Programs & Services

Direct Services

Raksha’s programs and services are designed to be holistic and support domestic violence, sexual assault survivors and victims of other crimes. We provide culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate services including advocacy, therapy, resources/referrals and safety planning. In addition to these services, we initiate a variety of community and outreach activities.

Advocacy/Case Management: Assessing needs, coordinating services, and helping survivors access resources to achieve safety and stability.

Therapy: Providing adults and children with opportunities to explore self-esteem, boundaries, healing, and other issues related to abuse.

Information and Referrals: Connecting clients to essential resources they may not otherwise access, including shelter referrals, housing referrals, referrals to medical services, and social services, as well as assistance with finding affordable legal counsel and accessing community-based legal programs.

Advocacy Team

Advocates provide confidential services to survivors by helping them navigate different systems and strategize for their safety and well being. Advocates typically address a range of issues that survivors must negotiate including legal issues, housing, physical and mental health needs, financial support, children’s issues, etc. Raksha advocates provide non-judgemental support to survivors to ensure that they are heard and understood.

EDUCATION: Raksha’s advocate team consists of staff members with Masters degree in counseling, international studies, psychology and political science. Advocates participate in continuing education, training and workshops to increase their knowledge and capacity to serve clients.

EXPERIENCE: Raksha advocates have a combined total of 55+ years of professional experience. Our advocates have worked in different settings including, out-patient clinics, non-profit organizations, schools and hospitals. Our advocates have trauma-related and conflict management experience and work with both adults and children.

SPECIALTIES: Raksha advocates complete intakes and assess client needs, which includes safety planning and developing personalized case management plans specific to each client. Our advocates are non-judgemental and never tell clients what to do. Instead, advocates empower clients to make their own, informed decisions.

*Specifically, our advocates provide support and referrals for legal, housing, career, medical, transportation and other services. In addition, advocates coordinate various outreach & educational activities for clients and the community.

LANGUAGES: Raksha advocates can speak English, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Marathi. Advocates use professional interpreters for all other languages.

The Counseling Team

EDUCATION: Our therapists’ education and degrees range from Masters of Clinical Counseling Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Master's of Social Work.

LICENSURE: The therapists’ practicing licenses range from Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) to Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Certifications include NCC and QPR.

APPROACHES TO COUNSELING: All of our therapists utilize an integrative, client-centered approach, drawing from a range of evidence-based practices to meet each individual’s unique needs and treatment goals. We tailor our interventions to provide personalized, effective, and goal-oriented care, creating a safe and supportive space where clients can explore challenges, build insight, and develop meaningful strategies for growth. Our work is grounded in safety, empowerment, and healing, ensuring each client feels supported throughout their journey.

EXPERIENCES AND SPECIALIZATION: Our therapists at Raksha bring experience from a wide range of settings, including university counseling centers across the country, community mental health centers, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and private practice. Collectively, they specialize in serving as both advocates and counselors, supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, trafficking, and other crimes who may be experiencing mood disorders, anxiety, depression, adjustment challenges, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are highly experienced in working with adults and children, and provide comprehensive services including safety planning, self-care support, and mental health evaluations. Our therapists also maintain strong collaboration with referral sources to ensure coordinated, high-quality care for the clients we serve.

LANGUAGES: Our therapists are equipped to provide therapy in multiple languages, including Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic, and English.

Outreach

The outreach team at Raksha plays a dynamic and interconnected role across events, community engagement, and communications. As community connectors, outreach staff are dedicated to advancing Raksha’s mission by organizing community events, educational workshops, and forums that promote awareness, education, and action. They lead initiatives that foster dialogue and understanding while coordinating volunteer recruitment to strengthen community involvement. Through these efforts, the team supports Raksha’s commitment to healing, empowerment, and justice for South Asian survivors of violence in ways that are culturally responsive and community-centered.

Our Protocols

If YOU are experiencing abuse and need help

To ensure confidentiality, please call us at 404-876-0670 or 866-725-7423 during normal business hours: Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm.
We are closed after hours, weekends, and some holidays. Calls are returned in the order they are received within 24-48 hours.
If calling is not an option, please email raksha@raksha.org to let us know safe ways to contact you. However, please note we cannot assure confidentiality while communicating through email.
Note: we are not a hotline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
If you reach our voicemail, please leave your name, number, and a brief message and your call will be returned during the normal business hours. Please also let us know the best time to call you and if it’s safe for us to leave a message.
If you are under 18, please call with a trusted adult or legal guardian present and let us know if it’s safe to contact you.

If you need immediate assistance, click on Georgia-based or National resources above.

If you know someone experiencing abuse and want to help them

Please encourage them to call our office directly at 404-876-0670. If they are unable to call, they can email us at raksha@raksha.org. We are able to assist better when we have the necessary information we need directly from the individual who is experiencing the abuse or violence.
Our helpline is open between 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday. We are not a 24/7 helpline.
If you reach our voicemail: please leave your name, number, and a brief message to tell us the best time and number to call back and if it is safe for us to leave a message. For safety purposes, we cannot return calls if a voicemail has not been left.
Someone will return the call as soon as possible during the normal business hours.
Calls for help are addressed directly by Raksha direct services staff, who are trained and licensed to provide services and programs for survivors of violence and follow strict mandated processes and confidentiality protocols.
We also offer trainings to community members that can help get a better understanding of how to help survivors – such as Domestic Violence 101 and Volunteer 101 Training (a requirement for new volunteers), as well as information on Raksha services and programs. To learn more about these trainings, contact outreach@raksha.org.

Georgia-based Resources, if you need immediate assistance

If you are in Georgia and need immediate mental health help, please call the Georgia crisis line at 1-800-715-4225. Additionally, Georgia’s youth can now access GCAL’s services via text and chat through a new app called My GCAL. The app will allow youth to call, text, or chat with GCAL 24/7/365. https://www.georgiacollaborative.com/providers/georgia-crisis-and-access-line-gcal/

If you need referrals to Domestic Violence shelters, please check out this link for a list of local shelters: https://gcadv.org/domestic-violence-centers/ OR Call 1-800-33-HAVEN (2836)

United Way of Greater Atlanta: Call 211 or access services online at http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/ 2‑1‑1 is available in multiple languages, allowing those in need to access information and obtain referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions.

National Resources, if you need immediate assistance

Crisis text line: Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime for any type of crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds from a secure online platform.
If you are in a domestic violence situation, please call the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline t 1-800-799- SAFE (7233) https://www.thehotline.org/ OR Text “START” to 88788
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
For sexual assault concerns, please call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) https://www.rainn.org/resources
For Human Trafficking, please call 1-888-373-7888 https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
United Way 211: Call United Way at 211, a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find the local resources they need 24/7.