Eleison’s Advisory Board is comprised of experienced researchers, clinicians, and experts in human trafficking and gender-based violence. Our Advisory Board collaborates with our team by providing technical consultation, training for our staff, and partnership on research. One of Eleison’s Advisory Board members is Dr. Catherine Carlson, an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Alabama. Dr. Carlson is also the Co-Director of Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT), a nonprofit dedicated to helping trauma survivors connect with their inner resilience, develop supportive communities, and heal from the impacts of trauma.
Her social work research focuses on the confluence between violence and mental health, and the implementation of evidence-based interventions in low-resource contexts. She directs studies on low-tech mental health interventions for human trafficking survivors, as well as research pertaining to the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and violence against children. As a social worker, Dr. Carlson’s work in international NGOs and the UN has centered on gender-based violence, psychosocial programming, child protection, and humanitarian response. Dr. Carlson previously collaborated with our Executive Director, Dr. Cordisco Tsai, to culturally adapt an evidence-based suicide prevention intervention for human trafficking survivors in the Philippines.
In a recent interview with Dr. Carlson, she expressed how she has witnessed and admired Eleison’s dedication to learning and assessing our programs to continually grow our impact. She trusts Eleison’s survivor-centered and participatory approach, so when Eleison invited her to join the Advisory Board, she seized the opportunity to promote best practices in crisis response, community mental health, holistic healing for survivors, and research and evaluation.
Since 2021, Eleison has collaborated with Dr. Carlson on the cultural adaptation of the HaRT program for implementation in the Philippines, focusing on ensuring emotional safety, feasibility, and cultural resonance. When asked about her personal highlights from collaborating with Eleison on HaRT, she said it was witnessing the program’s implementation:
“I was overjoyed when the first cohort of Eleison clients was able to engage in the HaRT program to further their path toward health, healing, and resilience after more than a year of planning and preparation. I was really moved when one of the participants expressed her hope that other Eleison clients could benefit from HaRT and save their lives.”
Elaborating on what she has seen in her partnership with Eleison, Dr. Carlson described how 2022 began in a very challenging way for the team, from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to the Super Typhoon Rai, locally known as Odette. She further states:
“It was a lot for Eleison to try to help clients, not to mention how these problems were also affecting the employees as well. I was extremely pleased by how the Eleison team came together to focus on typhoon assistance, despite the fact that this was not their primary focus. It was the most important thing affecting the clients, and they understood that they had to do something for the clients’ well-being.”
She expressed her enthusiasm with Eleison’s programming, saying:
“I love the way that Eleison is dedicated to the well-being and safety of all clients and staff, while still making programming happen. You have been creative and flexible, all while maintaining an immense dedication to your clients.”
Eleison is honored to have Dr. Carlson on our Advisory Board. If you want to learn more about Eleison or how you can get involved, you can read more here.
