Service Offerings
- Individual Counseling
- Stress Management Workshops
- Stress Management Support Groups
- Crafts for Relaxation
- Journal Writing for Self Discovery
- Free Seated Massage
- Mother-Daughter Retreat
- Complementing Infertility Treatments with Mind-Body Skills
- Self-facilitated Groups
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is offered to women facing loss, illness, life change, emotional distress, chronic stress, and traumatic events. Our services empower women to develop increased self-awareness and self-care skills. Treatment is provided by professional counselors and social workers committed to helping women discover their own capacity for personal growth in challenging times.
If you are interested in receiving counseling services, contact us. One of our therapists will return your call to discuss your particular concerns and to arrange for an initial appointment.
We offer our individual counseling on a sliding scale fee for those individuals that do not have health insurance coverage.
We accept the following Insurance: Anthem PPO, Medicaid, Magellan, Aetna and Southern Health.
We are in the application process for: Medallion II and Medicare.
Stress Management Workshops
Wednesday May 21, 2008 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Stress Management Support Groups
Call for more information on dates and times
Our monthly Introduction to Stress Management Workshop will empower participants to better understand and respond to stress in their lives. We will be exploring the range of stress management skills that have been proven by research to help people achieve better health and well being. This workshop will be offered monthly.
The Introduction to Stress Management Workshop is appropriate for people concerned about the accumulative effects of the stress of daily living as well as those facing particular stressors such as infertility, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain, insomnia, obesity, personal loss, job stress, disturbing events, post-partum distress, and overwhelming life demands. People coping with symptoms of anxiety and depression are also welcome. We create a safe and nurturing environment for women to explore at their own pace and in their own way a sampling of the simple but powerfully effective stress management skills available to us all.
Participants who have attended the introductory workshop and are interested in developing an active stress management practice are encouraged to come to our monthly Stress Management Support Group. This is a 90-minute interactive group during which we practice a stress management skill together, discuss our own experience with the skills, and prepare for continued practice of skills in our daily lives.
Introduction to Stress Management Workshop is $20.00
Support Groups are $15.00 for the 90 minute session.
Sliding scale fees are available.
Crafts for Relaxation
Tuesday mornings 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Women have always gathered together informally to support each other, enjoy each other's company, and create handcrafts. This group carries on this tradition by providing a welcome, supportive environment for women to be creative and to enjoy building new friendships; even those of us who feel we have no artistic or creative skills will find this to be a new enjoyable outlet during the week. Crafts are simple take home projects, typically completed in one or two sessions. Some women may choose to come simply for the opportunity to enjoy the company of other women.
Study after study has shown that feeling part of a supportive group enhances health and well being. So do something kind for yourself, and join us!!
This program is free. Donations to pay for craft supplies are welcome.
Journal Writing for Self Discovery
Saturday, May 17, 2008 10:00 am - 12: 00 pm
When we pick up a pen and paper and begin to write, we open up another door to our inner selves allowing feelings, ideas, and insights to flow. Often we find ourselves reflecting on what we have created with a greater sense of calm, confidence, and clarity. This is the power of journal writing waiting to be discovered!
This workshop will explore a variety of journal writing practices you can use in daily life for personal growth and an increased sense of well being. Participants will join with other women for a supportive experience reflecting on the joy of journals. Please bring a journal of your choice and be prepared for a relaxing day of creativity and self reflection. Workshop will be led by program director Carolyn Schuyler, LCSW. Cost: $15.00
Free Seated Massage
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
JoAnn Christy, a certified massage therapist, will be giving seated massages in 15 minute increments. If you are interested in signing up please contact Michelle for an appointment.
Time slots are filling up fast...so call today
Mother-Daughter Retreat
Saturday, April 26, 2008
This retreat is for girls ages 7-10 and their mother, grandmother, or adult friend to a day of fun-filled activity designed to enhance relationships and build positive memories. Cost: $ 85.00 per mother-daughter pair
Complementing Infertility Treatments with Mind-Body Skills ~ A Workshop for Women
Call for more information on dates and times
"It seems like I see pregnant women and babies in strollers everywhere. It can be hard to take sometimes."
"My husband and I really miss how things were before the stress of infertility."
"My family keeps telling me to just relax; I try, but I am really worried it won't happen for me."
Many women facing infertility treatment experience a sense of isolation, anxiety, grief, or shame. Research shows that the emotional strain of infertility is similar to the strain of facing cancer, AIDS, and heart disease. Some studies suggest that depressive symptoms and symptoms of chronic stress are correlated with decreased conception rates. Learning and applying stress management skills in daily life can help ease distress associated with infertility and improve relationships. Studies by Alice Domar, Ph.D. and Sarah Berga, Ph.D. suggest that use of these skills can have a fertility enhancing effect. This three hour workshop is designed to help participants manage the stress of infertility with the use of mind-body skills: Breath Exercises, The Relaxation Response, Guided Imagery, and Cognitive Restructuring. Cost: $ 95.00
Self-facilitated Groups
Do You Want to Create a Self-facilitated Group?
The Women’s Initiative seeks to support the women of our community by providing a welcoming and inviting space for support groups to meet. We also provide a two hour orientation called The Nuts and Bolts of Running a Support Group to help women launch their own groups with confidence. We are particularly interested in groups on the following themes:
- Raising children as a single mom
- Contemplating a career change
- Caring for elderly parents or special needs children
- Thriving with a disability or illness
- Adjusting to major life transitions
- Building friendships through shared interests and activities
If these or any other themes are of interest to you, please contact Carolyn Schuyler, Program Director at 872-0047. Groups will be accepted based on space availability and consistency with the mission of The Women’s Initiative. Leaders invited to sponsor groups will be encouraged, but not required, to attend the support group orientation.
