S4 E5: Havi Kang on Empowering Domestic Violence Survivors

Beyond Theory

In this episode of Beyond Theory, Dominic Lawson interviews Havi Kang, Clinical Director at Willow House, a women's treatment center within Meadows Behavioral Healthcare. Kang, who immigrated from England to the U.S. in 2000, discusses her journey into the psychology field and the importance of ongoing training and professional development.

As an Indian woman, Kang reflects on how her cultural background and family's immigration experience shaped her strong work ethic. She also shares insights from her "year of learning" with Resmaa Menakem, a Meadows Senior Fellow, whose teachings on racialized trauma and the body's storage of generational trauma have deepened her understanding of trauma recovery, both personally as a woman of color and in supporting Willow House's clients.

Willow House strives to provide a safe, trusted space for women to heal from a range of traumas, with a particular focus on domestic violence recovery. Kang emphasizes that domestic abuse extends beyond physical violence to include financial, emotional, and sexual abuse and control. She describes how women entering treatment are often in a traumatized "freeze" state, afraid to open up about their experiences, which may include violent rape, trafficking, childhood abuse, and more.

To support survivors' healing, Willow House provides trauma-informed care that encompasses education about abuse, validation of experiences, practical safety planning, and evidence-based trauma therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Experiencing. By creating an environment of trust and safety, Willow House empowers women to share their stories and begin the difficult but transformative journey of recovery.

Key Takeaways:

1. Domestic violence encompasses physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse and control. Trauma-informed treatment is crucial for survivors' recovery.

2. Willow House, a women's treatment center, provides a safe space for domestic abuse and assault survivors to heal, build trust, and share their stories.

3. Clinical Director Havi Kang emphasizes the importance of ongoing training and professional development in providing effective trauma-focused care.

4. Trauma therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Experiencing are key components of domestic violence recovery at Willow House.

5. Understanding the impact of racialized trauma and generational trauma is essential for supporting women of color in their healing journey from domestic abuse.

6. Education about abuse, validation of experiences, and practical safety planning are critical aspects of empowering domestic violence survivors.

7. Many domestic abuse survivors enter treatment in a traumatized "freeze" state, requiring a compassionate, trusted environment to open up and begin healing.

Kang's insights illuminate the complex layers of trauma that domestic violence survivors often carry and the critical importance of specialized, compassionate care to help them reclaim their lives. For those seeking healing from the wounds of domestic abuse, Willow House offers a refuge and a path forward.