Human Trafficking and Trauma-informed Care as Ethical Practice

Friday, March 28, 2025, 1:45 PM EDT - 4:45 PM EDT

$59.99 M. Elizabeth Bowman, PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C,

Domestic minor sex trafficking, also known as the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), is defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA, 2000) as any “commercial sex act induced by force, fraud, or coercion, in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.” This impacts an estimated 10,000 children across the US each year.

This training provides an overview of CSEC/sex trafficking, focusing on how to effectively engage with at-risk populations such as foster youth, unhoused children, individuals with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Participants will examine trafficking risks from a systems perspective, exploring how societal factors—such as mental health care, education, economic systems, and service accessibility—contribute to vulnerability. The training also covers ethical practices when working with trafficking survivors, emphasizing trauma-informed care and empowerment-focused approaches. Attendees will learn to Identify warning signs of trafficking, use effective, empowerment-based intervention strategies, and connect clients with appropriate resources and assistance.

About the Presenter

M. Elizabeth Bowman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Gallaudet University. She is also a minor domestic sex trafficking survivor, anti-trafficking advocate, researcher, and speaker. In her clinical practice she works with trafficking survivors using trauma-informed yoga therapy and also has a clinical practice supporting children and adolescents with anxiety and other challenges. Her nonprofit, The Restoring Ivy Collective, works to establish intentional community for survivors through authentic social connection and mental health support. Her research areas include the intersection of child welfare and sex trafficking, organizational culture and supervision in child welfare, and special populations issues in trafficking including LGBT and Deaf youth. She holds clinical social work licensure in DC and Maryland and is a Registered Yoga Teacher, RYT-200. She is a mother of two teenagers and in her abundant free time enjoys long walks and napping.

This workshop Offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits

Learning Objectives:

Participants will understand the risk factors for sex trafficking domestically.

Apply ethical and trauma-informed principles to create a more transparent, trust-based, and empowering practice with survivors of trafficking and those at risk.

Explore the ecosystems approach to reducing risk and safety issues for youth, including how to engage with survivors of trafficking from an empowerment framework and how to access resources for support.

Develop actionable strategies for implementing trauma-informed practices in risk reduction and aftercare for survivors.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will understand the risk factors for sex trafficking domestically.

Apply ethical and trauma-informed principles to create a more transparent, trust-based, and empowering practice with survivors of trafficking and those at risk.

Develop actionable strategies for implementing trauma-informed practices in risk reduction and aftercare for survivors.

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.

There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.

Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.

Refund Policy: Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.

48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.

*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.