Sex trafficking doesn't happen in distant places to other people—it thrives on trauma that exists in every community. During my nine months working with survivors at The Cupcake Girls, I learned that traffickers are skilled predators who specifically target those whose past wounds have left them vulnerable. But I also witnessed extraordinary resilience: survivors rebuilding their lives, reclaiming their voices, and teaching us that while trauma may create vulnerability, it doesn't determine destiny.

My biggest takeaway as a first-year MSW student: EMDR and trauma-informed care share the same heart. EMDR offers a precise way to unlock stuck neural networks; TIC makes sure we follow a treatment plan with the client, at their pace, and with deep respect for culture, history, and choice. When those pieces come together, “what happened to me” shifts from a constant alarm to a past-tense story and one that the client can hold with more calm, meaning, and control.