YWCA Director Honored With Victim Service Specialist Award
Congratulations to Morgan Colburn, LICSW!
YWCA Spokane’s Director, Morgan Colburn, was awarded Lutheran Community Services NW Victim Service Specialist Award At Their Partners In Justice 2019 Awards Event.
This June at Lutheran Community Services Northwest’s annual Partners In Justice Awards ceremony held at Barrister Winery, Morgan Colburn, Director of Counseling, Advocacy, and Outreach, won the Victim Service Specialist Award in honor of her accomplishments within YWCA Spokane’s services for domestic violence victims and survivors.
“Morgan Colburn is a valuable victim services colleague and recently received a promotion at YWCA Spokane, which is much deserved. Morgan is well-respected in the Spokane community for her dedicated, compassionate and down-to-earth sensibility. She is a person with high standards for serving survivors of intimate partner abuse and for supporting her team of advocates. Thank you for your many years of service!” – Shared in the anonymous award nomination submission
In addition to her contribution of overseeing YWCA Spokane’s counseling services and outreach, Morgan has taken over leadership of our legal advocacy team with her recent promotion. Morgan’s leadership includes an emphasis on promoting a work culture informed of vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma is exactly as it sounds- experiencing trauma as a result of someone you know experiencing trauma (like a client).
Vicarious trauma is, unfortunately, an inevitable occurrence for counselors, advocates, and social workers who work with survivors. Morgan creates an environment that allows her team to discuss this trauma openly with each other, without judgment; or through one-on-ones during regularly scheduled reflections on their work. “I consider it an honor to make these teams trauma-informed and centered,” Morgan said.
Lutheran Community Services NW Victim Advocacy and Education Awards acknowledge the tremendous work of those who work in victim and survivors services, from police officers, to judges, to counselors. This year’s awards ceremony was the highest attended ceremony to date. The growing care of our community for victims and survivors of crime and abuse was clear. We are deeply grateful to Lutheran Community Services for acknowledging Morgan’s incredible work with survivors, and her work to support those who serve survivors. We are so thankful for your partnership in this work!
Learn More About YWCA Spokane’s Advocacy Work
YWCA Spokane’s Intimate Partner Domestic Violence Support Services are Spokane’s only state-recognized program for victims and survivors of intimate partner domestic violence. Our services are free, confidential, and designed to empower survivors through knowledge and connection to resources. Having a domestic violence charge against you doesn’t mean you can’t access services.
“I’ve used almost every one of the services here and it’s changed the trajectory of my life. I was thinking this morning, if it wasn’t for YWCA Spokane I can honestly say I don’t even know if I’d be alive. I was ready to give up. This place has been a huge part of changing the course of my life. It’s the people here. It’s been amazing.”- YWCA Spokane Client
By: Olivia Moorer