Bingo with the Mavericks

We are hosting our 3^rd annual Bingo with the Mavericks event on Wednesday, 12-12-12. What a fun night that will be!

This event is very family-oriented, and kid-friendly. The Missouri Mavericks hockey players call the Bingo, sell extra game cards and good luck charms, and mingle with the crowd. It’s fun for all and supports our critical life-saving services at the same time.

We are so grateful to the Mavericks for choosing Hope House as one of their charity partners again this year. We have had the opportunity to attend the Mavericks games and sell Chuck a Pucks, plus set up a booth to distribute our information to the fans.

Awareness is so critical in the fight against domestic violence and these opportunities to reach thousands of people with our services are so helpful.

Festivities start at 6PM at the Hilton Garden Inn in Independence (map it). You can purchase tickets online for $15 for adults, $10 for children under the age of 12. Ticket includes one reusable Bingo card and additional ones can be purchased from the Maverick players for $5.

Sponsorship opportunities start at $250 and are still available.  You can call Libby at 816-257-9334 for more information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo by Jenny Steffens @
http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/

I can't believe that it's already the middle of November and Thanksgiving is here. It's the time of year when we stop to give thanks for all of our many blessings.

At Hope House, we are thankful every day and feel extremely blessed. We are a part of this wonderful community; a caring community that reaches out to us and helps us in so many ways. 

People are amazing in how they give back. The care and concern they have for their neighbors and fellow human beings is heart-warming.

We thank you for thinking of us throughout the year. We couldn't do the work we do without you. We are grateful to everyone who has touched our lives and continues to support us as we work to break the cycle of domestic violence.

We wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I Love My Job

I love my job. I get to experience something new every day and have the opportunity to enjoy the smiles and the joys of accomplishments and achievements. Those times just make me smile.

The other day I was in our parking lot going to my car to go to a meeting. I was running late and was preoccupied. But I stopped in my tracks and smiled when I saw this young boy bound out of a cab that was returning him from his day at school.


His younger sister was waiting for him. She squealed with delight when she saw him, started jumping up and down and said, “I am so glad to see you! How was your day?!”

His mother was standing there as well, and met him with a big hug and a smile. They were so excited to see each other, that they didn’t notice me there. That was a good thing, since I got teary-eyed and emotional.

I am so happy that we are able to provide a safe place for families to be where they can focus on healing and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Young ones can go about the business of learning; coming home from school is a time to celebrate. Families are able to focus on rebuilding their lives and moving on from the trauma they have experienced.

We would not be able to provide the opportunity for this growth to take place without the support of our community. Thank you to each of you who have helped us grow and thrive. To all of you who provide your time, your talents, and your resources, we are grateful.

The result of your contributions is evident everyday in the lives of the people we work with.

Lethality Assessment Program

I have written about our Lethality Assessment Program in partnership with area law enforcement agencies in the past. This tool allows police officers to discuss with a victim the risk of being killed if they stay in the relationship. 

The tool is a series of questions the officers asks the victim. Based on the victim’s responses, the officer can determine the chances of the victim dying at their abuser’s hand. It has allowed officers the opportunity to engage in conversation around victim safety in a way that is meaningful, with facts from research to assist in the conversation. 

It has also opened the door for Hope House staff to have conversations with very high-risk victims that we were not able to reach in the past. It has been remarkable and exciting to be a part of this program.

We have been thrilled with our continuing work with Raytown, Lee’s Summit, Grandview and Blue Springs Police Departments. The tool has proven to be very useful for both Hope House staff and police officers. 

I am very excited that the Independence Police Department recently joined the program. We are grateful they are committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence.

Together, we do make a difference in the lives of those victimized by domestic violence.  To break the cycle of DV, it takes the hard work of everyone in our community. This program is doing that, one person at a time. 

Emotional Freedom Technique

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Today’s guest blogger is Rita Witt, Vice President of Clinical Services for Hope House.

Hope House has long been aware that domestic violence victims are at high risk for post-traumatic stress. Our therapy department has consistently pursued treatment approaches and training to best prepare the therapists to assist our clients in addressing the effects of trauma in their lives. 

Therapeutic approaches have always included simple, empowering techniques and information that clients could continue to use on their own after they left Hope House. Among those approaches are some in the field of energy psychology.

Energy psychology is based on the principle that the body, like everything in the universe, is composed of energy which flows through the body by means of a meridian system. While this is a relatively new idea is the Western world, the healing concepts that it's based upon have been in practice in Eastern medicine for over 5,000 years.

Like acupuncture and acupressure, this approach consists of techniques that utilize the body's energy meridian points.  Energy psychology treatments have both a psychological component and a mechanical/energetic component.

One such energy-based approach used at Hope House is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). A fundamental principle of EFT is that all negative emotions are a disruption of the body's energy.

By tapping, or stimulating certain meridian points with the fingertips, literally tapping into the body's own energy and healing power, one can restore balance to the body's energy, and mend the negative emotions and physical symptoms that stem from the energy disruption. 

Because of this simple and empowering effect, Janet Howard, Hope House Substance Abuse counselor, reports her clients have been especially successful in using it to address addiction.

Using this simple method, the client can take her physical and emotional well-being into her own hands. It's simple for anyone to master; it is non-invasive, highly specific, has no side effects, and best of all, it's free.

If you’re interested in learning more about EFT, please visit http://www.garythink.com/eft/.