on the survivor. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), psychological effects of human trafficking include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Chronic depression
- Anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Suicidal ideation
- Difficulty trusting others
- Substance abuse
It is important to talk to a counselor if you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
Survivors may also experience physical effects such as:
- Injury
- Malnutrition
- Substance use
- Medical neglect
- Sleep deprivation
- Sexual abuse
Each person may have a unique experience after a traumatic event. What you are experiencing is valid.
Therapy can help you:
- Begin to bring awareness to your feelings
- Find a healthy way to express your emotions
- Process your experience
- Learn healthy coping skills
- Move forward from the negative experience
Therapy happens at your pace. The most important step is to show up for yourself and give yourself a chance at healing.
For more information about our counselors or to schedule an appointment with a human trafficking therapist, call the Trauma Therapy Center.
(561) 363-7994Common Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms survivors might experience include:
- Dissociation: This is a coping mechanism and may lead the individual to feel numb.
- Withdrawal or isolation: Some may isolate themselves due to a lack of trust in others.
- Low self-esteem: Trafficking can affect one’s sense of agency and, therefore, cause feelings of shame.
- Acting fearful: Many may be afraid to not comply with the trafficker’s instructions for fear of being physically injured.
- Unexplained changes in behavior: A sudden shift in mood or behaviors may indicate something is wrong.
- Restricted movement: Often, traffickers will control the movements of their victims.
If you notice a combination of examples, it may be a sign of human trafficking. Not all victims will display all the signs listed. Trafficking can affect individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and genders.
Our Approach To Human Trafficking Therapy in the Palm Beaches
First and foremost, we believe in nonjudgmental support and a collaborative approach in which you share your feelings, needs, and wants during therapy.
The National Library of Medicine has proven narrative exposure therapy (NET) to be the most effective treatment for human trafficking victims.
NET is a type of therapy in which you and your therapist engage in the systematic and structured retelling of traumatic experiences. Your therapist will help you create a coherent narrative of your experiences, making the memories and emotions more manageable.
I believe in beginning any trauma counseling work with somatic and emotional regulation. The goal is to learn how to get into a relaxed state and minimize anxiety before delving into processing your traumatic experiences.
Once you and your therapist feel comfortable, you can start processing the trauma. You will have several options for which treatment modality you will use.
Some evidence-based trauma therapy interventions include:
- Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT): Helps manage thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event.
- Narrative exposure therapy (NET): Helps create a consecutive narrative to foster a feeling of agency in your life.
- Eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR): Helps desensitize strong negative emotions related to the traumatic event.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): Helps improve distress tolerance and mindfulness.
Choosing the right therapy for you depends on your individual needs and preferences and will involve a discussion between you and your therapist. Your counselor will provide you with information on each therapy type to help you make an informed decision.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Trauma-informed services are a crucial part of a survivor’s recovery. Therapy can help a human trafficking survivor improve symptoms, functionality, and quality of life. You can improve your independence, employment, and relationships by working with a therapist.
Individual Therapy
One of our best therapists at the Trauma Therapy Center will help you seek ways to identify potential risk and protective factors and use a nonjudgmental framework while building coping skills and processing negative emotions.
Through individual therapy, you can:
- Begin to feel validated
- Decreasing anxiety-provoking cues
- Developed several grounding and relaxation techniques
- Learn to be present
- Create a safety plan
Treatment for human trafficking trauma can take anywhere from 3 months and up. However, everyone’s journey is unique. The length of treatment depends on the intensity of your symptoms, your personal goals, and your progress in therapy. You and your therapist will have regular check-ins regarding how you feel about your progress in therapy.
Group Therapy
According to the Administration of Children and Families, group therapy or peer support groups for human trafficking are voluntary but are proven to:
- Improve relationships
- Improve coping skills
- Form supportive networks
- Increase trust
- Increase sense of safety
Your healing journey is your own. You can choose to do both individual and group therapy or opt out of one or the other.
How We Can Help You
To get started with therapy, you can contact our office by phone, email, or book online.
After you schedule your appointment, you will receive a link to some forms where you can enter your demographic information and sign a release of information if you choose to allow your therapist to share information with anyone for support or payment purposes.
You can specify what is okay to share in as much detail as you like. We value your confidentiality, and anything you share in your sessions is completely private unless you specify otherwise or if you or someone else is in danger.
Resources
You can provide support by listening, being there, and providing resources.
Some resources include:
- National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888)
- Text HELP to BEFREE (233733)
- Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance
- Matching Grant Program
- Public Housing Program
- Job Corps
At the Trauma Therapy Center, we provide compassionate and comprehensive human trafficking counseling, incorporating somatic and emotional regulation to guide you on your healing journey. We utilize evidence-based approaches like trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, and NET and offer tailored support to reclaim your life from the grasp of human trafficking. Take the transformative step towards healing by scheduling an appointment today and begin your healing journey in West Palm Beach and across Palm Beach County.
Sources:
- https://www.apa.org/international/pi/2015/09/leah-kaylor.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8570103/
- https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Peer%20Support%20Groups%20Exploratory%20Brief%20508c.pdf
- https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/statistics/florida