TONIER CAIN: Trauma Survivor, Author, and Filmmaker
Tonier Cain is a trauma survivor, author, filmmaker, internationally recognized speaker, and expert in trauma-informed care; which has a deep understanding of the intricacies and sensitive considerations surrounding the treatment of trauma survivors. She has dedicated her life to raising awareness about trauma-informed practices worldwide. She has trained mental healthcare providers, medical professionals, legal advocates, emergency responders, law enforcement, and policymakers in all 50 states.
As an advocate and educator, Tonier speaks globally on critical issues such as trauma, addiction, mental health, incarceration, homelessness, and substance abuse. Her groundbreaking work has served as a model for establishing trauma-informed care protocols around the globe.
Tonier’s leadership as the former team leader for the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care under the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors has profoundly impacted the field. Today, she continues cultivating international leaders in trauma-informed care by hosting an annual national conference to update providers on best practices.
Her methods have gained widespread recognition for their effectiveness, earning her numerous awards, honors, and recognitions from state and city government officials, governors, mayors, and state attorneys, all acknowledging her transformative impact on their cities and states.
As an author and documentarian, Tonier is known for her candid and powerful autobiography “Healing Neen: One Woman’s Path to Salvation from Trauma and Addiction,” offering an intimate account of her struggle to survive, and the award-winning, heartbreaking first-person documentary short, “Healing Neen,” which chronicles Tonier Cain’s life story, her years on the street, her recovery process, and ongoing advocacy for trauma survivors.
Tonier also serves as the Founder and CEO of Purposeful Entertainment Production Company. As a producer, Tonier has most recently ventured further into Hollywood, investing in projects that uphold her values and mission, including the forthcoming films Colliding and A Road to Us. Tonier is involved in various media projects, including the upcoming TV show “Restoration,” serving as the executive producer of “Walking Thru Bullets.” Tonier has been featured in documentaries such as “Behind Closed Doors: Trauma Survivors in the Psychiatric System” and has advised on “Like Any Other Kid.”
You have dedicated your life to raising awareness about trauma-informed care practices worldwide. Tell us about your journey when you lived on the streets of Annapolis, MD.
I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, where my early childhood was marked by neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and exposure to drugs and alcohol. As a result of my chaotic upbringing, I spent nineteen years living on the streets of Annapolis. During that time, I was arrested eighty-three times and had sixty-six criminal convictions. I was frequently moved in and out of mental health institutions and attempted thirty different substance abuse programs, all of which ended in failure.
During that time, treatment professionals often deemed me hopeless. I was repeatedly told and made to believe that I would never get better. When I wasn’t in treatment or incarcerated, I found myself living on the streets, facing violence and abuse almost daily. I survived by eating out of trash cans and living under a bridge, without access to a bathroom, while also engaging in prostitution.
During those years, I conceived and gave birth to multiple children, but all but one of them, my youngest, were removed from my care. Due to my lifestyle choices and circumstances, those years were incredibly dark, and I struggled to see any light or hope for my future.
What was a turning point in your life?
In 2004, I ended up pregnant and in prison again. I couldn’t live through having another child removed from my care, and I knew that once I delivered my last child, my daughter, that she would be taken away from me. After the birth, I would be returned to my prison cell, and my plan was to successfully take my own life. But one day in my cell, I did something I never did before; I sincerely cried out to God. It was an eerie, desperate cry to God, and from that moment, in that prison cell, everything changed for me. I felt hope for the very first time.
Your powerful autobiography, Healing Neen: One Woman’s Path to Salvation from Trauma and Addiction, touches live globally. What do you want people to know about trauma and the strength of resilience?
I want people to know that no matter what the record says or how a person looks or smells, there’s always hope for them. I also want people to know that just because we, as trauma survivors, are healing, it doesn’t mean we have forgotten our experiences. We need to be prepared to be triggered often and have methods and behaviors in place to cope.
The only difference between me today and twenty years ago, when I cried out to God and was delivered, is that I now have healthier tools to deal with my trauma. I was given the opportunity to attend a trauma-informed care program, which helped me develop positive coping strategies. I use these tools to manage the triggers from my traumatic past. My belief is that where there is breath, there is always hope.
Please share information about your production company, Purposeful Entertainment and your recent projects.
I created Purposeful Entertainment to focus on producing films and television that raise awareness about topics that are important to me. I recognize the significant impact that film and television can have. Our content is designed to uplift, inspire, and provide hope.
Currently, I am working on two movies and a television show, all at different stages of production. We are excited to create content that fosters hope and encourages positivity, showing the world that people can overcome challenges and improve their lives.
Everything I create has a personal touch, reflecting my own experiences and values. Additionally, I am moving into becoming a minor investor in projects by other creators that I believe also have a purposeful vision.
Share your moving documentary short, “Healing Neen,” along with the mission behind your film.
“Healing Neen” premiered in 2010, and I co-produced it. At the time, more people were becoming aware of my story, and I was invited to speak all over the country. I had a little baby, so I thought that if my friend Laura Cain could film me while I spoke, I could distribute the footage for people to see that recovery was possible. While she was filming at one of the events, she suggested that we create a documentary about my life, and we decided to do it.
We were blown away by how Healing Neen reached so many countries and helped change care systems. It is one of the only films used to train care providers across various systems. It has been an incredible journey, chronicling my path from living on the streets to becoming a mother, losing my children, and eventually serving as the team leader for the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care. Now, I’m recognized around the world for my story and my expertise in trauma-informed care.
Tell us more about the support and resources available at Tonier Cain International, Neen Cares, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) organization), and M.E.T.-R Integrated Health, Global.
I started Neen Cares in 2015 to provide case management and services to help people access transformative care programs. We also host youth sports events and organize a Thanksgiving event, where I give back to the homeless community I was a part of for 19 years in Annapolis.
Neen Cares does many things, but our fundamental mission is to help individuals obtain the services they need. Having experienced trauma from a young age, I believe that if I had received the appropriate services at age nine—when my trauma began—my life would have turned out very differently. Neen Cares embodies this mission, and just for clarity, my middle name is Deneen, and my street name is Neen. That’s the essence of Neen Cares.
What is your vision for 2025?
In 2025, we will continue to create healthy and safe environments for trauma survivors. I have one movie and a television show scheduled to premiere in 2025, and we should also finish shooting the movie based on my life.
Website: https://www.toniercain.com
Healing Neen Trailer: https://vimeo.com/48688678
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniercain
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonier.cain and https://www.facebook.com/tonercain
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