Lexi M is trauma educator, survivor outreach provider, and co-founder of Beauty After Bruises. As a survivor of highly complex trauma herself, she uses her lived experience of Dissociative Identity Disorder, as well as navigating all levels of treatment, to inform her outreach and advise clinicians, survivors and everyone with BAB. Due to the nature of her trauma story, much of her personal credentials and life identifiers maintain a level of anonymity, which has become a unique opportunity to demonstrate healthy boundaries and show one potential path concerned survivors can take in their passions. Lexi's main focus today is in creating clear, well-synthesized, heartfelt psychoeducation; writing articles, symptom management tools and resource guides; designing social media and web materials; and most of all bridging the gaps between all extremes necessary for trauma care. Matching well-researched data with deep heart and connection, healthy realism with flourishing hope, and compassionate awareness with real tangible and effective change.
Anne Knisley is the Co-founder and Survivor Outreach Liaison for the nonprofit organization Beauty After Bruises. Beauty After Bruises directly helps survivors with Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders access the therapeutic and inpatient care they need by providing financial grants as well as bridging the many gaps in trauma care by locating specialized clinicians, educating the public on trauma and dissociation, and giving survivors themselves the tools and self-compassion needed to fight another day
Anne received her BA from York College of Pennsylvania and built her career and businesses ownership in the health and human services industry. After life was redirected by a loved one's close and intimate battle with complex trauma, her focus transitioned into becoming an effective support person in their life. This required a robust crash course in trauma and dissociative disorders, the bureaucracy and financial demands of the healthcare industry, and society's mistreatment of survivors. This early introduction and life milestone birthed a passion to ensure the same services reach the countless survivors that did NOT have anyone in their corner to guide them through this maze. Thus, the Beauty After Bruises initiative was born.
Today Anne mainly works one-on-one with our survivors, their therapists, and doing public education. In every role, she offers the information, skills, and self-confidence needed to proceed with strength, self-agency and the knowledge that someone has their back.
