Good Day Folks…
(Sighs…) Where do I begin….Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Ok, I’ll give you the good newsJ. I made my very first treatment referral today! I’m talking about the whole shebang…referral form, letter to parent, log book, contact with the agency, etc.... (Thanks for the support Natalie!). I was thrown out into the deep treatment waters and I survived! O yea, O yea! I feel…like I’ve just helped someone and to tell you the truth, it feels good. So, now….the bad news….
The Strengthening Families Coping Resources group ENDED LAST NIGHT!!!....(sad face). I was so blown because I wasn’t expecting it to end, especially since my group was so excited about coming back. The reason it ended was because one family didn’t come and the 3rd family dropped out. That just goes to show that no matter how great your idea is, sometimes things may not work out as planned but “you gotta work with whatcha got”…and that’s what we did.
The “Doe Family” arrived……Wait, lets rewind <<<<<<<…..Justine (Prevention/Community Outreach Coordinator) and I went to pick up the food for the meeting and let me just say that we were amazed at how much time and attention that was put in the preparation of this meal (there was even a little note in the box). Special shout out goes to Carma’s Café located at 3120 Saint Paul St! All the specialty sandwiches were placed neatly in individual, labeled bags for convenience; we had soup, chips, tea fixings, salad and my favorite….CUPCAKES!!!! I was so tempted to keep them for myself, but I knew that if I were to walk in with frosting on my face, Id be caughtJ. The staff members were really nice too. Oh yea, the good thing about the cupcakes is that I still got to eat most of them because a good number of the BCAC staff members are doing the Ultimate Biggest Loser weight loss competition…so they’re all eating salads, special K bars and lean cuisines. More for me!!
Before the “Doe Family” came, I was saying to myself, “How in the world am I going to interact with them…the kids hardly talked last week.” Thankfully we had a great team and we all worked together to get the job done. They came in and we began our ritual…the ritual NO ONE seemed to want to do…the ritual they agreed to do (sighs). So, the smallest child decided to sing the alphabet song…(short and sweeeeet!). We went on to discuss family moments and they made a poster board together for display. All through out this project the oldest daughter seemed very, very uncomfortable and withdrawn. I was getting aggravated because I just thought she was being difficult; especially when she didn’t want to take a picture with the family beside the poster. The brother was very upset as well because he didn’t understand why his sister was acting that way. He just thought she wanted to be a “Goth” and she was just being complicated.
We moved on to plant the family garden. The garden…was the most nerve wrecking thing for me because the youngest daughter had SO MUCH energy…she was literally all over the place. All I could think about was “dirt shower”. (Mind you, I’m not a big fan of dirt). To my surprise, she did better than I thought, but she did man-handle the flowers though :0). I admire her mother’s patience.
Ok, so …the mother tried to talk to the oldest daughter, but she wouldn’t talk so she asked her if she would write it on paper…she agreed. Come to find out, the daughter was having flashbacks of previous trauma incidents and they were flooding her mind. Can you say CRISIS INTERVENTION? Talk about intense. There were tears and mood changes…the whole nine. I felt kind of bad for being aggravated at her earlier…I didn’t know. This is why it’s not cool to judge a book by its cover. Thanks to Ruby and Kyla…two awesome social workers, the situation was addressed. I’m not sure what happened because I was attempting to entertain the youngest daughter in the other room (didn’t work).
Needless to say, I just didn’t expect all of that to happen, but I can say that BCAC is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get…
Peace & Blessings,
TMP
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
We are Fam-i-ly!
Hello Friends:
I’m back and I have some exciting news! Here at BCAC we have teamed up with The University of Maryland, Baltimore-Center for Infant Studies Department to implement their research project called, “Strengthening Families Coping Resources” (SFCR). SFCR is an exciting 15 week program that offers a family dinner, fun, strength and communication building exercises for families who have experienced some form of trauma. Our first group was supposed to begin on January 27th, but we didn’t have enough families to participate (bummer). We finally were able to begin on this past Tuesday, February 17. It’s very difficult to get families to commit, so when not one, but TWO families showed up after being “no-shows” last week (a huge bummer), we were absolutely thrilled. I was sure hoping they would come because they were being served lasagna for dinner and who would want to miss such an awesome meal right?
The group was supposed to begin at 5:30pm, but we were about 20-25 minutes late starting. I was getting nervous because a lot of effort was put into the preparation and the research project all together and it would be a disappointment to have no one come. So this is how it went down on Tuesday:
The families were TOTALLY different. One family was calm and reserved and the other was not so calm and….not so reserved, but both were manageable and cooperative. They came in and sat at their dinner tables, all nicely set with name cards and a nice center piece. They took about 30 minutes to eat (yes, the food is free for them. Here’s a big SHOUT OUT!! to Sp'getti Eddie's of Roland Park and Chuck Ritz for taking care of our meals so far. We appreciate your donation! ). Just a small note, we are always looking for restaurants, delis and shops to donate a meal so if you are interested or know someone who is interested, contact Justine Wilson at 410-396-6147. So….back to the story: After they ate, we broke out into our group sessions (ranging from 5 yr olds to adults) where we worked on a common themed activity about “ Family Traditions”, next we all came back together for an activity and to also develop some rules, opening and closing rituals and the homework assignment for the next week.
Although I was uneasy about the group, mainly because it seemed like it was going to be overwhelming, everything worked out and I absolutely LOVE my group. My partner and I had the 7-9 year olds. These girls were amazing. They had a lot of energy and even named themselves, “The Super Dooper Dooper Stars”. Ill never forget when one of the girls came in, she immediately walked over to me and said, “Hi, I’m “Jane”…nice to meet you” and she gave the biggest hug. If you must know, I’m part “germaphobe” so I had to catch my breath on that one, but it was cool. She had the biggest smile on her face and from that point all my fears and apprehensions vanished. I was looking for a sign to let me know that things were going to be cool, and there it came. While we were on our way to our break out sessions, she said, “I think you’re nice and…um, I think your hair is kinda cool too”. I thought that was sweet.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and for the most part, they were interested in coming back next week. Ill keep you posted and let you know how it goes. Until next time…
Peace & Blessings,
TMP
I’m back and I have some exciting news! Here at BCAC we have teamed up with The University of Maryland, Baltimore-Center for Infant Studies Department to implement their research project called, “Strengthening Families Coping Resources” (SFCR). SFCR is an exciting 15 week program that offers a family dinner, fun, strength and communication building exercises for families who have experienced some form of trauma. Our first group was supposed to begin on January 27th, but we didn’t have enough families to participate (bummer). We finally were able to begin on this past Tuesday, February 17. It’s very difficult to get families to commit, so when not one, but TWO families showed up after being “no-shows” last week (a huge bummer), we were absolutely thrilled. I was sure hoping they would come because they were being served lasagna for dinner and who would want to miss such an awesome meal right?
The group was supposed to begin at 5:30pm, but we were about 20-25 minutes late starting. I was getting nervous because a lot of effort was put into the preparation and the research project all together and it would be a disappointment to have no one come. So this is how it went down on Tuesday:
The families were TOTALLY different. One family was calm and reserved and the other was not so calm and….not so reserved, but both were manageable and cooperative. They came in and sat at their dinner tables, all nicely set with name cards and a nice center piece. They took about 30 minutes to eat (yes, the food is free for them. Here’s a big SHOUT OUT!! to Sp'getti Eddie's of Roland Park and Chuck Ritz for taking care of our meals so far. We appreciate your donation! ). Just a small note, we are always looking for restaurants, delis and shops to donate a meal so if you are interested or know someone who is interested, contact Justine Wilson at 410-396-6147. So….back to the story: After they ate, we broke out into our group sessions (ranging from 5 yr olds to adults) where we worked on a common themed activity about “ Family Traditions”, next we all came back together for an activity and to also develop some rules, opening and closing rituals and the homework assignment for the next week.
Although I was uneasy about the group, mainly because it seemed like it was going to be overwhelming, everything worked out and I absolutely LOVE my group. My partner and I had the 7-9 year olds. These girls were amazing. They had a lot of energy and even named themselves, “The Super Dooper Dooper Stars”. Ill never forget when one of the girls came in, she immediately walked over to me and said, “Hi, I’m “Jane”…nice to meet you” and she gave the biggest hug. If you must know, I’m part “germaphobe” so I had to catch my breath on that one, but it was cool. She had the biggest smile on her face and from that point all my fears and apprehensions vanished. I was looking for a sign to let me know that things were going to be cool, and there it came. While we were on our way to our break out sessions, she said, “I think you’re nice and…um, I think your hair is kinda cool too”. I thought that was sweet.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and for the most part, they were interested in coming back next week. Ill keep you posted and let you know how it goes. Until next time…
Peace & Blessings,
TMP
The World of an Intern...
Hello Friends!
My name is Tierra and I am a second year, Masters of Social Work, intern here at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC). I am pursuing my degree at The University of Maryland, Baltimore (only a few months left and I graduate…yay!!!!). I am a North Carolina native, “Go Tarheels!” and I moved up here all alone so that I could develop some “survival skills”. Trust me, everyday hasn’t been great and some days I have been truly tested to my limit, but only the strong survive and I’m a warrior.
My search for an internship landed me here at BCAC and I would like to believe that my experience has evolved from a small seed into a beautiful flower. When I first began my internship, I had no clue what was going to happen. All I knew was that BCAC helped children who had been sexually abused, but I didn’t know exactly how it happened. To be honest, I was nervous about a whole lot of things, “What are the staff members like? Will I get along with everyone? Will I be able to handle some things that I might hear during an interview? Will the bathroom be clean? (For the record…it isJ). Now it’s February 2009 and I can say that all of my worries were just ….worries. Things are cool here. I glad that I have more responsibilities now because it makes you feel like you are helping and making meaningful contributions to the agency. I have also enjoyed connecting with families & children and have built some long lasting friendships among the “Intern Crew”. A few days ago I told Natalie, the treatment coordinator, that I’m sort of like an oyster. I may have seemed closed at first, but I do have a pearl inside that I show once I’ve opened up a little. It doesn’t pay to “stay to yourself” here, because we all need each other and it takes team work to get this job done.
Just an aside: between you and me, I am still a little antsy when it comes to facilitation…note taking may seem like a small deal to you, but here it’s a big deal. As soon as I see that yellow legal pad and that black pen…I break out in a sweat and run for cover! (If you ever want to test your skills…this is a great place to startJ).
From September 2008 until now, I have come to realize that BCAC does a “whole lot” for the children they serve. Everything that is needed to assist the children and their family is here and I find that simply amazing. I have developed a sense of pride for BCAC…almost to the point of wanting to wear a t-shirt (if anyone is listening…royal blue fabric with Crayola color prints ;)).
I kind of think I’ll miss the place when this is over, but I’ll just live in the moment and cherish the time I’m here now. Until next time…
Peace & Blessings
TMP
My name is Tierra and I am a second year, Masters of Social Work, intern here at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC). I am pursuing my degree at The University of Maryland, Baltimore (only a few months left and I graduate…yay!!!!). I am a North Carolina native, “Go Tarheels!” and I moved up here all alone so that I could develop some “survival skills”. Trust me, everyday hasn’t been great and some days I have been truly tested to my limit, but only the strong survive and I’m a warrior.
My search for an internship landed me here at BCAC and I would like to believe that my experience has evolved from a small seed into a beautiful flower. When I first began my internship, I had no clue what was going to happen. All I knew was that BCAC helped children who had been sexually abused, but I didn’t know exactly how it happened. To be honest, I was nervous about a whole lot of things, “What are the staff members like? Will I get along with everyone? Will I be able to handle some things that I might hear during an interview? Will the bathroom be clean? (For the record…it isJ). Now it’s February 2009 and I can say that all of my worries were just ….worries. Things are cool here. I glad that I have more responsibilities now because it makes you feel like you are helping and making meaningful contributions to the agency. I have also enjoyed connecting with families & children and have built some long lasting friendships among the “Intern Crew”. A few days ago I told Natalie, the treatment coordinator, that I’m sort of like an oyster. I may have seemed closed at first, but I do have a pearl inside that I show once I’ve opened up a little. It doesn’t pay to “stay to yourself” here, because we all need each other and it takes team work to get this job done.
Just an aside: between you and me, I am still a little antsy when it comes to facilitation…note taking may seem like a small deal to you, but here it’s a big deal. As soon as I see that yellow legal pad and that black pen…I break out in a sweat and run for cover! (If you ever want to test your skills…this is a great place to startJ).
From September 2008 until now, I have come to realize that BCAC does a “whole lot” for the children they serve. Everything that is needed to assist the children and their family is here and I find that simply amazing. I have developed a sense of pride for BCAC…almost to the point of wanting to wear a t-shirt (if anyone is listening…royal blue fabric with Crayola color prints ;)).
I kind of think I’ll miss the place when this is over, but I’ll just live in the moment and cherish the time I’m here now. Until next time…
Peace & Blessings
TMP
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Building a Dream
Monday starts our long awaited renovation project - Built Upon a Dream. WMAR ABC2 news selected us to get a mini extreme makeover. With some great partners on board (CAM construction, GBA Architects and a host of others - websites coming soon) we will transform our building and our look.
Our lobby and conference room will receive some much needed love - new paint, floors, repaired marble, improved lighting, lots of furniture, new bathrooms - it will enable us to greet the families we serve with the same level of dignity and cheerfulness our 4th floor offices provide.
up on our floor, we are getting new furniture, paint, new HVACs, new kitchenettes, cabinets, flooring - it will look great.
frankly - i can't wait to see it come real. stay posted for pictures. and stay tuned for some great announcements as to how you can help!
Our lobby and conference room will receive some much needed love - new paint, floors, repaired marble, improved lighting, lots of furniture, new bathrooms - it will enable us to greet the families we serve with the same level of dignity and cheerfulness our 4th floor offices provide.
up on our floor, we are getting new furniture, paint, new HVACs, new kitchenettes, cabinets, flooring - it will look great.
frankly - i can't wait to see it come real. stay posted for pictures. and stay tuned for some great announcements as to how you can help!
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