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W ELLN E SS N WELLNESS CONNECTION CONNECTION October 2022 August 2022 Issue Issue Three One
RAINBOW’S END CHRISTOPHER’S STORY
Freedom Awareness Empowerment R E C OV E RY Transformation THE CRISIS HOTLINE
MEN’S SECOND CHANCE LIVING JENNA’S STORY
THERE IS HOPE
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THE ADVOCATES
ver the last three decades, The Advocates evolved from providing basic crisis support into an organization that supports people with in-depth services. From safety and shelter, to support and transition, to prevention education, The Advocates provides a comprehensive array of services for victims of abuse. Governed by a Board of Directors that serves without compensation, The Advocates not only works to prevent Welcome to the premier issue of Wellness Connection, a collaboration domestic violence and sexual in allCenter four counties, of Rainbow’s Endassault Recovery and the but Crisis Hotline. Our goal also helps people build safe lives through education, supportive is to provide timely information on mental health issues, such as addiction, services, transitional andtrauma. shelterWe in times depression, housing grief, and hopeof tocrisis. shed light on and encourage According to the National Coalition Against Domestic discussion of mental illness, addiction, and recovery. We will present stories of hope and Violence, one inasevery women experience domestic encouragement well four as essays on will related topics. This is just a start. We welcome your violence and in her lifetime. Because women in our our communities feedback will be seeking submissions from readers: wellness23@gmail.com from all socioeconomic levels have the potential to become victims, The Advocates works diligently to prevent domestic ainbow’s End Recovery set outby providingstaffed byrange good-hearted souls with little abuse, violence and sexual assault a broad to be different than the traditional or noamong experience so there were some of educational programming. Increased awareness substance disorder facilityfamily,bumps Each client had a different story, used a adults anduse youth abouttreatment how to prevent dating and and crashes along the way. my friends and family had attended. A The clinical director and one full-time different sexual violence, as well as how to develop and maintain FREEDOMdrug, but in the end, each was substance abuse counselor and an energy counselor bore the burden of treating the a need of unconditional love healthy relationships, will help put an end to these devastating The shelter is the heart andperson soul ofinour organization. healer raved about the potential of the clients, but becauseShowing we wereupnew, there andThe care. Once they realized they were and pervasive social problems. is the first step and Advocates is here for the property in Challis on the Salmon River as was only a handful at a time. as apets whole person no The Advocates envisions a compassionate community, free entire journey. Adults, theiraccepted children and who need and a safe the perfect place and for people heal. So longer identified by their drug use, they from emotional physicaltoabuse. To it reach our goal, we teach place to stay receive compassionate support at the shelter. Going forward, we were able to recruit people of all ages how to build and maintain healthy, positive began. couldsurvivors begin tobegin heal. the They would open We offer support groups to help healing and more qualified staff. We relationships with peers, families and partners.more We accomplish up to other, counselors, process. When support groups areeach not enough, we offer and group The part education, was converting theresources bed-and-and worked the curriculum and thiseasy through shelter, support.onAllhoning of professional counseling services. We help women, and members realizing theymen were not unique breakfast facility rooms. The schedule to accommodate the needs our services areinto freeclient and confidential. families connect with housing, food, employment, mental and or alone. hardThe partAdvocates was the bureaucratic hoops. pillars of ofoperation: the clients and the requirements of Continued: Next Page has four overarching The hardest part was finding employees. accrediting agencies. We saw more clients We provided community experiences, and were building a reputation for quality such as the Fourth of July celebrations, When we opened our doors, we were care.
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