Shea Rhodes and Dawn’s Place co-founder and CSE Institute advisory board member, Mary DeFusco, particpate in “No Strings Attached” exercise.
Last week, with the support of the CSE Institute, Dawn’s Place hosted a two-day interactive training on the mental health aspects of aftercare for survivors of human trafficking. The training, held on campus at Philadelphia University, featured renowned psychologist Dr. Rebecca Johnson. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Johnson is currently the Clinical Director of counseling and services at Engedi Refuge, an aftercare home for women victims of sex trafficking located in Washington state.
Social workers, counselors, survivors, lawyers, advocates, and more were in attendance. Throughout the training, they received direct, informative instruction from Dr. Johnson and participated in several learning exercises. The exercises successfully evoked many feelings from frustration to helplessness, which encouraged participants to sympathize with victims of sex trafficking.
The topics covered included an in-depth discussion of trauma, including trauma bonding and vicarious trauma, an overview of human trafficking and several legal aspects of human trafficking, an analysis of examples of force, fraud, and coercion, and the critical elements of specialized care for survivors.
Thank you to Dr. Johnson for leading such an enriching and comprehensive training for advocates here in Philadelphia.