Often throughout my life, I have had to take the time to reevaluate where I am and what I am doing in order to adjust my behavior accordingly. I have just gone through one of those times.

What I have dealt with and am dealing with right now is very dark, and I admit is has a tendency to put me on edge and make me irritable when I work too long or hard on this subject. Unfortunately it just comes with the territory, and to me is logical- but I cannot deny that others watch me become biting and angry as a result, and the very negativity that I am working against is what I end up sharing with the world around me.

Gandhi once said that you must “become the change” you wish to see in the world- and I had a wonderful woman remind me of that today in no uncertain candor, as she directed me to take a good hard look at myself. My anger and frustration is not helpful in getting my point across, and right now, I have a lot on the table that requires the grace my mother was so well known for.

So for now, at least until this conference on human trafficking is over, I am going to refocus my energy into helping this event become as informative and positive that I can. That means leaving the issues of Omaha Nebraska and events surrounding Franklin Credit alone for the time being.

I have no intention of using this human trafficking conference as a platform, and, in fact, I am hoping that this event becomes one where professionals and survivors can network with each other and come to the table and talk. Right now everyone does their own thing and there is little being done in the way of a cohesive movement as a whole- and it is my hope that I can perhaps start the seeds of communication throughout the community so that we can really make a difference with human bondage and slavery.

However, I do have to point out that the survivor’s panel has both me and my older sister on it- and we are opening ourselves up for questions, along with other survivors on the panel, in hopes to explain exactly what is behind this human trafficking issue in America. Explaining our experiences with being trafficked and sold, it is our intention to bring a real and personal side to this issue in order to explain the psychology of what it is like to be a victim of all of this on a personal level.

So for the time being, I must do what I must to try and make this event as successful and informative as I can, despite the obstacles that are presenting itself along the way. Leaving this old investigation alone for a while is a necessity for this to happen, and so I just wanted to let people know that I am talking a sabbatical from it in order to host the most positive conference that I can.

Thanks for your understanding and patience, and I hope to see many of you at the conference. For those of you who are interested- here is the info…

Human Trafficking in the Heartland: An Intensive Two Day Conference on Child Trafficking and Survivor’s Issues
An intensive two day conference on Child Trafficking and Survivor issues will be held October 15th and 16th, to bring professionals and survivors together in order to explain and detail the effects of human trafficking in our communities and in the field of child trauma.

Monday October 15th 2012

9-10am Introduction/ Nebraska State Senator Amanda McGill- “Passing New Legislation on Human Trafficking”

10-11am Linda Burkle PH.D.; Salvation Army- “Human Trafficking in Nebraska and Our Communities”

11-12pm Vicki Peyton LCSW; Lutheran Family Services- “The Effects of Sexual Abuse on Families”

Lunch- Catered by Panara Breads

1-4 Debra Anderson, MSW, Ph.D.; Project Harmony- “Child Abuse and Neglect 101:Reporting and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect.

4-5 deJoly LaBrier- Author of All Together Now, A Multiple’s Story of Hope and Healing-”Surviving and Thriving Beyond Dissociative Identity Disorder”

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

9-10am Douglas County Health Dept.- “Marketing and Teens and the Diseases They Face”

10-11am Connie Lofgreen MSW, Kairos Psychological, Author of The Storm of Sex Addiction: Rescue and Recover- “Attachment Loss, the Primary Factor in the Making of a Sex Addict”

11-12pm Ellie Field, LPC, LIMHP, Attachment and Trauma Center of Nebraska- “Trauma and Available Therapies”

Lunch- Catered by Panera Breads

1-2pm Lisa Pelto- Owner and Operator of Concierge Marketing- “There is One Book That Can Only Be Written By You”

2-3pm David Shurter- Author of “Rabbit Hole: A Satanic Ritual Abuse Survivor’s Story”- Going Down a Modern Day Rabbit Hole

3-5pm Survivor Panel- Moderated by Florence Shelso LICSW. Survivors include deJoly LaBrier, Kathy Bannister MSW, and David Shurter

15 LMHP and CMSW/CSW CEU’s will be OFFERED for this Two Day Event

Cost 130.00 if registered before October 1st
150.00 if registered after October 1st
175.00 At the Door Registration

For More Info call David Shurter @ 402 740 6241

To Register and Pay for the Conference- go to OmahaHumanTraffickingConference@eventbrite.com

This event will be held at Unity of Omaha, 3424 North 90th Street, Omaha, NE 68134