Kathy McAtee Young, a trauma-trained certified mental health coach, discusses her path from a survivor of an abusive marriage to a a trauma-informed coach and educator for survivors and victims of domestic violence. She emphasizes the importance of understanding trauma, particularly the nervous system's response, and the need for somatic techniques in healing, Kathy highlights the significance of educating oneself about abuse, recognizing symptoms like blame-shifting and gas lighting, and creating safetly plans. She also stresses of the role of faith-based communities in addressing trauma and abuse, advocating for trauma-informed reponses and resources. Kathy's mission is to provide survivors with the tools and support they need to heal and regain control of their lives.

LINKS:

https://www.kathymcateeyoung.com/

Kathy McAtee Young Email

www.financialabusehelp.net

Joe Dillon, divorce mediator and co-founder of Equitable Mediation, discusses his background and the benefits of mediation over a litigated divorce. He contrasts the aggressive, financially draining nature of litigated divorces with the cost effective, cooperative approach of mediation, which he has practiced for over two decades. Joe emphasizes the importance of financial literacy and transparency, highlighting common issues like hidden debt and financial abuse. He mentions his online courses on divorce mediation, which aim to educate clients on divorce preperation, negotiation tactics and emotional aspects. Dillon's approach, which includes collaboration with his partner and wife, a divorce coach, aims to help clients reach agreements efficiently and minimalize emotional and financial strain.

KEY LINKS:

Equitable Mediation Web Site

Equitable Mediation Divorce Coaching

www.financialabusehelp.net

Joy Ingram, CEO and Founder of Love & Joy, discusses her journey from Georgia to Virginia, where she began advocacy work for domestic violence survivors. She highlights her roles at New Directions and RAFT, emphasizing the importance of supporting advocates to prevent burnout. Joy also shares her personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, which fueled her passion for advocacy. She notes that over 60% of advocates in the field of domestic abuse are survivors themselves and need consistent self-care and systematic changes within non-profit organizations. Joy plans to expand her Love & Joy consulting and workshop services to help and support more agencies and advocate organizations.

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KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Joy shares her background, born in Hawaii and raised in Rome, Georgia, before moving to Atlanta.
2. She explains her move to Staunton, Virginia, through an early college entrance exam.
3. Joy recounts her midlife crisis in 2016, which led her to make a connnection with a woman at her church and who adopted her into her family.
4. Joy discusses her passion for helping survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, which began with her own experience.
5. Joy begins volunteering at a rape crisis center in Decatur, Georgia, and later at a crisis center in Atlanta.
6. She explains the New Beginnings organization and their programs and services.
7. Joy discusses the RAFT (Resilience for Advocates Through Foundational Training) and its mission to support advocates working in the domestic abuse fields.
8. She highlights the unique stresses faced by advocates, such as vicarious trauma from dealing with survivor issues throughout each working day.
9. Joy shares statistics that 61% of all advocates in the domestic abuse field are survivors of abuse themselves.
10. She discusses the importance of collaboration and communication between domestic violence agencies, sparking her idea to form her own consulting firm.
11. Joy explains her Love and Joy company and its place in supporting advocates in domestic abuse agencies, including workshops to prevent job burnout and promote self care.
12. She offers advice to survivors still in an abusive relationship as well as how to receive support after the end of the abusive partnership.

LINKS:

Love and Joy Facebook Page

RAFT (Resilience for Advocates Through Foundational Training)

www.financialabusehelp.net

Maisha Colter, CEO of AVDA in Texas, discusses her extensive background in social work and law, emphasizing her transition from social work to law to better advocate for vulnerable populations, particularly children and women. AVDA provides legal services for thousands every year, focusing on family court cases and economic abuse. Maisha highlights the organizations BIPP program, which educates abusers on gender roles and communication, and its annual interfaith workshop to train faith leaders on supporting domestic violence survivors. AVDA also conducts various community outreach events and toy drives. Maisha emphasizes the importance of safety planning and self-care for survivors.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Maisha shares her background and extensive travel due to parents' military careers.
2. Maisha discusses her education history, starting with a bachelors' in policy studies and social work in New York.
3. She explains her decision to pursue social work instead of law, working with children in foster care and doing family reunification.
4. Maisha shares how her experiences as a social worker led her back to law school to finish her studies.
5. She discusses the benefits of having both social work and legal skills, particularly in advocating for vulnerable populations like women and children.
6. Maisha explains the evolution of domestic abuse support, particularly in recognizing and addressing financial abuse.
7. Maisha provides examples of economic abuse, which often involves isolation from financial decision making.
8. She outlines the legal services offered by AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse) including divorce, custody, child support and property issues.
9. Maisha explains in depth AVDA's BIPP program, which targets indivduals convicted on family violence crime, providing re-education on gender roles and communication.
10. Maisha discusses AVDA's Interfaith workship and vigil, to educate faith leaders in recognizing and support survivors of domestic abuse.
11. Maisha shares the challenges of reaching out to many diverse communities and the importance of culturally specific community organizations.
12. She mentions upcoming events and a gala in 2025.
13. Maisha emphasizes to survivors the importances of safety planning and seeking resources in advance of leaving, as well as after leaving the relationship.
14. She highlights that the survivor of domestic abuse needs continuing resources and support, which can be found through contacting a local domestic violence organization.

LINKS:

AVDA Website

Battering Intervention & Prevention Program (BIPP)

Interfaith Workshop & Vigil

www.financialabusehelp.net

Rosie Watson discusses her work as Head of External Relations with the Domestic Abuse Alliance in the United Kingdom, focusing on reducing the time victims receive legal support from weeks to hours using the WEPROTECT app. She highlights the recent United Kingdom law change recognizing coercive control as a criminal offense, now managed under multi-agency public protection arrangements. Rosie emphasizes the hidden nature of domestic abuse, particularly financial abuse, and the importance of employer support. The organization also provides interpretation and translation services to expand their effectiveness with a growing global population and is committed daily to bringing immediate legal support for domestic abuse survivors.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Rosie explains her initial involvement in the domestic abuse field through her work with Police and Crime Commissionors.
2. She details her transition to the Domestic Abuse Alliance and expresses gratitude for a platform to focus on global issues.
3. Rosie explains the historical view of domestic violence and the introduction of the coercive control law recently passed in the United Kingdom, including its details and effects on abusers.
4. She emphasizes the importance of the passing of the coercive control law, putting especially financial abuse on par with other forms of arrestable domestic violence offenses.
5. Rosie explains the development of the WEPROTECT app, which significantly reduces the time it takes victims to receive civil legal support.
6. She explains the WEPROTECT app is free to use police forces, frontline services and victims.
7. Rosie discusses the challengers of funding for support services and the new government's pledge to greatly reduce violence against women within the next 10 years.
8. She expresses her concerns about the continued use of means testing to verify services for domestic abuse victims.
9. Rosie elaborates on the need for employers and employees alike to receive domestic violence awareness training.
10. She explains how the recent pandemic was a perfect storm for domestic abuse perpetrators and victim survivors.
11. Rosie highlights the importance of creating safe spaces at work to start conversations about domestic abuse and empowering line managers and HR teams to support effected workers.
12. Rosie discusses the Domestic Abuse Alliance's upcoming fundraising and event plans.

LINKS:

Domestic Abuse Alliance Website

WEPROTECT App Information

www.financialabusehelp.net

Windi, survivor and advocate from California, shares her journey of abuse and recovery. She details her childhood, meeting her abusive partner after the tragic end to a previous engagement and the challenges of her marriage with a partner suffering from untreated PTSD and financial instability. Windi highlights her efforts to protect and educate her children about domestic abuse, as well as her advocacy work in preventing gun violence. Windi describes her passion for being an advocate for gun violence prevention after her own personal tragedy.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Windi shares her background, mentioning she was born in Los Angeles and raised in San Bernadino County, California.
2. Windi describes her childhood as typical middle class with both parents working multiple jobs.
3. Windi meets her future husband while both are driving on the freeway, where they exchange numbers and begin dating.
4. She describes her partner's family and backgroud, that he was spoiled and not financially very responsbile.
5. Windi details how her future husband told her he has no children and hopes to become married and a father soon.
6. Windi describes their early marriage and birth of their two children, including her husband's PTSD related financial and mental instabilities.
7. Windi talks about her unsuccessful attempts to get help for her husband through the Veterans medical system.
8. As her husband continues to decline, Windi discovers he has a child, born during their marriage to another woman and now serving child support papers and freezing their bank accounts and assets.
9. Windi discovers her husband is not providing support or even contacts a child he has hidden from her during their marriage.
10. Windi talks about choosing to go into a domestic violence shelter to leave her marriage with her children, and how the DV resources helped her during crisis.
11. Windi advises DV survivors about making a plan to escape an abusive partnership and going back to school once you are out of an abusive relationship.

LINKS:

Windi Joseph YouTube Channel

www.financialabusehelp.net

Windi with CA Rep. Mike Thompson and other advocates testifying on gun violence prevention.

www.financialabusehelp.net

Sophora Acheson, Executive Director and Co-Board President of Ruby's Place, discusses her journey from Grass Valley, Califorinia, to Santa Rosa and developing a passion for helping survivors of domestic violence. She shares her personal history of abuse and her career path, which led her to pioneer a program to reduce perpetrator violence called R.A.F.T. (Restorative Action for Family Transformation). R.A.F.T. aims to address the root causes of domestic violence by providing accountability and trauma-informed care for abusers, while insuring survivors receive necessary support. Sophora also details Ruby's Place's mobile health programs, serving nine Bay Area counties with basic medical services, dental care and education.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Sophora explains how her own experiences led her to become a licensed family and marriage therapist.
2. She describes how she found a job as a counselor at a local domestic violence shelter.
3. Sophora details her 14-year tenure with Ruby's Place, starting in direct service and eventually becoming executive director.
4. She shares the history of Ruby's Place, which was founded in the 1970's as the nation's first domestic violence shelter.
5. Introduction of the R.A.F.T. program and how its voluntary nature is the key to its success.
6. Sophora discusses the importance of accountability and the role of trauma in driving harmful behaviors.
7. Mobile health programs are discussed as an innovative way to bring basic health care and dental care to domestic abuse survivors.
8. Sophora discusses October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month and her plans for a public forum to gain feedback on the R.A.F.T. program.
9. Sophora gives advice to survivors on reaching out and that you are never alone.

Ruby's Place Website

R.A.F.T. Program at Ruby's Place

Ruby's Place Facebook Page

www.financialabusehelp.net