Letter From The CEO: Spring 2022
Chief Executive Officer
The WellHouse enjoys many partnerships with a diversity of collaborators around the country.
Occasionally, I will hear something that shocks my system and prompts an immediate surge of protective feelings for our work. This happened recently. A trusted partner shared that other partners in the work have said they would not send a rescued survivor to an organization that has a faith foundation. I had to sit with that for a while and process through it. These are people who know me, people who know our work, and if this is true, they are people who are now showing a bias against our work and quite possibly depriving survivors of the very help they need and desire.
As I processed, many thoughts came to me:
We do not push the Gospel onto anyone, especially survivors. Instead, we weave the Good News that shows us how to love well into our actions and let those actions speak.
We follow best practices in our trauma-informed care model. Our therapists provide a level of care that is in line with ethical counseling standards, and we are continually seeking the best modalities for the level of trauma experienced by survivors. Most recently we have been intentional in including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (also known as EMDR) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy groups. We are currently pursuing offering Micro Current Neurofeedback, all through highly trained and compassionate professionals.
Our Case Management is person-centered allowing survivors to identify and develop their skills and interests.
Our activities are planned with the survivor in mind factoring in what is most safe for her in every way.
Our staff are passionate people who have developed an inherent resilience to be able to serve those affected by the most complex trauma imaginable.
I thought about the book we have just written. Survivors eagerly shared, in their own words, their lived experiences and how they were able to overcome the tragedy of human trafficking. As I read through the stories, two commonalities stood out in each: a very sad childhood, and a faith in a true and living God who has redeemed their stories and in whom they trust unashamedly.
I further thought about a current staff member who is a survivor and went through The WellHouse program. She pushed back on the first offer of leaving “the life”, but, a year later she remembered the loving advocate who told her about The WellHouse. Her first year was very, very hard, but the last thing she would say is that faith did not matter. In fact, she would say that faith did matter and has changed her life! And she should not be denied that opportunity. No one should be denied the freedom to make the choice!
At The WellHouse, that opportunity to embrace faith will always be an option. And, it goes much deeper than just an option – it is life-transforming. Just ask any of the twelve survivors in the new book or the many, many more. For me, it epitomizes eternity!