# Presentation: 512064

## Feeling Alive,Not Just Being Alive

- Janice Grady, B.S.W., C/S/R

## My Story

- My childhood
- My addiction
- My depression
- My homelessness
- My road to treatment

**Notes:**
My childhood
	-father’s alcoholism, verbal abuse, rape of my mother
	-scared of what would happen when my father came home
	-hiding in closet, wanting to avoid the craziness
	-tried to excel in school in order to get attention from my teachers
	-not feel good about being black, low self-esteem, self-hate
Motherhood
	-rape at 14 yrs, felt it was my fault, lied about where I was going 
	-became pregnant, lied to my daughter for years about who her father was
My career as a nurse
	-always wanted to be a nurse, looked pretty
	-I could treat people the way I wanted to be treated
	-couldn’t tell them I had a baby, continuation of the secrets
My addiction
	-shooting herion to be part of a crowd
	-quickly became addicted
	-realized that I was becoming just like my father...broken promises, disappoinments,lies, not being there
	-my daughter felt embarrassed, rejected, abandoned
My depression
	- the drugs helped me to feel normal
	-when I stopped using I quickly felt the depression, as well as feeling so ashamed...ashamed of my drug use, 	ashamed of what I had done to people, ashamed of the tracks on my hands
	-I went into drug tx programs and completed them, became assistant director of the program, but couldn’t 	maintain my sobriety
My homelessness
	-started using drugs in 1968 but didn’t become homeless until 1990
	-my 2 sisters died
	-my family became physically violent
	-didn’t do much drugs at this time
	-a blessing in disguise, got hooked up with some good services
My road to treatment
	-admission to SEH
	-relief when diagnosed with depression...later revised to bi-polar disorder
	-referred to Community Connections, finally a place that would address my addiction, my mental health 	concerns, and my abuse and trauma

## Women’s Support and Empowerment Center

- Safe, comfortable place to be
- To be with women who know where they have been
- Able to share their pain
- Share hope and encouragement
- Learn how to establish relationships
- Treatment for women, by women

## 
Director’s Responsibilities	 

Maintain and implement the Center’s primary goals and objectives 
Assist and participate in implementing the topics listed in the Peer Representative Program and the Wellness Program as defined in the outline
Assist in training consumers where specific skills or understanding will be necessary for certain assignments
Co-lead empowered consumer committee and substance abuse groups 

**Director’s Responsibilities**
- Maintain and implement the Center’s primary goals and objectives
- Assist and participate in implementing the topics listed in the Peer Representative Program and the Wellness Program as defined in the outline
- Assist in training consumers where specific skills or understanding will be necessary for certain assignments
- Co-lead empowered consumer committee and substance abuse groups

##    
Women’s Center Objectives	

Prioritize peer support and consumer participation (e.g., collaboratively plan activities with staff and consumers)
Assist in providing trauma education addressing major areas of concern such as rehabilitation and recovery, parenting, relationships, safety and abuse, vocational services and employment, finances, housing and independent living, and physical health needs
Offer activities, groups, trauma information, outside speakers, and peer and staff support to address issues related to trauma and its impact on women’s present and past lives  
Train consumers in areas of peer support, peer companionship, and other duties as they arise
Network with core and collaborating agencies
Conduct outreach efforts

**Women’s Center Objectives****	**
- Prioritize peer support and consumer participation (e.g., collaboratively plan activities with staff and consumers)
- Assist in providing trauma education addressing major areas of concern such as rehabilitation and recovery, parenting, relationships, safety and abuse, vocational services and employment, finances, housing and independent living, and physical health needs
- Offer activities, groups, trauma information, outside speakers, and peer and staff support to address issues related to trauma and its impact on women’s present and past lives
- Train consumers in areas of peer support, peer companionship, and other duties as they arise
- Network with core and collaborating agencies
- Conduct outreach efforts

## Keeping the Center Comfortable 
for All Consumers 	

Consumers must have their case manager notify the Center’s Director, in advance before bringing their children to the center

Abusive and threatening behavior and language are not allowed in the Women’s Center

Men are not allowed in the Women’s Center at any time

**for All Consumers**** ****	**
** **
- Consumers must have their case manager **notify the Center’s Director, in advance** before bringing their children to the center
- Abusive and threatening behavior and language are not allowed in the Women’s Center
- Men are not allowed in the Women’s Center at any time

## Center Schedule 

## February Calendar

**February Calendar**

## 
Women’s Support and Empowerment Center: Group Descriptions

Learning from Our Past Group.... Sometimes talking about past life experiences helps us in our healing process  
Self-Soothing Group (Arts and Crafts).... Working with your hands and exploring your artistic talents can be relaxing and fun and can build self-confidence
Women’s Rap.... Group members to talk about difficult situations and relationships in a nonjudgmental group setting
Building Self-image.... Group members address improving presented life situations and lifestyles through developing personal growth and insight
Self-advocacy.... Group members learn how to get their needs met, how to keep track of helpful service providers, and what they can do if they are not getting the help they need 
Anger Management Group.... Members learn conflict resolution strategies such as how to turn situations into win/win propositions and how to focus on the issue at hand and not the individual

**Women’s Support and Empowerment Center: Group Descriptions**
**Learning from Our Past** **Group**.... Sometimes talking about past life experiences helps us in our healing process
**Self-Soothing Group** **(Arts and Crafts**).... Working with your hands and exploring your artistic talents can be relaxing and fun and can build self-confidence
**Women’s Rap**.... Group members to talk about difficult situations and relationships in a nonjudgmental group setting
**Building Self-image**....** **Group members address improving presented life situations and lifestyles through developing personal growth and insight
**Self-advocacy**.... Group members learn how to get their needs met, how to keep track of helpful service providers, and what they can do if they are not getting the help they need
**Anger Management Group**.... Members learn conflict resolution strategies such as how to turn situations into win/win propositions and how to focus on the issue at hand and not the individual

## Wellness Program

- Swimming
- Exercise
- Nutrition classes/workshop
- Stretching and body movement
- Cooking classes/workshop
- Meditation/mind body
- Gospel Greats
- Walking group
- Massage
- YMCA
- Church networking/Big Sister Program
- Relaxation group
- Creating a resource book for C/S/Rs & homeless
- Volunteerism
- Arts & crafts (monthly self-soothing)
- Maintain a safe & comfortable waiting room

## What’s Next?

-      Women had completed TREM and wanted to know what to do next.  First I thought they wanted to know if there was another TREM group. However, the more I listened to their concerns and issues the more I realized they weren’t asking about another TREM group. The “what’s next” was asking about things like:
- What do I do now that I have completed TREM?
- How do I react to people whom I allowed to disrespect me until I spoke up for myself?
- What things are different now that I no longer allow people to say anything they want to say to me?
- How do I react to my friends and family members when they tell me I have changed?
- “What’s next” was their way of seeking support and understanding about their inner self.

## What’s Next? (cont.)

- It sound like they wanted insight into the changes they’ve experienced since becoming involved in the women’s study. The abundance of self-enlightenment that has occurred among these women was apparent.
- The women wanted a group that would have a format different from TREM. And that’s when the ideas for beginning a group on Saturdays developed.