YPAD Support Service
Free and Private Consultation on YPAD Topics
YPAD Support Service
YPAD’s Support Service is for anyone in the dance community needing one-on-one, private consultation in the areas of emotional, physical, and sexual safety. YPAD offers a limited number of FREE support sessions for educators with one of our specialists in a wide range of YPAD topics. If you need a safe landing place, a YPAD specialist can help guide your next steps. YPAD support professionals have been serving the mission of keeping kids happy, health,y and safe in dance since 2012.
YPAD Support Services are offered as a FREE resource to our dance community; they do not provide therapy, legal, or financial advice. YPAD Support Service professionals can offer support, resources, and/or solutions and can help those who need it to talk through difficult issues to explore possible solutions and next steps.
YPAD Support Service does not take the place of a crisis hotline.
If you are in crisis, an imminent danger to yourself or others, or in need of immediate support, here are resources for you:
Emergency: 911
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
Violence Intervention Project, Inc.: 1-877-847-3223
ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-Child
National Eating Disorder Hotline: 1-800 931-2237
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
The Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860
YPAD Support Service Professionals
Dr. Steven Karageanes, D.O.
Dr. Christina Donaldson, Ph.D. (on medical leave)
Sammi Rader, M.S.W.
Cynthia Newland, M.F.A.
Tiffany Prout-Leitao, YPAD Certified Coach
Vanessa Terrell, YPAD Certified Coach
Neisha Hernandez, YPAD Certified Coach
Additional Information and Support
The need for survivors of abuse in dance to have access to one-on-one, confidential support with trauma-informed specialists has always been an important offering within YPAD’s mission. Now more than ever, people need to process their experiences in a safe, calm, and confidential space that is survivor-focused and free of judgment.
Informed consent on the possible outcomes for choices as well as self-driven next steps is paramount for all survivors.
YPAD Support Services do not take the place of legal or medical advice, or a therapeutic relationship, but they can be an important step to receiving trauma-informed advocacy and resources and assessing options for the next steps (finding a therapist, support group, reporting, civil lawsuit, etc.). Our goal is to empower survivors and assist in a way that feels safe for each individual circumstance and experience.
Abuse is not one size fits all, and neither is recovery. YPAD has a long history of supporting survivors in their most vulnerable moments and helping them heal in mind, body, and spirit. We see you, many of us are you, and if you need us please reach out.
YPAD’s Support Service for sexual abuse is survivor-centered.
YPAD recognizes that many abusers may also be survivors, however, it is not congruent with our mission or services to offer support to individuals who may be the focus of an active sexual abuse allegation or who are otherwise associated with an allegation of abuse (even if they believe they have been falsely accused), those who have been charged with or convicted of sexual abuse, or those who realize they have sexually abused others. We encourage these individuals to seek recovery and rehabilitation, but we will not assist them in doing so.
YPAD offers additional resources designed to provide information on the harmful consequences of sexualization and sexual abuse on society and survivors, and education on how and why people abuse. We invite every member of the dance community to engage with our FREE Sexual Abuse Prevention, Awareness, and Response webinar.
Accountability & Reporting a Concern
YPAD’s 5 Tier Approach To Relational Accountability
YPAD's mission is to benefit the dance industry by providing education on best practices for the physical, emotional, and sexual health and safety of dancers. YPAD has established certain policies and procedures related to our Dance Professionals Code of Conduct for certified educators/organizations, which includes procedures for reporting and addressing concerns.
Please carefully consider your complaint before submitting and be advised that it takes more than a mere disagreement with a YPAD certified educator/organization to justify a review. Please be advised that any complaints must include documents, evidence, and/or other information to support your claim.
YPAD’s website currently includes a link to voice anonymous concerns about YPAD Certified educators/organizations. Under the current practice, concerns are reviewed by an internal review committee. If deemed appropriate, the review committee will request a dialogue call with the person/organization that is the subject of the concern.
Information from the dialogue call will be evaluated by a larger review committee and a decision on next steps will be made according to YPAD’s 5-tier accountability process. Internal reviews are confidential, and as such, YPAD does not provide the complainant with any information regarding actions YPAD may or may not take in regards to the person/organization named in the concern.
