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Carrie Hartwell: Global Healing

When refugees arrive in Richmond, Carrie is uniquely qualified to treat their emotional wounds. Trained in cross-cultural social work, she counsels teens fleeing war, persecution, or human trafficking (the global dirty-little-secret that continues today) in her private practice. “Healing from trauma is cultural,” she explains. “The Western concept of counseling (paying a stranger to listen), is a peculiar idea in many cultures. Models of healing must be culturally-relevant.” Field work in Ghana inspired Carrie’s passion for the world’s neediest. “I fell in love with the people of Ghana. They absolutely changed my life.” Richmond is among twenty U.S. cities that resettle U.N.-designated refugee minors. They come from Burma, Sudan, Afghanistan, and other war-torn areas of the world. “Their resilience is inspiring,” she adds. “When I see a 14-year-old survivor of severe trauma adapt and heal and become a joyful, high-functioning adult, I know there’s hope for the planet.”