263 Odyssey House Journals - Jana Christiansen263 Odyssey House Journals - Jana Christiansen
Odyssey House Journals
Randall Carlisle talks with Jana Christiansen about sex trafficking in Utah and how Aspen House provides long-term, sober housing and support for trafficked women. The conversation focuses on safety, recovery, and the practical steps needed to rebuild lives after deep trauma.
30:07•25 Sept 2026
Sex Trafficking, Sobriety and Safe Housing: Jana Christiansen’s Mission at Aspen House
Episode Overview
- Sex trafficking occurs locally in Utah, affecting neighbours, children and families, despite stereotypes of a safe, crime-free environment.
- Safe, stable housing is presented as a non-negotiable foundation for recovery; without a secure place to shut a door, therapy and case management fall short.
- Aspen House offers a two-year sober-living programme addressing trauma, substance misuse, legal debts, food insecurity and employment support for trafficked women.
- A small social enterprise making Aspen House necklaces gives residents paid work experience, helping rebuild work ethic, confidence and basic financial skills.
- Gratitude, accountability and long-term support are highlighted as crucial ingredients for sustained sobriety and life after trafficking and addiction.
“I can’t tell you what it means to me not to be on the street when it’s snowing.”
What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction? This episode centres on sex trafficking, long-term recovery, and the quiet, determined work of giving women a genuine second chance. TV news veteran Randall Carlisle sits down with Jana Christiansen, executive director of Aspen House in Salt Lake City and a woman in long-term recovery herself.
Jana explains how her path shifted from teaching kindergarten in a shelter to confronting the brutal reality that some of her five-year-old pupils were being sold for sex by their custodial parents. Her shock turned into action, eventually helping create Aspen House, a two-year sober living home for women who’ve been trafficked.
You’ll hear how common sex trafficking is in Utah, despite its “pristine” reputation, and why their outreach event was bluntly named “It Happens Here.” Jana shares stories of women trafficked by boyfriends and family members, controlled with drugs, and left with huge legal and employment barriers.
She talks through the practical steps Aspen House offers: safe housing where women can finally shut a door, trauma-sensitive substance misuse treatment, help with food and legal debts, and supported employment through a small social enterprise making Aspen House necklaces.
One powerful moment comes when Jana recalls a resident saying, “I can’t tell you what it means to me not to be on the street when it’s snowing.” That simple sentence captures the whole mission: safety, dignity and space to rebuild. Jana also reflects on her own sobriety, describing the work as “kind of selfish” because helping others strengthens her recovery too.
If you’re curious about how recovery, community support and practical help can intersect to move trafficked women towards stable, sober lives, this conversation offers a raw look and a lot of hard-won hope.
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