Eleos Support Network Conference
September 20-21, 2019

Participants will learn about types of sex trafficking perpetrators, understand the nuances of familial trafficking, be able to recognize the signs a child might be involved in sex trafficking, understand nuances in engaging with a survivor of sex trafficking, and understand the stages of recovery.

Domestic Violence offenders account for almost half of the people referred to Tukwila Municipal Court Probation each year. Unfortunately, most of those offenders are indigent and unable to afford expensive domestic violence batterer’s treatment programs. Domestic Violence Moral Reconation Therapy (DV MRT) is an evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy
program that can help perpetrators be accountable for their actions, understand why they have acted violently, and confront those tendencies in current situations.

From 1982 to 1998, Gary Ridgeway killed at least 49 women--maybe many more. America's most prolific serial killer was free for another 20 years until his capture in 2001. During those years, he lived an unassuming life with family and friends who had no idea that their husband, brother and uncle was a wanted man. My Uncle Was the Green River Killer is a film documentary of the healing journey led by Ridgway's niece Kristen Ridgway Flores. It features never before seen family archives, and for the first time an interview with the killer himself. After living with the paralyzing stigma of being related to a serial killer, for the first time in a decade, family members will come together to confront Ridgway in an effort to heal their own emotional wounds, and bring a measure of healing to a victim’s family member.

There will be time given at the beginning of this session for Q & A after the viewing of the film about Jennifer’s uncle in the first session. She will also share her own life experience; about the many layers of childhood trauma she endured, how that negatively impacted her lifestyle decisions and choices, and how she has been able to find hope and healing on her recovery journey. In a discussion about the work of Transform Burien, Jennifer says “I see, every day in our ministry at Transform Burien, that the common denominator in a large majority of the people that we are trying to help, is unresolved childhood trauma.”

Indigenous People in the USA and First Nations People in Canada are joining forces in a movement revolving around truth, justice, and healing. It is called: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). This workshop will focus on that movement, current laws and research, and the injustice indigenous women face daily in our community by learning about one local family’s story.

Join Lani as she offers a window into her work within the therapeutic community and with survivors of complex trauma. As a speaker, consultant, advocate and survivor, Lani has a deeply personal understanding of the impact of trauma, is passionate about sharing her recovery journey, artwork and collaborative tools for mental health professionals and survivors. Through her therapeutic art and story, Lani will share how her inspirational and creative path to wellness brought healing, fullness of life, purpose and wholeness.

Erik will explain how, as a law enforcement officer, repeated encounters with individuals often adds to his body of knowledge about them. If he also learns that they have personal histories of trauma and abuse, it not only informs him about their past, but gives him insight into their current lifestyle choices and behaviors. Whether they are victims and/or perpetrators, over time he is better able to refer them to appropriate resources. The longer he serves in law enforcement, he realizes that they are not just “a problem”, but “an individual who has problems in their life to overcome”.

Part 1: “Stephanie” will present her story anonymously, of being unwittingly involved in what is believed to be generational organized child abuse. She will speak to her early involvement with her spouse, the evolution of seeing behaviors causing her concern, the eventual separation/divorce, and the disclosures made by her oldest child. She will also speak somewhat to the processes, infiltration of other group members, the “smoking gun evidence” in her divorce, and the following years. Her presentation will be facilitated by Don Lincoln.

Part 2: Elements of “Stephanie’s” story, along with sections from similar investigations will be utilized in Part 2. Presented by Don Lincoln, it will include an overview of case studies; diagramming the process in order to understand how he looks at the overall investigation. Highlights will be given that increase an understanding of the complexity of conducting organized abuse investigations from both a criminal and civil viewpoint.

Refugees, asylees and immigrants can often face tremendous trauma, not only while fleeing violence and persecution but also during and after the resettlement process into a new country. Tahmina created the Resiliency Programs at World Relief Seattle to address the inherent resiliency of refugees as they process and adjust to a new life. She will share her personal story of fleeing war as well as the unique programs that create pathways for building community, capacity and healing for those who are displaced.

Melissa and Ty will share about the layers of trauma they both endured, beginning at very young ages. The violence and anger they were subjected to throughout their lives resulted in downward spirals of destructive actions and consequences. How God protected their lives through it all, and where He's brought them to today, is truly a love story worth celebrating.

Sgt. Murphy has served as a law enforcement officer for 22 years. He was given up for adoption at the age of 3 weeks, and adopted when he was 3 months old. He was able to reconnect with his birth mother 12 years ago. He discovered that she gave him up for adoption as an infant to save him from the extreme abuse that she herself had suffered at the hands of her adoptive mother and others. Sgt. Murphy and his birth mother now share a close relationship. He will describe the resulting impact the abuse had on her life, as well as explore what a well informed trauma response should look like from a law enforcement investigative perspective.

What is there to learn from sitting with the suffering of adults who have lived their lives with untreated trauma? In our discussion we will discuss what trauma-informed care encompasses. Possibly of more importance,we will move beyond a clinical understanding of trauma to explore the deep suffering that comes from human inflicted trauma. We will also explore the experience of those who choose to witness and hold the suffering of trauma survivors. Janice will share the insights that come from having had the privilege of sharing both the heartache and healing that can emerge from suffering the trauma of sexual abuse in childhood.

Character work precedes trauma work. In helping our clients with attachment disorders, building ego strength is a prerequisite for safe trauma work. This workshop will cover the differential intrapsychic diagnosis, therapeutic “triad of self”, different intervention techniques and counter-transference with different personality disorders. Case studies will be presented and plenty of time for role playing and a question and answer period.

This workshop is on treating clients who have complex PTSD and/or dissociative identity disorder. Diagnosing this type and magnitude of trauma and then providing safe and effective trauma therapy will be the focus. Topics will include five types of dissociation, building ego strength in the client, balancing out external functioning with traumatic inner work, use of dream work to identify parts of the inner system, hot topics in trauma work and more case studies will be provided as well as time for interactive discussions.

Jami will share her personal history of growing up in a home where she witnessed her father continually committing acts of domestic violence against her mother. While working as a paralegal for a government agency that prosecuted crimes, her mother was subjected to years of abuse and terror perpetrated by Jami’s father. Eventually, he was arrested and convicted for his crimes, and sentenced to serve time in prison for them.