Education & Outreach

Our Resilience Education & Outreach program provides evidence-based mental health and wellness skills to our community to help reduce stigma around mental health challenges and increase access to care.

Shelly leads self care workshop with handouts in Charlottesville

Education

Our counselors offer workshops on mental health and various wellness topics to support participants to recognize the signs of stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues and to build skills and strategies to manage life’s challenges and through positive change and growth.

We focus on culturally responsive, trauma-informed strategies to meet the needs of caregivers, communities of color, and individuals supporting the well-being of their communities. We work directly with you to build responsive resilience workshops for your organization, place of worship, or community group.

We also provide expertise through partnerships with local organizations, participating on panels for mental health, and wellness conferences and events.

If you are interested in having a member of The Women’s Initiative lead a workshop, give a lecture, participate on a panel, or offer any other educational service, click here to complete the Resilience Education Interest Form, email Clinical Services Director Shelly Wood, or call our main office at 434.872.0047 x324.

resilience education interest form ⟶

Sister Circle

Our Sister Circle program facilitates responsive programming for Black community members to support healing from the wounds of racism and systemic oppression through radical self-care and relationship building. Sister Circle specializes in the Emotional Emancipation and Ubuntu Healing Circle as well as other offerings for Black and BIPOC community members.

Contact the Sister Circle program to learn more about educational offerings and partnerships.

Bienestar

Our Bienestar program leads workshops and events to support the unique mental health and wellness imperatives of the Latine, immigrant, and refugee communities. These varied workshops and issue areas can be provided in person or virtually, including through Facebook Live.

Contact the Bienestar team to learn more about Bienestar educational offerings.

Two group participants chat around a table at Charlottesville event

Training topics include:

Getting to Know Our Stress Responses and Nervous Systems

Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma

Mindfulness Skill-Building Practice Sessions

Fostering Compassion and Safety

Mental Health Cross-Cultural Training for Immigrant and Refugee Community Leaders

Outreach

We love participating in outreach with our communities. Our presence in local neighborhoods, workplaces, and community centers are often the first way people connect with us and learn about our services. We seek opportunities to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health treatment and provide information and resources to help develop resilience skills and increase access to care.

We collaborate with partner agencies, neighborhoods, and community groups to build the trust necessary to provide effective mental health care and collaborative services. Outreach and Education event partners include: Sentara Martha Jefferson, Shelter for Help in Emergency, Sexual Assault Resource Agency, Westhaven, City of Promise, the Southwood Community, Piedmont Family YMCA, Network2Work@PVCC, the Virginia Festival of the Book, and the Blue Ridge Health District.

Two volunteers work at a table for The Women's Initiative at a community outreach event

Group of community members pose for photo at the end of a community outreach event in Charlottesville

Seated audience of masked attendees clap after a community education event in Charlottesville

Masked attendees register for community education and outreach event in Charlottesville

Three TWI volunteers stand behind an info table at a community outreach event

Mental Health Speaker talks into microphone at a community education and outreach event in Charlottesville

Two panelists lead conversation during community education and outreach event in Charlottesville

Two panelists lead conversation during community outreach and education event with the Virginia Festival of the Book

Panelist speaks into microphone during community education and outreach event in Charlottesville

Two women panelists have conversation during Charlottesville community outreach event

Panelist brings microphone to attendees during Q&A portion of community education and outreach event in Charlottesville

If you are interested in having The Women’s Initiative participate in a community event, please email Programs and Design Coordinator Karina Monroy, or call our main office at 434.872.0047 x323.