We host workshops for high schoolers, college students and community members on the most insidious red flags of abuse and trauma, built around our short film Silk.

We host workshops for high schoolers, college students and community members on the most insidious red flags of abuse and trauma, built around our short film Silk.

1. Photography by La Bloise Art 2. Photography by Alexander Rivero

Silk Screening + Workshop

Healing TREE’s Silk Screening + Workshop is a 1.5 hour event on the most insidious red flags of abuse and trauma. It can be done virtually or in person (virtual scholarships are currently available for Kentuckiana schools and organizations, see below). It includes a screening of the Healing TREE short film Silk, which was an Official Selection at an Academy Award Qualifying festival and stars mainstream talent. The accompanying workshop dives deeper into what was illustrated on screen. A powerpoint presentation educates on red flags, as well as trauma’s impact on the brain and steps for effective intervention and healing. There are grounding exercises as well as a Q&A. The impact is measured in pre and post assessments. Results show that attendees walk away far better equipped to heal from the aftermath of what too many have faced and to prevent themselves and others from being victimized by, or perpetrating, abusive situations in the future. This event is appropriate for ages 13+. It engages everyone from students to teachers, clients to helping professionals, lawyers to judges, as well as community members at-large. Silk encourages an open conversation about the important, but often undiscussed, topic of psychological abuse. As of December 2024, we have sponsored nearly 500 participants to receive this workshop.

Photography by La Bloise Art (L) and Alexander Rivero (R)

About Our Screening + Workshop

Our Silk Screening + Workshop is a 1.5 hour event that can be done virtually or in person. The cost for a virtual event is $750 and the cost for an in-person event is $1,500. This program is appropriate for clinicians as well as laypeople, staff as well as students. It is appropriate for ages 13+. It can be done for groups as small as 10 and as large as 50. Thanks to our generous partner, Kosair for Kids Face It Movement, we currently have a limited number of scholarship spots available for virtual workshops. These scholarships are available for organizations and schools in Kentucky and Southern Indiana through June of 2025. Email us to claim your spot!

The program consists of:

  • Introduction
  • Grounding exercise
  • Pre-assessment
  • Film screening
  • Message and grounding exercise from trauma expert and co-producer of Silk, Dr. Jamie Marich
  • Powerpoint presentation on the most insidious red flags of abuse and trauma, highlighting examples from the film, as well as steps for effective intervention and healing
  • Sharing Healing TREE’s resources
  • Q&A 
  • Post-assessment 

Trailer

Testimonials

“Watching the Silk film and learning about how deep trauma can go specifically with gaslighting really validated my own feelings and experience. It was very well presented, coming from someone who has been through it themselves.”
– Participant 2024 | Ampersand (Staff) | Lexington, KY

“I was in shock, I knew I was in an abusive relationship as a child. However, I did not realize that I was using a tactic against my children.  I am ashamed and will definitely try to rectify the situation.  I appreciate the training, I will use this information in professional and personal relationships. Thank you for the video and the presenters, this was amazing.”
– Participant, 2024 | Ampersand (Staff) | Lexington KY

“The knowledge gained from this film/workshop was invaluable. Having the words and definitions to put with the feelings or thoughts or actions that have occurred previously in my life really helps to feel validated and be able to move forward.” 
– Participant, 2024 | Family and Children’s Place (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“I am currently trying to end a 23 year mentally and verbally abusive relationship and seeing this made me feel validated. It let me know that it wasn’t just in my head or it wasn’t my fault. I cannot express to you what this presentation has meant to me.”
– Participant, 2023 | Maysville KCTCS | Maysville, KY

“I know for myself that I may not have intended to hurt others or use tactics displayed in the film but I have and I acknowledged and worked on it, and that I believe is something that would benefit all.”
– Participant, 2024 | St. Vincent de Paul (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“I’m a therapist who experienced more overt forms of abuse in childhood and adolescence and have spent more than a decade learning about and healing from complex trauma. Despite that experience and knowledge, I had difficulty advocating for myself when I was being psychologically abused recently. This workshop helped me better understand what I experienced and why it continues to impact me. It’s given me better language to advocate for myself and others.” 
– Participant, 2024 | Boys & Girls Haven (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“It made gaslighting easy to point out which is helpful in seeing signs of this in yourself and others.”
– Participant, 2023 | Center for Nonprofit Excellence | Louisville, KY

“This was a very good training. I definitely realized some of the relationships I had/am currently involved in have been trauma inducing or toxic and abusive. I will be utilizing (Healing TREE’s Approved Care Network) because finding care was always very stressful and overwhelming to me.”
– Participant, 2023 | UP for Women and Children (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“I am reenacting my trauma on my children. I want to stop, I want to do better but it hurts to see myself as abusive when I have fought so hard to be a mother to them; I am still emotionally shut down from the trauma I have overcome but I believe I can heal and outgrow this completely.” 
– Participant, 2023 | Choosewell (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“This workshop was extremely helpful in understanding specific signs of abuse because they can at times feel so intangible. I feel like I can do a better job in working with students to identify them as signs of abuse as a trained Mental Health First Aid staff person as well.”
– Participant, 2023 | Jefferson Community and Technical College (Student) | Louisville, KY

“This film is amazing to show the small sometimes not noticeable ways abuse can occur.”
– Participant, 2024 | Mountain Comprehensive Care Center (Staff) | Prestonsburg, KY

“Some points made me teary-eyed because sometimes we do abusive and damaging things to people without even knowing or having a full awareness. So, this (has) really been beneficial!” 
– Participant, 2023 | Center for Nonprofit Excellence (Client) | Louisville, KY

“The segment about Trauma Bonding was especially insightful and I believe it will help me better understand several friends and their inability to exit harmful relationships. Thank you!”
– Participant, 2023 | Center for Nonprofit Excellence (Staff) | Louisville, KY 

“I am so grateful for you all! I knew all the feelings and what was and had been going on in my life for so long but could not put it in words. Thanks to this presentation I am now seeking help from my therapist to heal parts of me that need to be healed so I can break a family chain… and then also help my kids heal.”
– Participant, 2023 | Choosewell (Client) | Louisville, KY

“I learned that sometimes I may unintentionally gaslight” 
– Participant, 2021 | Maryhurst (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“Film and entertainment (are) a brilliant and powerful medium to encourage awareness and increased knowledge of difficult subjects such as abuse and trauma. Thank you!”
– Participant, 2023 | University of Kentucky (Student) | Lexington, KY 

“This workshop was fantastic. I have been in the human services field for 9+ years and learned new information with this film/workshop combination!”
– Participant, 2023 | Jefferson Community and Technical College (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“When I watched the video initially I saw no signs of abuse until you explained them. One thing I learned about myself was that I may unintentionally be an abuser because I noticed I do some of those things. I’m feeling inspired to bring this information to my husband & talk this over with him.” 
– 2021 | The Center for Women and Families (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“I want to share this entire workshop with all of my friends and family.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY 

“I learned a lot of things that I was not educated on and it also showed me that I made the right decision for me and my children leaving my abusive relationship”
– Participant, 2022 | Family & Children’s Place | Louisville, KY

“As a DV advocate, most of my clients say that it was the emotional abuse that hurts the worst, not physical/financial or sexual… it leaves the most scars and takes the longest to heal from. This film and workshop has brought more light to this and was an AMAZING experience. I appreciated it and needed it. Thank you.”
– Participant, 2022 | Clark County and Floyd County Bar Associations | Clark and Floyd Counties, IN

“This workshop was a good reminder about systemic oppression being trauma and a part of the intersectionality of many of our students’ trauma experiences.”
– Participant, 2022 | Brescia University | Owensboro, KY

“I am feeling inspired to continue to educate others, practice EMDR training more and find a therapist for myself.”
– Participant, 2022 | Brescia University | Owensboro, KY

“This was extremely informative and in depth. I appreciate how this film and workshop address aspects of psychological abuse that many people do not know about. Learning the specific tactics like stonewalling and emotional withholding was very informative. I also think it is very helpful that other contexts of abuse were included – many people do not consider abusive friendships or abusive parents or family members when talking about abuse/psychological abuse, and I think that was very helpful to share.”
– Participant, 2022 | Clark County and Floyd County Bar Associations | Clark and Floyd Counties, IN

“I learned that CBT isn’t a therapy that treats the particular parts of the brain where trauma is stored.”
– Participant, 2021 | GreenHouse17 (Staff) | Lexington, KY

I learned that trauma is so much more complex than what is understood on the surface, but the healing (not just coping) is very possible.
– Participant, 2021 | ChooseWell (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“I learned that my trauma is valid. I recognized that I have effects of trauma but I wasn’t beaten as a kid or anything like that so I thought my trauma wasn’t real or valid or that I was just extra sensitive.” 
– Participant, 2021 | The Center for Women and Families (Staff) | Louisville, KY

The best example of gaslighting! An awesome film that shows the subtleties of abuse and gaslighting, a MUST SEE!”
– Participant, 2021 | ChooseWell (Staff) | Louisville, KY

“A powerful short film that helps you understand emotional abuse in a way that books and presentations just can’t.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY 

“What an incredible workshop and film! I find the nuances of the film to be clear after having been explained all the forms of abuse that are shown by (Healing TREE Founder) Marissa. These types of abuse are so common and fly under the radar that most people would have no idea that they are either doing these behaviors or are a victim or both. I highly recommend this workshop to everyone to better educate our country so we can stop the abuse that causes so many sociological issues. Thank you for this in depth education!”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY 

“This was incredible. Thank you for doing this! I hope you all are able to keep doing these in the future, I think it is really important especially for college aged people to learn about emotional abuse and trauma as many first relationships develop at this age.”
– Participant, 2021 | Bellarmine University | Louisville, KY

“I am definitely a victim of emotional abuse in past relationships and my current relationship has touches of it on both sides. I will use what I learned to try and strengthen my current relationship and stop this pattern for myself.”
– Participant, 2021 | Bellarmine University | Louisville, KY

“I would like to talk to my therapist about this film during our session tomorrow. I’m concerned that I have been emotionally abusive towards my partner at times related to my personal upbringing and what I’ve thought as ‘normal’, can actually be quite harmful to my partner.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY 

Share your Silk Screening + Workshop testimonial with us…

Sponsor

You can sponsor a high school, college, or community organization to host our Silk Screening + Workshop at no cost to them. $750 covers a virtual event and $1,500 covers an in person event.

Bring a Silk Screening + Workshop to your school or organization

Contact Healing TREE to discuss bringing a Silk Screening + Workshop to you.

Thank You to Our Sponsor!

Giving Levels

Healing TREE works closely with businesses, charitable trusts, public bodies and individuals to form mutually beneficial partnerships that have a real impact. Your support, no matter the size, is important in sustaining our life saving programs. In appreciation of your gift, you will receive a comprehensive collection of carefully selected benefits designed and easily customizable depending on your needs. If you have any questions about donor benefits, please contact us at [email protected] or (502) 743-2733.

PLATINUM $10,000
BENEFITS OF DONATING AT THE PLATINUM LEVEL

  • Extra-large logo placement on Silk page.
  • Prominent sponsor name / logo recognition in all press releases and social media posts related to sponsored screenings + workshops.
  • 3 posts on any of our social media platforms – dedicated to your company only.
  • Annual impact report with a charitable tax receipt.

GOLD $6,000
BENEFITS OF DONATING AT THE GOLD LEVEL

  • Large logo placement on Silk page.
  • Prominent sponsor name / logo recognition in all press releases and social media posts related to sponsored screenings + workshops.
  • 2 posts on any of our social media platforms – dedicated to your company only.
  • Annual impact report with a charitable tax receipt

SILVER $3,000
BENEFITS OF DONATING AT THE SILVER LEVEL

  • Medium logo placement on Silk page.
  • Sponsor name / logo recognition in all press releases and social media posts related to sponsored screenings + workshops.
  • 1 post on any of our social media platforms – dedicated to your company only.
  • Annual impact report with a charitable tax receipt

BRONZE $1,500
BENEFITS OF DONATING AT THE BRONZE LEVEL

  • Small logo placement on Silk page.
  • Sponsor name / logo recognition in all press releases and social media posts related to sponsored screening + workshop.
  • 1 post on any of our social media platforms – this will be shared with other level sponsors
  • Annual impact report with a charitable tax receipt.

FRIENDS $750
BENEFITS OF DONATING AT THE FRIENDS LEVEL

  • Extra small logo / name placement on Silk page.
  • Sponsor name / logo recognition in all press releases and social media posts related to sponsored screening + workshop.
  • Annual impact report with a charitable tax receipt.

Looking for an affordable and convenient way to support Healing TREE? Simply arrange a monthly gift. Recurring donations are vital to sustaining all of Healing TREE’s programming. All monthly donors will be recognized at the level associated with their annual donation total.