Safe Spaces, Strong Women: Dr. Aleata Dawkins on Healing Through Trauma-Informed Care

Women who come to Calvary Women’s Services are from all walks of life. However, each shares one thing in common: the need to feel safe again. For women who have experienced both domestic violence and homelessness, that sense of safety has often been stripped away long before they arrive at Calvary’s doors. This is why we provide free, onsite, and trauma-informed mental health services, led by accomplished and compassionate therapists. One of these therapists is Dr. Aleata Dawkins.

For many of the women she meets, it’s the first time in a long time that someone has seen them not as what they’ve endured, but as who they are becoming. “I really dub myself a hope dealer,” Dr. Dawkins says. After more than 25 years in human services, she’s guided hundreds of women through the process of healing from domestic violence, homelessness, and trauma.

“That is really about meeting a person where they are, being in the here and now, which you’ll see that’s related to the thought. Really, it’s about helping clients to identify the barriers that they might be dealing with, whether that’s homelessness, domestic violence, which is usually the thing that brings them into the program,” she says.

Dr. Dawkins works with residents daily, both virtually and in person at Calvary’s New Foundations site. She explains that it is crucial that our clients recognize that this is a safe space to be open and share their stories without judgment. At Calvary, we prioritize the safety of domestic violence survivors and all women who come through our doors. For many women, that safety comes after surviving unimaginable circumstances.

The first step to this is being personable, having empathy, and recognizing that each story will be different. This is why we emphasize trauma-informed care in our model. Dr. Dawkins also leads staff training to ensure that our programs and case managers are informed and actively practicing this with our clients. This approach grounded in six principles: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration, empowerment and choice, and cultural, historical, and gender awareness. Dr. Dawkins also leads staff training to ensure these principles are actively practiced across all Calvary programs.

“Personability is really at the forefront of the therapeutic session,” she shares.

By normalizing human experiences and honoring each woman’s individuality, staff create a consistent, welcoming presence clients can rely on when they enter and leave sessions. That steady, human connection helps clients feel seen and understood throughout their healing journey.

Many of our clients have found that much of their trauma has generational traces. In the context of abuse and domestic violence, Dr. Dawkins explains that being exposed to this often promotes the idea that the abuser’s actions are ok, when in fact, that is not the case. This is why access to mental health services is substantial on a woman’s journey. Not many people from the communities and demographics of the women we serve recognize the source of their trauma, and providing the service without having to worry about the additional costs allows for true transformation beyond therapy sessions.

With mental health care, housing support, and employment programs all under one roof, women can focus on building a foundation for independence.

“I really educate clients on how phenomenal that is for a program like this to invest in them. Because when someone can take care or assess their mental and emotional wellness, they have the ability to participate in job programs. They have the ability to go out and obtain a job but not just obtain it to maintain a job.” she adds.

This transformation happens every day at Calvary. It happens within therapy rooms where women can be vulnerable and finally rebuild connections with their true selves. Each of their stories is one of survival to strength. Just like Ebele, who came to Calvary after experiencing domestic violence and has exited our program ready to begin again with our mental health and other services.

New beginnings are made possible here. For Dr. Dawkins, that’s what keeps her grounded. She shares this powerful message to our supporters:

“Trauma within our brains signals us to operate in hypervigilance, and during this phase, it doesn’t necessarily recall logic easily, it takes time and an understanding of how to dislodge auto-responses. And so I think those are the things that those individuals who support Calvary may not recognize that you can live out a state of hypervigilance all of your life and be akin to avoiding deep conversations, be akin to not being able to adequately articulate how you feel, but make assumptions and have expectations of other people,” she shares.

Dr. Dawkins continues this message by further elaborating on the shift we see with clients who have this type of support.

“And all of those things are maladaptive coping strategies, and in order to really progress towards goals, you’ve got to be able to tap into where you are. And I think that’s what I offer for clients is how do we make and come to some realization of the impact of trauma, the impact of domestic violence?” she adds.

This is the work that continues long after awareness campaigns end and when the calendar turns from October to November. It continues year-round, within therapy sessions and beyond. We are here to empower and amplify the voices of women who are healing from domestic violence.

Give today to help more women find hope, healing, and a safe place to begin again