To meet the unique needs of black women and human trafficking survivors, Safe Harbor has developed the Black Women’s Support Group and the Seeking Safety Group.
The Black Women’s Support Group is the first and only work- shop of its kind in Central Virginia, designed for black women, who have experienced domestic, sexual, and racial violence. This group addresses the lack of culturally specific services targeted to underserved populations, specifically black women survivors.
According to Britany Brown, Safe Harbor Therapist, “Black women are included in the statis- tics about domestic and sexual violence. However, their needs are often not at the center of the
healing process. There is a real lack of services specifically aimed at supporting black women survivors, often because of the lack of diversity amongst counseling providers. This group provides a safe space for black women survivors to share, connect and heal.”
Participants will gain knowledge of the impact of trauma on themselves and the community, learn healthy ways to cope with stress, create lifestyle changes, and build a healthy community of sisterhood. For more information about this group, please contact Britany Brown at britany@ safeharborshelter.com.
PTSD and substance abuse often go together. After a traumatic experience, many people choose unhealthy coping mechanisms, which may include using substances to escape the pain.
Our new Seeking Safety Group helps survivors of sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking recover from their traumatic past so they can regain the footing they need to move forward in life. Seeking Safety is relevant for all types of traumas including neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and addictions including substance use.
Unlike other trauma-focused therapies, Seeking Safety does not ask the client to relive the details of the trauma. For many, this can be painful. Rather, the treatment focuses on the present. Survivors are asked to envision what safety would currently feel like in their lives. Through the support group, survivors are taught coping skills to achieve their vision.
“It is hard to change, especially if you are trying to do it alone,” says Cindy Capriles, Clinical Director at Safe Harbor. “The Seeking Safety Group provides is a safe, supportive place for survivors to learn new tools to create positive change.” For more information about the Seeking Safety Group, contact Anne Lee Dabney at annelee@ safeharborshelter.com.