HaeSung Han is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist and board-certified art therapist. She co-founded POETIC in 2017 with Jennifer Tinker after building the treatment program and serving as the first clinical director of Letot Girls Residential Center within the Dallas County Juvenile Department. Han saw that an in-community, bottom-up approach to addressing vulnerability of youth was needed to stop the cycle of re-victimization that leads to the exploitation and trafficking of youth in Dallas.
Han received her doctoral and master’s degree in clinical psychology from George Washington University and second master’s degrees in art therapy from New York University. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at Audrey Hepburn Children’s House, Hackensack University Medical Center, in the field of child maltreatment. She completed two post-graduate certificate programs: one in international trauma studies from Columbia University and the other in civil and criminal forensic psychology from Montclair State University.
Han has extensive experience working with individuals exposed to complex trauma including domestic violence, child maltreatment and commercial sexual exploitation/sex trafficking. She has worked in forensic, hospital, outpatient and school settings in NY, NJ, VA, DC, MA and TX. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She has also received training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and DBT-PE (Prolonged Exposure for the treatment of PTSD) and offers both comprehensive DBT and DBT-PE to youth and adult clients.
Han trains nationally on various topics related to the assessment, intervention and prevention of commercial sexual exploitation (CSEC) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). She also provides consultation to anti-trafficking agencies on developing and implementing trauma-informed systems of care, programming and culture.
Chelsea currently serves as Director of Partnerships and Internships. Her previous role at POETIC included Director of Education and Internship for the POETIC School for Girls and POETIC Design Co. She received her degree from Texas A&M University and has been an active member of the educational community for over 20 years. She began her career in HPISD supporting students with emotional/behavioral challenges, was a teaching member of the Plano Family Literacy Program founded by the Barbara Bush Foundation Literacy Initiative, and taught for several years at an International college preparatory school in the Dominican Republic.
As a POETIC educator, Chelsea works to help POETIC youth obtain an individualized and equitable education. In addition to teaching, she has collaborated in developing the POETIC Internship Program focused on providing youth interns with the skills, experience and interpersonal network needed to gain and maintain employment and wealth. She has been a member of the POETIC team since 2018.
As Clinical and Career Case Manager Coordinator at POETIC, Sharita ensures that every youth referred to POETIC can access government identification and assistance, health insurance, medical, dental and psychiatric appointments, and career opportunities that align with strengths and interests. She is trained in risk prevention groups, such as My Life My Choice, and facilitates these groups within the Juvenile Department and the Dallas community.
Sharita has a long history working with pre- and post-adjudicated trauma-exposed adolescents and prior to coming to POETIC, worked as a Juvenile Supervision Officer (JSO) at the Dallas County Juvenile Department. She was also a founding JSO, working with Dr. Han at Letot Girls Residential Treatment Center (RTC), in building the first RTC for post-adjudicated girls in Dallas.
Sharita is a beloved staff and community member, and tirelessly works to fight for the rights of every POETIC girl to have equitable access to medical and educational services and career development.
