CONNECT WITH OTHERS WHO GET YOU

Starting our teen and young girls group is one of the most meaningful and purposeful ventures of my professional career. As a child and trauma therapist, I have worked extensively with teens and their families impacted by sexual abuse and exploitation. One theme I hear repeatedly—from both survivors and caregivers—is a profound sense of isolation. Many teens describe feeling alone in their experiences, unsure how to name what happened to them, and fearful that no one will truly understand.

According to national organizations such as RAINN, child sexual abuse is often perpetrated by someone the child knows and trusts, which contributes to secrecy, confusion, and delayed disclosure. This reality frequently leaves survivors feeling responsible or ashamed, even though the abuse was never their fault. Trauma thrives in silence, and without safe, supportive spaces, many young people internalize their pain rather than process it.

When trauma touched my own family, that isolation became deeply personal. Like so many parents navigating this reality for the first time, we experienced an overwhelming mix of shock, grief, anger, and helplessness. Parents often ask themselves, “How did I miss this?” or “I should have known.” These reactions are not signs of failure—they are common, human responses to trauma. Research consistently shows that caregivers frequently blame themselves after discovering their child has been abused, even though grooming behaviors are specifically designed to evade detection and manipulate trust.

From a trauma-focused perspective, these feelings of guilt and inadequacy must be addressed with compassion and education. Trauma impacts not only the survivor, but the entire family system. Healing requires a lens that acknowledges how abuse disrupts safety, trust, and identity—while also reinforcing that responsibility lies solely with the offender. This group was created to interrupt isolation, replace silence with connection, and provide teens and young women with a space where they are heard, believed, and supported. At the same time, it offers families reassurance, education, and hope—grounded in evidence-based, trauma-informed, survivor-centered care.

Healing is possible, and it begins when individuals are given safe spaces to process their experiences and reclaim their sense of worth, voice, and empowerment.