Episode 67: We tackle the difficult topic of childhood sexual abuse, shedding light on its prevalence and the journey of recovery. The impact is immense: with research revealing that one in five girls and one in 20 boys experience such abuse before turning 18, and an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds.
Survivor and author Alreen Haeggquist shares her own path to healing alongside Licensed Clinical Social Worker and trauma specialist Stefanie Klein. Together, they offer insights into the emotional complexities and challenges that survivors face.
Despite the tough journey, recovery is possible through courage, resilience, and self-discovery. This program is not just for survivors but also for those aiming to understand and support them better. Given the sensitive nature of the discussion, listener discretion is advised.
Producer & Host: Debra Sloss, LMFT
Guests: Alreen Haeggquist & Stephanie Klein
Broadcasts: 6/2/24 & 6/11/24
Special thanks to Jeanne Baldzikowski for audio production, Jennifer Young and Katrina Tattenham for research, Patrice Vecchione for story coaching, Pati Palmer for transcriptions, and Rebecca Levy for media outreach. And thanks to acoustic guitarist Adrian Legg for composing, performing, and donating the use of our theme music.
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RESOURCES:
* Indicates a Monterey Bay Area Resource
Organizations
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) – A support and recovery program designed specifically for adult survivors of physical, sexual, or emotional child abuse or neglect. The program was designed to support and assist survivors of child abuse, irrespective of their financial situation, in moving on with their lives.
RAINN – Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network – The nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization that created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
24/7 Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) online.rainn.org y rainn.org/es
Stop It Now – An organization that works to prevent the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families, and communities through direct support, information, and resources to take actions that protect children before they are harmed. They offer programs that equip adults to prevent child sexual abuse
* Survivors Healing Center – A welcoming place for survivors of child sexual abuse and their allies (Practitioners, Parents, Community Members and everyone else who needs support). Offering online and in-person support groups and workshops. A program of Family Service Agency of the Central Coast.
Phone: 831-423-7601
Reading
Fired Up: Fueling Triumph from Trauma by Alreen Haeggquist (2023) – Sex abuse survivor Alreen Haeggquist shares her deeply personal story of childhood abuse and the steps she’s taken to overcome the long-lasting effects. Whether you have been harassed, abused, or assaulted, this book outlines ways to grieve, heal, grow, and triumph from your trauma. She leads women who have experienced sexual violence to reclaim their innate power.
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry (2021) – Through personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Here, Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD (2014) – A book about how traumatic stress rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. This book shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, this book offers researched alternatives to drugs and talk therapy in order to reclaim lives.
Other Resourses
Gratitude Journal – A practice that has helped our show guest Alreen focus on what is good in her life in order to practice changing her automatic thoughts.
Joe Dispenza Becoming Supernatural – A guide to understanding why changing your thoughts can change your life and how to go about doing so.
Inner Child Work – This is an article describing what Inner Child Work is. Our guest Alreen found this kind of therapeutic work to be very helpful. Individuals would need to find their own practitioner.
Counseling Support
*Family Service Agency (FSA) of the Central Coast is a dedicated underwriter of State of Mind. FSA provides resources, support, and counseling services to adults and children. FSA believes in the power and potential of people of all ages and backgrounds to discover their own creative solutions and welcomes people of diverse cultures, genders, sexual orientations, ages, faiths, socio–economic backgrounds. FSA Counseling Offices offer Medi–Cal, Medicare, and low–cost, sliding scale services in both downtown Santa Cruz and Soquel.
Phone: 831–423–9444 ext: 200 and in Soquel 831–346–6767 ext: 200.
*Shine a Light Counseling Center – Offering quality, affordable counseling at offices in Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Monterey. The center provides individual, family, couple and group counseling, including men’s groups.
Phone: 831-996-1222
For Psychotherapists Working with Complex Trauma
Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship by Dr. Laurence Heller and Dr. Aline Lapierre (2012) – Authors Heller and LaPierre introduce the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM), a method that integrates bottom-up and top-down approaches to regulate the nervous system and resolve distortions of identity such as low self-esteem, shame, and chronic self-judgment that are the outcome of developmental and relational trauma.
The Practical Guide for Healing Developmental Trauma: Using the NeuroAffective Relational Model to Address Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resolve Complex Trauma by Dr. Laurence Heller and Brad Kammer, LMFT(2022) – This book introduces a therapeutic model for addressing attachment, relational, and developmental trauma in a clinical setting. NARM is an integrated mind-body framework that identifies and treats the complex ways childhood trauma can manifest in interpersonal difficulties, maladaptive patterns, identity issues, and disrupted affect regulation.
Complex Trauma Training Center – A place to receive psychotherapist training in working with complex trauma.
NARM Training Institute – a professional training hub for the NeuroAffective Relational Model for Healing attachment, relational & developmental trauma.
Find a Practitioner Tab provides a directory to find a NARM Therapist or Practitioner trained in treating complex trauma. ”NARM Therapists” are licensed psychotherapists and “NARM Practitioners” are other health care professionals who have completed the NARM Training. Search by local area, online session availability or specialty.
Contact Guests
Alreen Haeggquist – Author of Fired Up: Fueling Triumph from Trauma and Women’s Rights Attorney at Haeggquist & Eck, LLP in San Diego, California.
Email: alreenh@haelaw.com
Phone: 619-342-8000
* Indicates a Monterey Bay Area Resource
