Introducing RESTORE

Hi friend,

Did you know that most survivors of human trafficking will go through cycles of re-victimization before finding lasting freedom? Often, this is due to the lack of support for victims when they exit exploitation, leaving them vulnerable to re-victimization.

This is a core reason why, at Red Oak, we seek to provide holistic care that goes beyond just meeting the basic needs of survivors exiting exploitation (though we do that as well).

We know that lasting freedom requires addressing more than just a person's physical needs but also their emotional, social, environmental, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, and financial needs.

When faced with the reality that our clients in Austin were needing more intentional support in many of these areas, our U.S. team was thrilled to hire Anne as our director of Restore.

With a background in speech-language pathology, Anne is uniquely qualified to meet our clients where they are and help them pave the way to get where they want to be.

We asked Anne and our US director, Haley, to share a little about Restore and how YOU can come alongside this new program! 

Q: What is Restore? 

Anne: Restore is a program that supports the overall success of clients as they work through the nuances of coming out of the life, out of exploitation, and into a freed, independent life. This support can look like a myriad of things: life skills, emotional regulation, executive function training, educational support, and social skills/thinking, all led by the client's priorities and life goals.

Q: What were y'all seeing in your work with clients that made the need for a program like Restore and a director for it so obvious?

Haley: Complex trauma impacts the brain and the way we relate to ourselves and the world around us so significantly. This, paired with the presence of both developmental disabilities and disabilities related to trauma and sexual exploitation, makes it imperative to provide skilled and dedicated support to our overall programs. [Anne is] gifted in providing creative and therapeutic experiences to bridge the gap between the "now" and the "future" of where our clients want to be. 

Q: What are some of the early fruits you are seeing through the program? 

Haley: Clients are making connections through 1:1 sessions…with a dedicated staff member, we can lean into what the real-time needs are and meet each person exactly where they are. Clients are making connections that are helping them make choices for themselves for success toward current goals and future goals. For example, for a client who has been working on educational goals for several years, we were able to provide access to testing and diagnosis to shed light on her learning difficulties and needs. Our Restore Director can meet 1:1 with her to gain more understanding into why she is having difficulty passing certain sections of the GED, and they can work together to better understand her accommodations and empower her to advocate for herself and utilize them in a classroom setting.  

Q: What has our client's response been like, and what have they said about the program? 

Haley: Clients have, for the first time, been attending weekly RESTORE sessions. It can be difficult to get 100% attendance and we have recently noticed that all the clients have been attending their session EVERY WEEK! This is a huge victory! They are coming to the sessions anticipating where we left off and saying, "Wow, these times go by so fast," which is a great example of connection. Having a dedicated staff person in this support program testifies to the client that we truly desire to support them holistically in every aspect of their healing journey. 

Q: What's been the favorite part of your job so far, Anne?

Anne: Exploring with the clients (and staff) what the underlying issues might be in why they may be having difficulty entering a new space, finishing tasks, making and attaining short term goals, with sensory experiences that contribute to overwhelm and shutdown. And then creating experiences, sessions, and educational opportunities that build the bridges of success and create connections between the client and their core self.

Q: How do you envision using the new Restore room at the office? 

Anne: Historical traumatic experiences can find ways to inform our current self, making us feel vulnerable and have difficulty discerning between then and now. One thing is certain: we can decrease vulnerability by providing predictability. While we can't always predict when a trauma response will occur, we can create a predictable and safe environment. The new RESTORE room at the Red Oak House will be that predictable space that will decrease vulnerability. The seating options, furniture, supplies, lighting, sensory regulation tools, crafting tools, and additional therapeutic tools will be available to the clients each session and stored in the same places for ease and independent access. When the clients can walk into a predictable space and know they will have the tools they need to explore new things, brainstorm for their future selves, and create deep connection, engagement will be more accessible, and therefore, success within the program will also be a seeable and attainable goal.

We are so grateful for Anne and all she adds to our work bringing freedom, hope, and restoration to survivors. And now we need your help to add the finishing touches to our Restore room! Shop our IKEA wishlist here. 

Thank you for coming alongside these survivors with us.

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