Human trafficking is frequently overlooked in clinical and community settings—not due to lack of concern, but due to misidentification. Survivors often present with complex emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms that are mistaken for mood disorders, personality disorders, substance use, or “noncompliance,” resulting in missed opportunities for support and intervention. This dynamic session brings together a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor with multi-state expertise, alongside a professional with a background in victim advocacy, forensic interviewing, and human trafficking education. Together, presenters bridge the gap between clinical presentation and real-world identification, offering a grounded understanding of how trafficking can appear across settings. Participants will learn to recognize key emotional, behavioral, and observable physical indicators of trafficking, understand how trauma manifests beyond traditional frameworks, and gain practical tools to respond in a trauma-informed, ethically sound, and survivor-centered manner. This session challenges common assumptions, deepens clinical insight, and equips providers with actionable strategies to identify what is often hidden in plain sight.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Ashley Buckner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Supervisor, and national and international speaker licensed in over 40 states. She is the founder of Anchor & Rise Therapy and Academy, specializing in trauma, grief and loss, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy, providing therapy, supervision, consulting, and continuing education nationwide.