Debby Shipp shines light on child abuse prevention for the Family Nurturing Center in Florence


By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

Debby Shipp is feeling blue all over. But please, do not feel sorry for her – that is a good thing. A real good thing.

Shipp is the new Development Director for the Family Nurturing Center in Florence — and she is raising awareness with blue – blue lights.

“The month of April serves as a crucial reminder of our responsibility to protect and nurture the children around us,” Shipp told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “We need to ensure they grow up in safe and supportive environments.”

Debby Shipp (Photo provided)

The Dry Ridge resident told the Covington Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon, blue symbolizes hope and support. “We’re looking for support in the region to help illuminate the conversation surrounding child abuse prevention,” she said.

“By shining a light on this important issue,” she continued, “we can foster awareness and promote a collective commitment to protecting our children.”

It is the mission of the Family Nurturing Center to end the cycle of child abuse by promoting individual well-being and healthy family relationships. Since 1979, FNC has provided quality, innovative, and effective child abuse prevention, education, and treatment services.

“This,” Shipp told the group, “is the most important work I’ve ever done.” And that is an understatement for the woman who has worked in thoroughbred racing at Turfway Park, with the Kentucky Speedway, the Chamber of Commerce, and most recently helping place students with area businesses while at Thomas More University.

The FNC offers counseling services – both individual with a strong family involvement component, as well as group services, Shipp said.

“We specialize in serving individuals; children and adults who have experienced trauma, and have licensed therapists to provide several evidenced based therapy modalities.”

Trauma therapy she says, is a specific approach to therapy that is built on the understanding of how traumatic experiences affect an individual’s m mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

“This type of therapy aims to help children, adolescents, and adult survivors heal from the effects of trauma,” Shipp said. “We not only treat the child, we also treat the caregiver. We have an 86-year-old woman still suffering the effects of childhood trauma.”

The FNC treats the child until they are well, Shipp reminds, “and our people want to know why the individual acts the way they do.”

The Family Nurturing Center offers the Stewards of Children, a revolutionary prevention program designed to teach adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuses, in partnership with Darkness to Light.

“We’ll see some 300-plus family units per-week,” Shipp said. “We need to talk about sexual abuse more, much more.”

She said FNC visits area schools to give talks about anti-bullying in their Responsible Adult Classes.

Child abuse, she reminds, affects all of us, regardless whether we know any of the five children in America who will be reported abused at any time. Estimates are conservative that one in 10 children will be sexually abused by the time they turn 18 and that one in five children will be physically or emotionally abused or neglected.

Debby Shipp is spreading the word – as well as the awareness.

Want some proof – check the Florence water tower come this April – it will be blue.


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