Sustaining Survivor Leadership: Addressing Ambiguous Loss Through Survivor Led Holistic and Spiritually-Informed Care
Marjorie Saylor (she/her) & Ashley Faison (she/her) | September 23 | 3:15-4:15 pm EDT
Topic: Experience, Direct Service | Knowledge Level: Advanced
This workshop, led by two national survivor leaders, explores how to effectively support survivors in leadership navigating the complex and often unrecognized experience of ambiguous loss. Ambiguous loss, defined as a loss without closure or clear resolution, frequently manifests in survivors of human trafficking, years after leaving exploitation, through fractured identity, disrupted relationships, and the ongoing tension between past exploitation and present leadership roles. Drawing from lived experience and professional practice, this presentation introduces a conceptual framework for understanding how ambiguous loss uniquely impacts survivor leaders; particularly those engaged in advocacy, systems change, and peer support roles. The session will examine how traditional service models often fail to address these layered losses, leading to burnout, isolation, and emotional dissonance among survivors. Presenters will outline a holistic support model that integrates mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health as essential components of sustainable leadership. Emphasis will be placed on the role of spiritual identity, meaning-making, and restoration in healing ambiguous loss, alongside practical strategies for organizations to create environments that honor survivor leadership while reducing harm. Participants will gain actionable tools to better support survivor leaders within their organizations, including trauma-informed supervision practices, boundaries for sustainable engagement, and approaches that center dignity, autonomy, and long-term healing. This workshop ultimately calls for a paradigm shift toward holistic, survivor-centered leadership support that recognizes both the visible and invisible impacts of exploitation.
Presentation Objectives:
• Examine how ambiguous loss manifests uniquely in survivor leaders and impacts their leadership, identity, and well-being
• Analyze gaps within traditional service and organizational models that fail to adequately support survivor leaders
• Introduce a holistic framework that integrates mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health in survivor leadership support
• Provide practical strategies for organizations to sustainably support, retain, and empower survivor leaders without causing further harm