Professional Development
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Mental Health Treatment Guidelines for Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking and/or Commercial Sexual Exploitation: An 8-Webinar Series
Youth who have experienced trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation have very high rates of trauma exposure, which may include early trauma (e.g. sexual abuse, traumatic loss and separation, family violence) as well as trauma while being trafficked (e.g. physical and sexual violence by traffickers and purchasers).
Interventions that are responsive to the diverse experiences and needs of trafficked youth and directly address associated psychological harms are critical to recovery and wellbeing. It is essential that youth and their families receive the highest quality care delivered by therapists who are knowledgeable about trafficking and skilled in the delivery of trauma-informed care and trauma-focused treatments.
What do therapists need to know and do to best serve youth who have experienced trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation? This Webinar series will share treatment elements and practice recommendations from The Consensus Guidelines for Mental Health Treatment with Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation. The guidelines have been developed by a panel of experts with service delivery and/or lived experiences of trafficking, to better engage and support youth and families and tailor treatment to meet their needs.
Webinars in this Series
Coming Up Next
Our next webinar focused on Psychoeducation for Youth Impacted by Trafficking will occur in early 2025. Join our email list for updates on registration!
Previous
Voices of Lived Experience: The Importance of Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care for Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking or Commercial Sexual Exploitation
With Presenters Evelyn Chumbow, Jessa Dillow-Crisp, Nathan Earl, and Rachel Niemiec
and facilitated by Elizabeth Hopper and Kelly Kinnish
This webinar explores the importance of trauma-informed care (TIC) in mental health services for youth and families impacted by human trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation, from the perspective of three cross-discipline professionals with lived experience. Presenters discuss the six principles of TIC, including:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness & transparency
- Peer support
- Collaboration & mutuality
- Empowerment & choice
- Cultural, historical & gender issues.
The webinar will address barriers to care and negative outcomes when TIC principles are not implemented in mental health care. Presenters will share recommendations for therapists working with youth and families impacted by T/CSE, based on each principle of TIC, and will offer concrete examples of the implementation of TIC principles with impacted youth. The webinar will also address barriers to care and negative outcomes when TIC principles are not implemented in mental health care.
Participants Will:
- Understand the six principles of trauma-informed care and their importance in mental health treatment with youth who have experienced trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation,
- Be able to describe concrete examples of the application of principles of trauma-informed care in mental health treatment with youth and families who have experienced trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
- Be able to identify barriers to accessing mental health treatment and other negative outcomes associated with care that is not trauma-informed.
Treatment Foundations: Engagement and the Therapeutic Relationship with Youth Impacted by Trafficking
With Presenters Irene Countryman-Roswurm, Alea Cummings, and Liza Suarez
and facilitated by Elizabeth Hopper
How can we more effectively engage trafficking-impacted youth in therapy? How can the therapeutic relationship be a source of growth and transformation?
This NCCT webinar explores the importance of engagement and the therapeutic relationship with youth impacted by trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation. We will identify logistical and perceptual barriers that impact accessibility and the therapeutic process with trafficked youth. Panelists will share recommendations for supporting youth across several phases of engagement and development of the therapeutic relationship, including: accessibility and expectations related to mental health treatment, investment in the therapeutic process, the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for safety and skill development in therapy, and growth and transformation through exploration of the therapeutic relationship.
Building Safety: The Growth of Regulatory Capacities with Youth Impacted by Trafficking
With Presenters Matt Kliethermes and Brandi Liles
and facilitated by Elizabeth Hopper
Safety is a top concern for many youth who have experienced trafficking. How can we support youth in building safety through collaborative safety planning and the growth of their regulatory capacities?
This NCCT webinar explores the growth of regulatory capacities and its role in building safety for youth impacted by trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation. It reviews unique safety considerations when working with youth who have experienced trafficking, explores the link between safety and regulation, and provides guidance for therapists serving youth with ongoing safety concerns. Presenters address collaborative approaches to safety planning and offer tips for introducing and teaching regulation skills that are tailored to the unique needs of different subgroups of youth who have experienced trafficking. The webinar addresses the importance of co-regulation and discusses recommendations for therapist self-regulation when working with this population.
Connection is Key: The Importance of Caregiving and Supportive Adults for Youth Impacted by Trafficking
With Presenters Dawn Blacker and Gihan Omar
and facilitated by Elizabeth Hopper
Youth who have experienced trafficking need a secure and nurturing environment.
How can we engage caregivers and foster their ability to provide a safer and more supportive caregiving environment for youth?
This webinar explores the potential role of caregivers in therapeutic services with youth who have experienced trafficking. This includes personal and contextual factors to consider in assessing caregivers’ potential involvement in treatment, diverse caregiver roles and relationships, and barriers and facilitators to caregiver engagement, including strategies to enhance engagement and support. Specific psychoeducation, coping skills and behavior management strategies will be reviewed and discussed by the presenters to bolster caregiver understanding of, and responsiveness to, youth needs.
Participants will walk away from this webinar with a better understanding of the complexity of caregiver engagement for youth impacted by trafficking, a framework for assessing caregiver involvement in treatment, and awareness of interventions that may benefit families impacted by trafficking.
This webinar will be available through Youtube soon! Join our email list for updates on asynchronous webinar availability and upcoming live webinars.
The NCCT Clinical Discussion Group
The Clinical Discussion Group, facilitated by the National Center on Child Trafficking (NCCT), is a free resource for mental health and substance use clinicians who would like to participate in clinical discussion regarding mental health therapy for youth and families impacted by trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation (T/CSE). The Clinical Discussion Group aims to foster a learning space to:
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Share knowledge and skills
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Reduce clinical isolation
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Increase competency
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Encourage best practice standards
The Clinical Discussion Group occurs through 1-hour, virtual meetings, guided by a NCCT staff facilitator. Sessions include:
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Guest Discussions on Focus Topics
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Clinical Case Presentations & Feedback
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Vicarious Trauma Management Practices
This group welcomes mental health and substance use clinicians who serve or may serve youth who have experienced trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
Terms of Participation
- No identifying client information is to be exchanged at any time. Please refer to the client by a neutral initial and refrain from sharing any identifying details about the client’s history. In the event that a participant does provide identifiable information about a situation regarding which the facilitator has an ethical or legal obligation to respond to as a mandated reporter, the facilitator will inform the participant and will give the participant the opportunity to make the report directly.
- Confidentiality: Participants in the group may choose to share information about their clinical experience or environment. We ask that each member of the group commit to keeping information shared in the group confidential (i.e., do not share this information outside of the group).
- Limits of Service: The Clinical Discussion Group serves as an adjunctive, mentoring, and supportive space. The group does not take the place of ongoing clinical supervision. All clinical responsibilities – ethically and legally - towards any client remain with the provider offering direct treatment. While the discussion may help participants consider options for responding to clinical needs, comments are made for the clinician’s consideration and are not supervision mandates.
- Participants may have varying depth and breadth of experience in the field of mental health practice. Participants are responsible for using any information from the group within the scope of their skill and training.
- If a participant or a facilitator becomes aware they have a prior relationship with a presented client, or if there is a potential conflict of interest in relationships, please notify the relevant providers so that any dual relationship can be managed appropriately.
- Participation in the group is voluntary and if you choose to end participation at any time, this will not affect your ability to receive other kinds of resources through the NCCT.
Discussion Guidelines
Participants are encouraged to consider the following during discussion in order to support an effective learning environment:
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Provide feedback supportively. Consider both the value of your perspective, and the vulnerability of the presenting in bringing their work to the discussion.
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Listen actively. Nonverbal body language, utilizing the chat, and zoom reaction buttons are encouraged.
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Pay attention to self-regulation. Participants are invited to be mindful of what they need in the moment and take steps to manage those needs.
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Support vicarious trauma management. Please refrain from sharing specific details about the client’s trauma history. Rather please consider speaking about this information in general terms (i.e., “the client experienced physical abuse” or “the client witnessed domestic violence”).
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Reach out. The facilitator’s role is to help guide the time and space, while supporting engagement and learning. If something isn’t sitting well, or a participant feels there is a missed learning opportunity, please communicate this with the facilitator during the group, or contact [email protected]
Remote Delivery Considerations
This Clinical Discussion Group will occur through a HIPAA compliant video conference platform. No recording is allowed at any time. To ensure that everyone can participate and receive the full benefits of the group, please:
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Arrive on time. To support cohesion and rich discussion, group entry will close 10 minutes after scheduled start time.
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Ensure that you have the needed technology, including a webcam and headphones if needed, to participate.
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Mute when not speaking. To support a dynamic interactive space, participants are encouraged to have video on.
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Join from a private space free of distractions. Only those who registered in advance should be present.
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Participate on a secure wireless network.
Upcoming Sessions
The next meeting of the NCCT Clinical Discussion Group will be held in early 2025, and the topic will be Psychoeducation. Registration details will be announced soon.
Get notified when registration is available by joining our email list.
About TF-CBT for Youth who have Experienced Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation (TF-CBT for T/CSE)
The purpose of this TF-CBT for Youth who have Experienced Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation (TF-CBT for T/CSE) Learning Community is to bring together a group of mental health providers who share a foundational knowledge of TF-CBT and a common interest in serving youth who have experienced trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation (T/CSE). The Learning Community will build on participants’ existing knowledge, as well as introduce new learning and activities to enhance clinical skills essential to serving this population with skill and fidelity.
Participant Requirements
- Completed a TF-CBT 12-hour (2-day, minimum) training and consultation calls with an approved national trainer
- Currently licensed or license-eligible and practicing under the supervision of a licensed provider
- Currently providing therapeutic services to sexually abused and traumatized children as a substantial component of your practice or supervising providers who are doing so
- Interested in serving youth who have experienced T/CSE (it is not a requirement that you are currently serving these youth)
Training Elements
Pre-Work
The purpose of pre-work activities is to ensure preparation for the in-person training by reviewing TF-CBT materials as well as information about youth who have experienced T/CSE. Activities include:
- a welcome call
- participation in Identification and Awareness of Youth who have Experienced T/CSE training (if not already completed)
- assigned readings
In-Person Training
This is a two-day advanced training of TF-CBT for T/CSE youth.
TF-CBT Consultation
Following the in-person training, there will be 6 bi-monthly (every other month) video consultation meetings. The focus of consultation will be on developing and refining clinical competencies to effectively deliver the intervention (TF-CBT) with youth who have experienced T/CSE or are at high risk, and to address any implementation challenges that arise.
Program Evaluation
Participation in program evaluation is a required and essential component of the Learning Community. This includes evaluation of the training, monthly reporting of youth engaged in treatment, and assistance in enrolling interested youth in survey participation.
Additional Trainings
Participants in this two-day training will have opportunities to participate in future training to continue to enhance skills as well as share experiences serving T/CSE clients with faculty trainers and peers. Past topics have included Complex Trauma, Addressing Substance Use Problems, Emotion-Focused Communication for Families (Let’s Connect), and Sexual Health conversations.
Learning Objectives
This training is designed to help participants:
1. Utilize the TF-CBT treatment model with skill and fidelity with T/CSE clients.
2. Explain and discuss T/CSE- specific psychoeducation topics.
3. Recognize and skillfully process T/CSE-specific and related negative cognitions.
4. Identify and address common challenges faced in the development of a Trauma Narrative with a client who has experienced CSEC.
5. Identify common barriers to client and caregiver treatment engagement and utilize creative and developmentally appropriate strategies and techniques for overcoming these barriers.
Participants will learn:
Trafficking applications of the PRACTICE framework, for example:
- Trafficking-specific psycho- education topics
- Trafficking-specific maladaptive cognitions and strategies for challenging them
- Trauma Narration with clients who have experienced trafficking (multiple traumas, caregiver challenges, processing T/CSE-specific cognitions)
Other common challenges and strategies including:
- Client and caregiver engagement
- Safety concerns including runaway risk and behavior
- Dysregulation and survival coping
- TF-CBT in different settings
Included in the Learning Community
- 12 hours of in-person training over 2 days
- Bi-monthly video consultation meetings
- Additional training opportunities and activities to support successful implementation
- A copy of TF-CBT for The Commercial Exploitation of Children (CSEC): An Implementation Manual
About TF-CBT
What is TF-CBT?
Why use TF-CBT with T/CSE youth?
Upcoming Trainings
2025
In the meantime, be sure you have completed the pre-requisite 2-day basic TF-CBT training. We look forward to connecting soon!
Additional Trainings
The TF-CBT Certification Program Scheduled Trainings
For updates on newly scheduled trainings, add you contact information here.