Community Impact Grant Awards CCB Funding to continue Child Therapy at Fairview Elementary |
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Each year, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) entertains funding requests for projects and programs that will benefit the citizens of Bloomington and Monroe County. Through the Community Impact Funding Initiative, the Foundation sought to invest in projects that are forward thinking, community changing in their implementation, practical in their application, and unique to the community.
CCB Counseling applied to secure funding for our Child Therapy Program at Fairview Elementary. This embedded program improves our community by increasing accessibility to quality mental health care for children experiencing marginalizing factors such as poverty, food scarcity, and generational trauma. Since 2014, we have delivered onsite, trauma-informed mental health therapy services for children, decreasing barriers to access - such as transportation - by treating children during their school day at low to no cost. Our early intervention child therapy allows the student to have access to a clinically trained therapist for one thirty-minute session every week for 40 weeks. Each session uses evidence based therapeutic techniques to build trust, form a secure attachment, and teach the student coping skills that impact their school performance and permeate into their home life. This individualized therapy responds to the social and cultural needs of the child and builds on their unique strengths. Additionally, this program provides parent check-ins for progress updates and at-home techniques to empower parents with preventative strategies. The skills learned in therapy can help the child process complex emotions, reverse maladaptive coping skills and stop generational trauma cycles.
We are grateful for The Community Foundation for funding 800 child therapy sessions, updating our Playtherapy equipment and sending our therapists to trauma-informed therapy training. Together we will help Fairview students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
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CCB Partners with Catalent Pharma Solutions to provide Mental Health First Aid Kits |
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Catholic Charities Bloomington recently partnered with United Way of Monroe County and Catalent Pharma Solutions to create Mental Health First Aid Kits for CCB clients. The Catalent employees gathered during their month of service to assemble 50 take-home kits that contained stress balls, lavender oils, bubbles, mindfulness journals, miniature Zen gardens and more to assist our clients in mental health practices at home. These kits are not intended to replace therapy with our clinically trained therapist but rather to enhance it. In true Catalent fashion, the volunteers developed an assembly line to work at rapid pace even including a "quality control" department to ensure perfection! These kits have been dispersed to CCB’s adult in-person clients and the feedback has been incredible. CCB therapist Emily Corturillo, MS, LMFT quotes “These are already a success! I gave my first client one today, and we opened the lavender and used it to practice grounding in session. Then the client talked about how excited she is to use the kit and teach her children the grounding techniques too. The kits are already helping our clients!” |
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Lobby Encounter with Therapy Dog Heals Grief
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Amina the therapy dog works her magic through the halls of CCB and in sessions with her best human friend, CCB therapist Emily Corturillo, MS, LMFT. Amina has been with our CCB family since 2019 and currently sees over 10 clients and is always making friends along the way. Amina is a soothing and grounding influence on staff and clients alike, and she is especially gentle and sweet with children. interacting with therapy dogs lowers cortisol, a stress hormone, and enhances the body’s natural stress-reduction chemical oxytocin release. This explains the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy. Strolling around with a therapy dog also decreases blood pressure due to its sensory act. Emily Corturillo recently shared with us “There was one teen client in the waiting room, and Amina decided to visit. The client became so bright, sharing that they had recently lost their precious dog, and was able to pet Amina and share about the journey their dog went on with them. Through working with their therapist, they were in a place where they could talk about their dog in a way that made space for joy along with the grief. It was beautiful.” Way to go, Amina! |
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Bittersweet Farewell to Yuzhu |
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Yuzhu Lu LMHCA, M.S.Ed, a beloved therapist and former intern, left CCB at the end of the year to pursue a career at Purdue West Lafayette Counseling and Psychological Services in their CAP program. Yuzhu began her internship with us in May 2020 and was hired full time in January 2022. During her tenure here she specialized in working with both children and adults focusing on trauma and attachment therapy serving over 50 clients and their families. She led several group therapy sessions including a Gratitude Group as well as anxiety and stress management groups. Yuzhu is kind and empathetic as a colleague and employee. She connects easily with all people and naturally forms balanced work relationships with staff adding immensely to the family atmosphere we have here at CCB. Yuzhu has spent the last years of her life focused on helping people, both children and adults, move forward in their lives with an increased sense of their own value and self-worth with healing as a common goal. Yuzhu has played a critical role in the success of our agency, and she will be missed! Thanks, Yuzhu for all you brought to CCB. |
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Playful Parenting with Beki Hilas on YouTube |
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Our Playful Parenting series launched on our YouTube channel in January. Playful Parenting is a 12-part series that will break down simple activities to build connection and repair attachment with children. These activities can be used for any young person in your life who needs help regulating or just connecting with their caregivers. The Theraplay techniques demonstrated do not need to be administered by a clinically trained therapist to be helpful. Each video is only 2-3 minutes long and has lasting benefits. This series is curated by our newest therapist Beki Hilas MSW, LSW who says this about Theraplay techniques “They are designed to be simple, easy to implement activities that help parents and children connect in ways that strengthen and nurture the bond between them. Through the use of light hearted and fun interactions children understand their parents love them, like them, and are capable of meeting their needs, and parents get a chance to just play and delight in their children for a while.” You can find these and other great coping and parenting tips on our YouTube channel CCB Mental Health Services
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Follow us at our new Instagram handle CatholicCharitiesBloomington. Here you can find content directly from therapists like book recommendations, winter mental health tips, and more. You’ll also stay personally connected with weekly stories, and shared content from our Clinical Director Michael Stribling, Office Administrator Rachael Vickrey, and Project Coordinator Darcie Casey.
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Mental Health Wellness Luncheon
Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Time: 11:30am
Location: Ivy Tech Bloomington
Details: The program will feature demonstrations on how to exercise mental wellness in your daily life, an update from CCB, door prize giveaway, and more. There is no cost to attend but there will be opportunity to pledge your support for the work of Catholic Charities Bloomington. More information will be available in the coming months.
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A bequest helps you leave a Catholic legacy |
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When you look back at the end of your life, what would your faith story say about you? If your answer includes your value of stewardship, then consider what your last gift to the Church should say about your faith life. How might you leave a “Catholic” legacy?
A bequest to Catholic Charities Bloomington in your will can make a statement of who you were and what you valued throughout your lifetime. It can also bear witness to your loved ones and community at large to your generosity and need to give back a small portion of that which God has blessed you.
A bequest can benefit your favorite Catholic parish, school, or the ministry you hold dear (or any of their endowment funds at the Catholic Community Foundation).
To learn more about leaving a Catholic legacy through a bequest, contact the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) at 317-236-1482 or ccf@archindy.org.
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To inquire about donating to Catholic Charities Bloomington, contact Cheri Bush at cbush@archindy.org
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Provide Mental Health Services |
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Help Catholic Charities by shopping for groceries at no extra cost to you!
1. Register your Kroger Plus Card at Kroger.com/communityrewards (if you do not have one, they are available at the Customer Service desk at any Kroger). 2. Click on "Sign In" or "Create an Account".
3. Search for "Catholic Charities Bloomington" or enter CL196.
4. Click "enroll".
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