THE TEAM:
THE VISIONARY: TARYN MAXWELL, MS
Executive Director | LUSID
Doctoral Candidate; Psychologist's Intern
Taryn Maxwell, MS, a Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology, the (volunteer) Executive Director, and visionary behind LUSID is a survivor of childhood sexual trafficking and is a carrier of processed transgenerational trauma of Indigenous genocide, human trafficking, and childhood sexual abuse, among others. They originally enrolled in their Ph.D. program because they could not find the type of care and support they needed to heal as a unique individual with a complex trauma history without enduring abuse or erasure.
Taryn will always just build it themselves if they cannot find what they need. They have been described as relentless, intimidating, and meticulous but also as the warm mother many have never had, as being able to see though people, and as a giggle-bot. They have been told they have saved more lives than they can remember by taking the time to stop and sit with people in crisis. Along the way in this degree program, they were repeatedly told until they had to recognize it, that they had a knack for and comfortability with the places the field often fails due to stigma, cultural rigidity, and an inability to adapt to humanity.
As tragedy in their personal life gave them a faceted view of healing, they were able to recognize what in the systems failed and ask the right questions to get where they need to go.
When healing leads you to the same point over and over again that the culture and colonial systems of structure are the reason for everything going wrong for generations, leading to nothing but trauma, you have to do something. Taryn chose to write their dissertation on how the response from the first person a minor attracted person shapes whether or not they go on to offend after learning that abusers often ask for help in their youth and many people with attraction never go on to offend. From there it was hard to ignore that maybe fewer people would have shown up to abuse them as a child if they had just gotten the help they need.
Taryn came up with the idea for LUSID after years of being disappointed by the currently available options. As much as this is an act of love for the victims of sexual abuse, it is also an act of love for the victims who never got help and continued the cycle. There are many people who ask for help and never get it, that is why one of the primary goals of LUSID is to help ensure those who are struggling with intrusive thoughts, OCD, transgenerational trauma, appropriate development, and repressed memories can go to receive present, competent, non-stigmatized care to ensure they do not become radicalized and go on to offend.
On occasion, ill-informed and triggered people have accused Taryn of being an apologist for abusers, to which Taryn responds they have participated in the removal of many abusers from systems on multiple continents, including C-suite executives, Mormon Stake Elders, and European Catholic Clergy. At present writing they are involved with law enforcement in the takedown of two trafficking rings. When physically confronted with an attempted abduction as a teen, by a man with Marine license plates on his truck, Taryn got his knife from him, turning it on him, and continuing on to watch a play at school. One could be forgiven for thinking Taryn was unshakable.
They do what needs to be done to ensure the world around them is safer for the next person once they are involved, whatever form that can and will take.
The rest of the team is coming soon! Make a founding donation today to help make history!