About
Susan Bredemeyer
M.S. LPC, NCC
Susan Bredemeyer is the Founder and President of LoveWorks Counseling and Consultation and Beauty for Ashes Ministries. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Oklahoma, A member of the National Board of Certified Counselors and the American Counseling Association, and is certified in trauma therapy. She is also a licensed ordained minister and has a Bachelor of Science in Ministry and Leadership, and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Susan has worked as an assistant chaplain at Eddie Warrior Correctional Center and Brookhaven Mental Hospital where she was led to pursue a career in the mental health field, counseling clients with trauma including trafficking, domestic violence, and child welfare cases, using trauma-focused techniques including EMDR. As a survivor of trauma, she is passionate about social change, advocacy, and empowering others. She speaks nationally as a life experience expert to train and educate service providers, law enforcement, and the community on trauma-informed care and services, and human trafficking.
Consultation/Training Experience
Zarrow Mental Health Symposium
Tulsa, OK – September 2021
“Empowering Trafficking Survivors with Trauma Informed Care”
Training mental health professionals on the appropriate use of Trauma Informed Care in their practice and how this empowers survivors and fosters positive self-determination.
Oklahoma Judicial Auxiliary Committee
Oklahoma City, OK – May 2021
“Incorporating Survivor testimony”
Speaking to Judges and their wives about human trafficking and how to assist survivors in trail helping them feel supported and that their voice matters. Explaining how the legal system re-traumatizes and ways to avoid this.
STIC -Survivor Trauma Informed Care Conference
Avery Center for Research
National Teleconference – March 2021
“Rapport and Therapy with the Dissociated Trafficking Survivor”
Training service providers on types and signs of dissociation, how to work with these clients, keeping them engaged, earning trust, and barriers to the therapeutic process.
Oklahoma Survivors Council
Broken Arrow, OK – November 2020
“Going Beyond the Basics.”
Training for service providers and mental health with continuing education units, to provide knowledge of building rapport and understanding trauma brain.
Oklahoma Survivors Council/Improving Lives Counseling Services
Tulsa, OK - February 2020
“Bridging the Gap – Rapport Building Techniques and Modalities that Work”
Continuing Education Course for Mental Health Providers, with a focus on trauma informed care with victims/survivors of human trafficking and effective therapeutic modalities.
Okmulgee Republican Committee
Okmulgee, OK – November 2019
“Human Trafficking in Rural OK”
Human Trafficking (HT) 101 training with emphasis on what trafficking looks like in rural areas, what political changes need to be made in order to provide services to victims/survivors.
A21
Tulsa, OK – October 2019
“Understanding the Survivor”
Identifying and helping victims of sex-trafficking, the challenges of building trust with survivors how to overcome obstacles and understand responses from victims.
Panel discussion with – Tulsa Vice, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa District Attorney, DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services)
Historical Trauma and Forensic Interviewing
Langston University, Guthrie, OK – September 2019
Training for Law Enforcement, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, FBI
“Building Rapport that gets Results”
HT 201/301, focusing on trauma to the brain, the victims’ responses, tools to build communication and rapport with victims, how to understand and work through trauma responses.
Tulsa Lawyers for Children – Sex Trafficking and Protecting Teen Clients
Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, OK – August 2019
Training with Attorneys, DHS (Department of Human Services), CPA (Child Protective Services) and CASA
HT 101, with emphasis on adolescence identification, trauma bonding and the client’s need to protect the perpetrator.
Improving Lives Counseling Services
Tulsa, OK – May 2019
“Identification and Trauma Informed Care with Victims of Human Trafficking”
Mental health provider training to understand trauma informed care, under-identification, proper reporting with DHS and Law Enforcement, the culture of sex-trafficking and differences in how sex-trafficking happens, emotional and physical responses due to trauma to the brain from brain injuries and emotional/mental abuse.
Shared Hope International JUST Conference
San Diego, CA – October 2018
“Building Rapport with Victims/Survivors”
Training service providers on techniques that can be used to build rapport with victims/survivors of human trafficking. Teaching on the cultural differences of “the life” of sex-trafficking and sexual exploitation and how-to cross-cultural barriers.