Programs | Voices Beyond Assault
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Programs

Trauma Is an Ecosystem — Healing Must Be Too

Every program at VBA is designed around a simple truth: healing is not a single event — it is an ongoing, multi-dimensional process that requires community, care, and time.

"Healing looks good on you."

The Case for Healing

When one person heals, the world feels it

Healing is not just personal. It is one of the most powerful forces for collective good we have.

A Healed Person

Reclaims their voice, worth, and right to a full life.

Better Relationships

Healthier bonds, stronger families, and cycles of harm that finally end.

Stronger Communities

Safer neighborhoods, engaged citizens, children who grow up whole.

A Positive Outlook

Hope replaces fear. Purpose replaces survival mode.

A Stronger Economy

People who can contribute fully — to work, business, civic life.

A Better World

Every survivor who heals is a force for generational change.

"Gender-based violence is global. So is our commitment to healing."

Our Approach to Care

Licensed. Evidence-Based. Survivor-Centered.

Our approach to care is sincere, deeply felt, and uniquely personal — because it comes from lived experience. Every survivor who comes to VBA receives support that is authentic, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. Sexual and domestic violence is a unique field that works within the sectors of public health, mental health services, and the justice system — but doesn't strictly fall under any of them. As a result, VBA uses a multitude of approaches through radical inclusion and intersectionality — ensuring that every person feels seen, heard, and valued exactly as they are. Healing is nonlinear. Our ecosystem is designed to honor that truth and meet each person wherever they are on their journey.

Core Principles
  • Trauma-informed at every touchpoint
  • Licensed and credentialed facilitation
  • Survivor voice at the center of design
  • Culturally humble and inclusive
  • Consent and confidentiality always
  • Accessible to all backgrounds and identities
  • Evidence-informed and continuously evaluated
Program Access — What You Need to Know
Who Can Access

Any adult survivor of sexual or domestic violence. Children ages 10–17 with caregiver involvement. No documentation required.

Cost

Events are free or donation-based. Therapy is available on a sliding scale. Retreats have an associated cost — scholarships are available. No one is turned away for inability to pay.

Format & Location

Los Angeles-based with global reach. Events can take place anywhere — because gender-based violence is global and survivors are everywhere. Retreat locations vary. Virtual options available worldwide.

How to Access

Self-referral, caregiver referral, or professional referral accepted. No prior therapy experience required. Start here →

Our Programs

Healing pathways across five pillars

Every program at VBA is grounded in trauma-informed principles, delivered by licensed professionals, and shaped by survivor input. Survivors can enter through any pillar and move between supports as needed.

01
Pillar One

Clinical & Therapeutic Care

Our Healing Circle
01 · Clinical Care
"A space where I finally felt safe enough to begin."

Our Healing Circle

Licensed, trauma-informed therapy in a community setting — where survivors find safety, connection, and a guided path toward restoration.

Trauma-InformedLicensedCommunity
👥 Group 🏠 In-Person · LA 💚 Free 🔒 Confidential
Individual & Group Therapy
01 · Therapy

Individual & Group Therapy

EMDR, somatic, and CBT frameworks delivered by licensed trauma specialists — individual and group modalities designed to restore safety and identity.

IndividualGroupEMDRSomaticCBT
👤 Individual & Group 💻 Virtual & In-Person 💚 Sliding Scale ⏱ Response within 48hrs
Children's Therapeutic Programs
01 · Children

Children's Therapeutic Programs

Play-based, expressive, and family-inclusive trauma therapy for children ages 10–17 impacted by family violence.

Ages 10–17Play TherapyFamily
🧒 Ages 10–17 👨‍👩‍👧 Caregiver Required 🏠 In-Person · LA 💚 Free
02
Pillar Two

Embodied Healing & Restoration

Somatic Arts Therapy
02 · Somatic Arts

Somatic Arts Therapy

Body-centered healing through sound, ocean therapy, movement, and expressive arts — designed to access what words alone cannot reach.

Sound BathOcean TherapyYogaBreathwork
👥 Group 💻 Virtual & In-Person 💚 Free 📅 Bi-Monthly
Movement as Medicine
02 · Movement

Movement as Medicine

Fitness classes, dance, pole, aerial, and more — trauma-sensitive movement experiences that help survivors reconnect with their bodies through joy, strength, and community energy.

FitnessDancePoleAerialStrength
👥 Group 🏠 In-Person · LA 💚 Free 📅 Ongoing
Survivor Healing Retreats
02 · Retreats

Survivor Healing Retreats

Multi-day immersive retreat experiences combining therapy, restoration, and community in purpose-designed healing environments.

Multi-DayImmersiveSanta Barbara
🏕 Multi-Day 📍 Santa Barbara 💚 Scholarship Available 📝 Application Required
03
Pillar Three

Continuity & Care Coordination

Resource Navigation & Advocacy
03 · Navigation

Resource Navigation & Advocacy

Holistic case navigation connecting survivors to housing, legal aid, financial resources, and medical care — ensuring no one falls through the cracks.

Case NavigationLegal AidHousingMedical
👤 Individual 💻 Virtual & In-Person 💚 Free 🔄 Ongoing Support
How It Works
1
Initial Assessment
A confidential conversation to understand your needs, goals, and what support looks like for you.
2
Personalized Care Plan
A roadmap across systems — therapy, housing, legal, financial, and more — built around your pace.
3
Ongoing Navigation
We coordinate across systems so you don't have to — checking in, adjusting, and advocating throughout.
04
Pillar Four

Amplify. Advocate. Lead.

Survivor Voice & Podcast
04 · Voice

Survivor Voice & Podcast

Your story has power. VBA's podcast and digital media platforms give survivors a safe, supported space to share their experience — on their own terms, with full consent — and reach others who need to hear it.

PodcastDigital MediaAdvocacyStorytelling
🎙 Participant-Led 💻 Virtual 💚 Free ✋ Consent-First
Speaking Bureau
04 · Leadership

Speaking Bureau

Become a trained speaker who represents VBA in schools, workplaces, hospitals, and policy rooms. We prepare you, support you, and place you — so your lived experience creates real change in the spaces that need it most.

KeynotesSchoolsHealthcarePolicy Forums
🎤 Training Provided 🏛 Multiple Venues 💚 Paid Opportunities 📝 Application Required
05
Pillar Five

Education, Advocacy & Systems Change

Policy & Systems Change
05 · Policy

Policy & Systems Change

Advocacy and institutional partnerships that build trauma-informed cultures — working with organizations to reform practices, policies, and systems that affect survivors.

Policy ReformInstitutionalAdvocacySystems
🏛 Institutional 🌍 Regional & National 🤝 Partnership-Based 📋 By Inquiry
Educational Outreach
05 · Education

Educational Outreach

Prevention-focused training and education for schools, campuses, and community organizations — equipping communities to recognize, respond to, and prevent harm.

PreventionTrainingSchoolsCampuses
🏫 Schools & Campuses 💻 Virtual & In-Person 👥 Group Format 📋 By Inquiry
Life Inside VBA Programs
Community in full bloom
Santa Barbara · Retreat
Community in full bloom
Connection that heals
Los Angeles · Community
Connection that heals
Joy as a form of resistance
VBA · Healing Arts
Joy as a form of resistance
VBA Programs Are

What we are built to do

Trauma-informed and survivor-centered at every touchpoint
Led by licensed, credentialed clinicians and facilitators
Free or sliding-scale — no one turned away for inability to pay
Open to survivors at any stage — recent or decades ago
Culturally humble, inclusive, and identity-affirming
Holistic — addressing mind, body, community, and systems
Available for self-referral and professional referral
VBA Programs Are Not

So you find the right fit

A 24/7 crisis hotline — for immediate crisis, call RAINN: 1-800-656-4673
An emergency shelter or housing provider
A legal services or court advocacy organization
A medical or forensic examination provider
A replacement for emergency services

If you need services we don't provide, we will help connect you to the right resource. Visit Find Support →

What to Expect

When you contact VBA

We want you to know exactly what happens after you reach out — so nothing feels uncertain or overwhelming.

01
You Reach Out

Via our support form, email, or referral. Your name and details are completely confidential.

02
We Respond Within 48 Hours

A warm, knowledgeable team member responds — not an automated system. For urgent needs, email us directly.

03
Gentle Intake Conversation

A brief, unhurried conversation to understand what you need — at your pace, with no pressure to share more than you're ready to.

04
Your Pathway Begins

We match you to the right programs, supports, and resources — with a care plan built around you, not a system.

For Clinicians, Educators & First Responders
Refer a survivor to VBA

We accept warm referrals from clinicians, hospitals, campus advocates, law enforcement, and community organizations. Email us directly or use the form on our Support page.

For Survivors

You are welcome here — exactly as you are.

Whatever your experience, however long ago — our Find Support page walks you through every pathway available to you, at your pace, with full confidentiality.

Find Your Pathway →

🔒 Confidential · No pressure · Your pace always

For Partners & Professionals

Bring VBA programs to your community.

Clinicians, educators, healthcare providers, and organizations — reach out to discuss collaboration, referrals, training, or institutional partnership.

We respond within 48 hours · [email protected]