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CAC's Safe from the Start (SFTS) program is unlike any other in the area. We work with families who have experienced abuse to help each member on their path toward healing in a safe, therapeutic setting. What's truly unique about the program is that our therapy is offered to children birth - 5 years-old who have witnessed domestic abuse. These services are free of charge and offered in English and Spanish.

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Our Master's-level therapists work with each other and each member of the family to develop appropriate and effective treatment plans that address and work through past traumas, which helps our clients build resilience and break the cycle of abuse. Some techniques they utilize are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Play Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Mindfulness.

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While "healing" looks different for every family, our goal is to ensure each family walks out of their therapy knowing what happened to them is not their fault, that they feel safe in their world, and that they are able to function better in their daily lives. 

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SFTS is staffed by five Master's-level therapists, all of whom have participated in the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) 40-hour training program.