Your Strength To Heal is dedicated to healing and preventing trauma, primarily through education, training, support, and valuable online information on trauma to survivors, mental health professionals, and the community-at-large.
Short Term Goal
Your Strength To Heal (YSTH) educates clinical professionals, as well as other professionals who interact with survivors such as the police, court and school systems. By way of presentations to these audiences, television shows, a website, internet social media, pamphlets, and a quarterly newsletter, Your Strength To Heal will facilitate the development of a trauma-informed community. As Helga Luest of Witness Justice states, “trauma-informed care isn’t about a ‘hand up,’ but rather working collaboratively and empowering the survivor in an environment where the provider and survivor have equal voice and choice”. YSTH presenters will be fully trained in trauma-informed care. The vision and plans for Your Strength To Heal are those of a survivor herself, Ms. Kim Kubal, Founder and Executive Director of this nonprofit. Thus, the emphasis on trauma education, peer support, equality, and empowerment is at the very roots of the Your Strength To Heal organization.
The need for educating the community about the effects of trauma and for a treatment center to serve women trauma survivors is critical. Your Strength To Heal has worked hard to build significant community support for its vision. Established detox programs, city and county government agencies, and professionals in the mental health field in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties are in agreement that there is a definite need for providing trauma education and other resources in the local community.
Long Term Goal
The long-term goal is to provide a supportive, trauma-informed, holistic residential environment for women who have experienced violence, trauma, abuse, and who struggle with mental health and co-occurring disorders.
Your Strength to Heal will have trained trauma therapists on staff, including individual and group counseling by visiting trauma therapists and spiritual counselors, visits by psychiatrists, doctors, holistic healers and life skill coaches. Alumni or volunteers will volunteer their time to help operate the facility and offer a loving presence to the residents.
Because there is a strong connection between body, mind and spirit, there will be emphasis on such healing modalities as EMDR, somatic work, bodywork, talk therapy, group therapy and acupuncture.
Many trauma survivors suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, migraines, panic attacks, depression, chronic headaches and fatigue and are unable to work and on disability. It is hoped with the use of these healing modalities the survivor will heal and eventually become an empowered individual with deep compassion for oneself and others, and a functioning member of society.
Weekly programs such as self-care, life skills, parenting, grief, loss, and forgiveness will be given, as well as educating the survivor on addiction and trauma, anger and rage management, building relationships with oneself and others. We will also be giving meditation and exercise classes.
This facility will be situated on a quiet piece of land close to the ocean or forest where survivors can nurture themselves through gardening, nature walks and outdoor activities.
In the long term, this treatment facility will be a prototype for many similar facilities throughout the US and the world in providing treatment for survivors of trauma-related conditions and to instill hope and inspiration for women to become successful, productive and healthy members of society.