No two concussions are alike due to the variables in which they occurred. The same goes for trauma. Your trauma is as unique as your fingerprint. The modalities most helpful for one’s healing process, may not be as beneficial for another. By embracing this uniqueness, we can foster more compassionate and effective support systems to pave the way for recovery and resilience.
Much of the trauma induced by our digitized age can be deterred by knowing how to prevent and disrupt the various types of exploitative schemes our youth encounter today. (See the article “Groomed” by Dr. Melanie Baker and Dr. Christian Nanry https://magazine.pwporg.org/groomed-by-dr-melanie-baker-and-dr-christian-nanry/) The rehabilitation for a person who has been sexually assaulted, abused, or exploited can be a life-long process.
It is a misnomer if trauma happens to a child they won’t remember it. This could not be further from the truth. If a child has a traumatic event, when they are fortunate enough to have a supportive network to share and believe the trauma, their success rate is higher, due to that support person or group. On the opposite side of the pendulum, if a child kept their trauma a secret for years, or worse—the traumatic event was carried out by a caregiver or family member, the trauma can manifest into something else. If the feelings associated with trauma are not validated—or if they are stuffed down so they are not acknowledged—that can lead to a myriad of negative health consequences.
Trauma gets stored in the body and can be triggered by a smell, a voice similar to that of the abuser, a song, or a dream about the event. In some cases of abuse as a child, the trauma memory may be so repressed that the individual doesn’t remember, it may manifest as depression, anxiety, or a chronic health condition. To learn more about a person’s adverse experiences (traumas) and how they impact one’s health, check out the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study and quiz. This ground-breaking study highlights how trauma can alter one’s DNA—and—is carried from one generation to another. This pattern can be interrupted when a courageous individual is ready to face it. A powerful, persistent correlation exists between the more ACEs experienced and a greater chance of experiencing poor outcomes later in life. This may include increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, substance abuse, smoking, poor academic achievement, time out of work, and early death.
The key to aftercare for a person who has experienced exploitation, PTSD, or any trauma, is regulating the nervous system. This can be done in a variety of holistic ways. Talk therapy can be transformative for some individuals, but it is not a one-size-fits-all, especially when it comes to complex trauma. A misnomer in the talk therapy realm is talking about all of the “bad things” that happened that are beneficial. This is not the case for complex trauma. It can have adverse results. This is precisely what an exploiter would want for their victim. The more a person stays stuck in their trauma loop, the more likely a victim is to re-enter the life or return to their handler.
It is critical in rehabilitation to find appropriate therapies to allow the individual to regulate their nervous system and get back their most resourced self—the person they are in the present moment who can think clearly and respond thoughtfully, from a relatively calm, or resourced state.
As a bodyworker, and someone who walks alongside those recovering from PTSD, I share trauma-informed, evidence-based, holistic modalities with clients to help them regulate their nervous system. Whether they have experienced organized violence (such as human trafficking, gang violence, genocide, or ritualistic abuse – to name a few) or those working through recovery from substance abuse or trying to dispel limiting beliefs, the modalities Ishare are the same because the goal is universal: Regulation.
This is done, within my practices, through a grounding exercise similar to meditation, as well as: visualization, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping, breathwork, nervous system regulation (holding the ankle and kidney), and Reiki. Reiki is a method of stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. I share techniques with clients so they can do the grounding and visualization portions on their own. If they choose, I teach the nervous system regulation technique if they wish to practice it with others. It is a wonderful method where the practitioner uses their nervous system to help dial down the client’s nervous system. This can be wonderful for calming the nerves of a child who may be anxious about an exam, for example.
It’s pivotal to remain curious and open about the best ways to get back to the most resourced self—who they were before the bad things happened. Their true, authentic self. It is a sacred process and truly amazing to witness. It is possible when the conditions are ripe, meaning an individual is open, curious, and seeking ways to shift. Having an empathetic witness to hold a safe space for another is transformative. We can all do this in our own ways. Simply listening without judgment is a great place to start.

“Trauma is not what happens to you; it is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.” – Gabor Mate

As a parent or caregiver, what can you do to help your kids? Heal. Your. Wounds. That is one of the biggest things you can do for your family, your lineage, and the collective. Finding ways to draw from your most resourced self is a great place to start.

Identifying signs of possible trauma pertaining to exploitation or abuse:

– Bedwetting (varying ages)
– Trouble sleeping
– Nightmares
– Obsessive about their phone and messages
– Hiding a second phone
– Change in friends
– Change in interests or hobbies
– They lost the sparkle in their eyes
– Sudden shifts in mood (more so than a typical teen)
– They are dating someone who seems to be controlling
– They have deposits in their bank account that are not from their employer
– Using payment apps to collect money
– Weight loss / Appetite shift
– Change in appearance
– Signs of physical trauma
– Unexplained whereabouts
– Mismatched stories
– Lack of personal hygiene
– Tattoos
– Change in patterns in a short time
– Seems controlled by someone else
– Drug or alcohol abuse
– Hypersexualized
– Lying
– Manipulating
– Low self-esteem
– Anti-Social
– Aggressive
– No motivation
– Gang/Street Jargon
– Loyalty to a new boyfriend
– Cares too much about what a coach or teacher thinks
– Doing one-on-one activities with a coach, teacher
– Fearful
– Anxious
– Tense
– Submissive
– Nervous
– Paranoia
– Hypervigilance
– Shift in personality
– Adopting views that stray from their core values ❦

About the Author

Rosie serves as a trauma-informed counter human trafficking consultant, trainer, prevention educator, and intuitive healing conduit. Offering people tools to create life-long barriers to
traumas and infuse healing are her passions. The techniques Rosie infuses with her body work sessions include: visualization, grounding, EFT Tapping, breathwork, nervous system regulation, Reiki energy healing and intuitive guidance. Each session is unique as the individual.

Presentation + Training Topics:
Human Trafficking Interdiction
Exploitation Prevention Curriculum for Teens
Healing Therapies/Trauma Releasing Modalities
Nervous System Regulation Tools
Help for the helpers: Managing Vicarious Trauma
Assault Prevention + Digital Safety
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Economic & Societal Impacts of Trauma

Rosie earned a certification from the Association for the Recovery of Children’s (ARC) Fight Child Sex Trafficking Comprehensive Training Course; and completed a Human Trafficking Interdiction Training from the Human Trafficking Training Center. She is a member of the Minneapolis FBI’s Citizens Academy.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Rosie holds a B.A. in journalism and a minor in Spanish. After a rewarding experience
working within Public Affairs for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis for 13 years, a too-close-to-home child sex trafficking
scheme ignited a shift, and a calling. Rosie lives with her family in Minneapolis, Minn. She is an avid biker,
cross-trainer and enjoys the multifaceted benefits of purposeful living—and holds the belief that there are no coincidences in life.
Recognizing the sacred gift of healing, Rosie has the capacity to incorporate gentle and restorative practices to diffuse traumatic
experiences, dispel false limiting beliefs, and humbly assist others in returning to their truest, authentic selves.

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