Dear friends,
As we begin a new year, we each continue to navigate many challenges. Many of us have faced illness and loss due to COVID, as well as significant financial hardships. Systemic racism continues to lead to disproportionate experiences of trauma and violence, including the recent death of Jamarcus B. Washington here in Charlottesville. During these colder months, increased physical isolation from friends, family and community makes each struggle that much harder.
In spite of these challenges, the transition to the new year is an invitation to look toward changes to come. Some of those changes are large scale, like the vaccine. Others come one person at a time, and they are the kinds of shifts we witness every day at The Women's Initiative: a person reaching out for help; a person scheduling weekly self-care in the form of a support group, a dance class, a knitting circle; a person learning new healthy coping strategies.
During this time, we each have unique needs. The Women's Initiative is a safe, welcoming place, with an emphasis on culturally responsive care. Take a look below at the diverse groups we're offering this winter. All are free and offered via Zoom. For those who need a private space to access our telehealth services, we also have an option for using a computer in our office.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” We hope you can identify the steps you want to take for the well-being of yourself and your community in the coming days and weeks. Please let us know if we can be of support.
Much love,
Elizabeth Irvin, LCSW
Executive Director
Support your well-being in 2021
Connect with The Women's Initiative this January for support groups, mind-body offerings and more. Click here or on the image below for a printable PDF of our current offerings. For more details about each program, and information for registration, click here.
Especially from Sister Circle
Virtual offerings from our Sister Circle Program are spaces for calm & connection for Black women and women of color. Click here or on the image below to see Winter 2021 offerings from Sister Circle.
En español
Para información sobre nuestros servicios en español durante la pandemia del virus Corona, favor de hacer un clic aqui
Individual counseling with The Women's Initiative
Our counselors provide a safe, supportive and compassionate place for women of all backgrounds to heal. During the pandemic, counseling is being offered via phone and video options (telehealth). If you are interested in individual counseling with us, our Call-in Clinics are the best place to start.
There, you will have the opportunity to connect with one of our staff therapists to create a plan of care, which may include individual counseling with us or one of our community partners. If you have sufficient mental health insurance coverage, we will help you connect to a private provider in our community who can best meet your needs. Learn about our Call-in Clinics.
If technology issues or a lack of privacy in your home are impacting your ability to access our services, please reach out: call or email our Client Support Specialist at (434) 872-0047 or info@thewomensinitiative.org.