HEART Model Presented at Healthcare Expo in Houston, TX
Healing Emotional Affective Responses to Trauma (HEART) is a Model designed to treat complex trauma specifically with survivors of Human Trafficking. This Model was recently presented at the recent Healthcare Design Expo and Conference, held this year in Houston, TX on November 12th – 15th 2016.
In a paper submitted titled “Using Design to Rescue Children from Commercial Sex Trafficking”, Dr. Benjamin Keyes, (Assoc. Professor and Director of Training and Internship for the School of Counseling at Divine Mercy University) presented his HEART Model and recent research findings along with three other colleagues to an audience of about 100 healthcare design and building professionals.
Marc Schweitzer and Karen Cupp, of Stafford King Weise Architects in Sacramento, CA, discussed a recent researched design for a treatment group home based on the issues and emotional difficulties facing survivors of Human Trafficking and the elements of the HEART Model that is used to treat these women at Courage Worldwide in Rocklin, CA.
Jenny Williamson (CEO of Courage Worldwide) started the workshop off with a quick overview of the problems facing recovery efforts with trafficked juvenile survivors. Dr. Keyes presented the effectiveness of a spiritually based treatment model (HEART) and the current research showing significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms, along with an increase of personal resiliency and positive God image. Mr. Schweitzer and Ms. Cupp then explained the intricacies of a complex design model which addressed issues of trust, safety, comfort, identity, spirituality, resiliency and emotional overcoming within the very design of the facility and how healthcare facilities of the future needs to work with treatment models to significantly improve the facilitation of recovery and healing.
This concept of design is new to the area of trauma recovery and the HEART Model is well on its way in becoming a Best Practice in the treatment of complex trauma.