Wednesday March 27, 2013

From Jessica Stone

Happy Spring!  March is the month that the nation celebrates Women's History Month. In honor of women,  we celebrate and acknowledge the mothers of the Janus Perinatal Program. Janus offers residential and day treatment services for parenting women and their children. We are also known as Para Madres y Familias and the Mondanaro-Baskin Center.

This February,  the Perinatal Program welcomed two babies into the world. Janus recognizes the courage and commitment of our moms, children and families that have chosen the journey of sobriety.

In this month's newsletter,  you will hear from a mother currently receiving services from the Perinatal Program. You will learn about Janus services for moms and children.  You will also hear about the wonderful work of the Survivors Healing Center, one of our community partners doing some amazing work with women and men.  Also, you will learn about developmental assets which help kids grow into happy and healthy adults. We hope you find the information helpful.

I would like to honor the first mother, Gaia (mother earth) for all the beautiful wonders she places in our lives. According to mythology, as quoted in the Los Angeles Times: Gaia “created herself out of the primordial chaos and conjured uranus (the starry sky) out of nothing, proving that even thousands of years ago people believed mothers were capable of just about anything."  A famous quote I would like to share, “By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class” Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Gift From the Sea

Jessica Stone is the Perinatal Program Director and a part of the Janus of Santa Cruz Executive Management Team.  She has been with Janus for 7 years.  She is mom of a beautiful, spunky, and intelligent little girl.

back to top

JANUS SERVICES FOR MOMS

JANUS of Santa Cruz trauma informed services for moms are offered through the Perinatal Programs which are especially designed for parenting or pregnant women. 

Services include:

• Residential Services for mothers and their children up to 3 years of age;
• Day Treatment Services
• Case Management Services
• Outreach and Peer Advocates
• Individual and Family Counseling
• Domestic violence groups
• Support for Fathers
• Parenting Classes
• Educational Workshops
• Childcare
• Information and Referrals to Resources

Please contact Mari for more information mari_arredondo@janussc.org; 831.423.9015 or 831.462.1060. 

back to top

SAVE THE DATE!!!! JANUS SPRING CONFERENCE: CREATING INFORMED SOLUTIONS

Creating Informed Solutions:  Substance Use and the Community

• MAY 17, 2013 8:30am-4pm
• Cabrillo College
• Continuing Ed Hours will be available
   
in partnership with CABRILLO COLLEGE

More info to come 

back to top

Through the eyes of a client

Learn more about the Perinatal Program through a client’s eyes:

Before treatment:  I am alcoholic and heroin addict. I came from an addictive biker family.  My life was really chaotic.  I am the youngest child of 5, I grew up learning all about addiction and everything turned into a mess.  Relapse is part of my journey, I had to reach my bottom.  It was bad, I was very unhappy; I was unemployed; I had no car, and I was staying at my mother’s.  I didn’t have anything to call my own. 

During treatment:  I am a mom, my son is 15 months old and he is great! I am an addict, but this program is just helping me tremendously to be a better mom.  The program is helping me enjoy motherhood and sobriety, my child no longer feels like a burden because I am under the influence.  He is magical to me.
I am being taught a lot about patience, gratitude, I am becoming humble and learning that I am not perfect  and that there is nothing wrong with my baby boy.  They (program staff)  are helping me work on myself so I can enjoy my family, especially my son.

I am learning that my sobriety comes first and having my son is a gift of that sobriety.  I am learning how to work with him, I am my son’s first teacher, my counselors and staff are MY teachers. They are teaching me how to get my son in and out of a crib, how to teach him independence, how to teach manners, they are teaching me how to create a routine around my child, they are teaching me to love him and that  it’s ok to feel frustrated sometimes.  Being an addict doesn’t make me a bad mom.  I am rebuilding a relationship with my son through the program, I wouldn’t have been able to do it by myself.

I have been in the program 3 months, he was 1 year old when I started the program and he lives with me at the Perinatal house.  I am graduating the first week  of April, I feel ready after 3 months of program.  The program helped me with housing, reuniting with my family, helped my secure housing. I feel prepared mentally with my sobriety and ready for the outside world.  I am ready and I am happy.

Hopes and dreams:  I hope to have long term sobriety, my dream is to go back to school and work with criminal profiling.  I have hopes to get on a  swim team and get my son into swimming.  I want to live a happy normal life with my family.  I hope that in my sobriety I can learn to deal with the hardships in life that will surface.  I just want to be happy. 

For those who are still suffering:  Only YOU know if you have a problem and you are going to be the one to choose to get help or keep it a secret.  If you  get clean and put your effort into it you will live a life beyond your wildest dreams.  Its sounds crazy but it’s true, If I can get clean, ANYONE CAN.  Things have happened to me in sobriety that I never thought would happen to me.  You will find peace and self love. 

For young moms in addiction:  You can be a single mom in sobriety and be strong! This program opens your eyes to show you that you are capable of taking care of your children and yourself.  Things don’t make you happy, being sober and being with your children can!  This program gives you things you cannot find anywhere else.

Ellie J.  came to Janus and has achieved more that she hoped to!  She is excited to get a second chance to start a new, healthier, life.  Janus thanks Ellie for her contribution to this month’s newsletter and proudly congratulates her  courage and strength!

back to top

March is Women's History Month

Women's History Month is an annual declared month worldwide that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8, and during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18th.

Janus celebrates all the contributions made by women in history and also acknowledges the importance of women in the healthcare and recovery fields. 

See more info:  http://womenshistorymonth.gov/;

back to top

Tools for Parents: Infant and Toddlers Developmental Assets

Developmental Assets are defined as the building blocks kids need to be happy and healthy.  The Search Institute has conducted research to identify these assets which any family, program, or school can integrate into all interactions with children. Simply, research shows that the more assets a child possess, the more resilient a child is in dealing with life, the healthier a child will be. For more information and for specific activities to build assets, follow the link:  http://www.search-institute.org/developmental-assets;   

Below is a list of some of these assets: 

Support
• Family Support – Family life provides high levels of love and support.
• Positive family communication – Parents communicate with their child in positive ways.  Parents respond immediately to their child and respect their child.
• Other adult resources – parents receive support from three or more nonparent adults (grandparents, aunts, uncles) and ask for help when needed.  The child receives love and comfort from at least one nonparent adult.
Empowerment
• Parent involvement on out-of-home situations – Parents are actively involved in helping the child succeed in situations outside the home (parent teacher conferences, sports events).
• Children valued – The family places the child at the center of family life.
• Child has a role in family life – The family involves the child in family life.
• Service to others – Parents serve others in the community (church, community organizations)
Boundaries & Expectations
• Family boundaries – Parents are aware of the child’s preferences and adapt the environment to best suit the child’s needs. Parents setting limits as the child becomes mobile (putting covers on electrical sockets, putting door locks on cabinets so they can’t get into poisons).
• Out-of-home boundaries – Childcare and other out-of-home environments have clear rules and consequences while consistently providing the child with appropriate stimulation and enough rest.
• Neighborhood Boundaries – Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring child’s behavior as the child begins to play and interact outside the home (if you see a child wondering outside their home you let the parents know).
• Adult role models – Parents and other adult’s model positive, responsible behavior (talk to them, call them by name).
• Positive peer observation – Child observes positive peer interactions of siblings and other children and has opportunities for beginning interactions with children of various ages (things like Sunday School, Story Hour at the Library).
• Expectations for growth – Parents are realistic in their expectations of development at this age. Parents encourage development but do not push the child beyond their own pace.

These are just some of examples of the Developmental Assets that may be of interest to parents.  The Search Institute offers age appropriate assets and activities for parents, schools and communities.   

back to top

Child Sexual Abuse and Survivors Healing Center

1 in 3 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.

1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.

(ACE Study, 2005)

Survivors Healing Center (SHC) offers group therapy to survivors of child sexual abuse. Their programs empower youth and adult survivors through a therapeutic healing process, and work to prevent sexual abuse of children in our community through outreach and education. SHC  offers one of the most comprehensive programs for survivors of child sexual abuse in the United States. Locally, they continue to be the only program in Santa Cruz County offering group therapy counseling services for youth and adult survivors. 

According to Ama Delevett, Program Manager at SHC, "Many survivors experience flashbacks and nightmares or are hyper-vigilant (common symptoms of PTSD) and feel like there is something wrong with them. They often are terrified when they first seek help, because they have been threatened that something bad will happen (to them or someone they love) if they speak up. After just a few group sessions, participants feel more connected to themselves and others in the room. They feel understood, and get they are not alone and not to blame. Even though the stories are different, the feelings are similar and there is a sense of relief, compassion and empathy. Community is the antidote to shame. That's why we offer groups."

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month.  To raise awareness of this issue, Survivors Healing Center is putting on its 7th annual Walk to Stop the Silence. The event is being held at the Watsonville Plaza on April 6, beginning at 11 AM. 

Please join the fight to end child sexual abuse in our community!  You are invited to be a walker and raise pledges.  You can also make a donation for the Walk by going to http://fsa-cc.org/walk-to-stop-the-silence/;

According to Kathy Riley, Walk Coordinator and Friend of SHC,  "We will be walking up and down Main Street with our colorful signs and voices, with the sound of honking horns and calls of support.   Our collective voices give continued strength to our movement, which began in the 1980's,  to end child sexual abuse. We stand together, survivors and allies, to build awareness and honor the courage and strength of those who have survived child sexual abuse. Come join us on April 6th!" 

For additional information on SHC  services,  please call (831)423-7601 or go to http://www.survivorshealingcenter.org/;  

back to top