Survivors Healing Center

Family Service Agency has been providing counseling and supportive services to those in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties since 1957. Survivors Healing Center was founded by Ellen Bass, co-author of the landmark work The Courage to Heal, and Amy Pine, LMFT. Ellen had become aware of the extent and severity of the problem of child sexual abuse through the poetry and prose of women in her writing workshops. In response to the dearth of services for survivors, she and Ms. Pine began offering therapy groups, retreats, and workshops. They incorporated as Survivors Healing Center in 1988, and operated as a grassroots, volunteer organization until 1996, when a community center was opened and a permanent staff member hired. The organization currently provides services to male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse and their supporters. Primary goals are to empower those victimized by sexual abuse through a healing process and to prevent sexual abuse of children.