The IC will host a Wednesday Night Social where we will have games, food, and an ice cream social!
“Erin has been an integral part of our culinary unit, we don’t know what we would do with out her!” -Trista G.
The IC would like to announce that this month’s faces in recovery is Erin .Z. Erin Z. has been a member of the Independence Center for over twenty years! She comes in and helps prepare delicious meals and desserts for members daily!
Erin is always friendly and welcoming to all members and staff. We are lucky to have her with us!
Monday 10:30AM-11AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM Tuesday closed
This year Erin has been awarded our Most Valuable Member Certificate! Congratulations Erin, you deserve it! Thank you for all you do!
Congratulations Erin Z.!
Wednesday 10:30AM-11AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM Thursday closed Friday 10:30AM-11AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM
(Food Bank is not available during parties and meetings.)
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Last month we celebrated Independence Day. Many of us watched the fireworks and went to cookouts. Many businesses were closed for that day and it was a day to just relax. In current events last month, we looked deeper into what the word Independence meant to people with mental health and addiction. Someone that has a mental health illness could celebrate the separation of the old stigma that used to go along with someone with mental health. They could celebrate the independence of how they are taking charge of their lives and not letting their mental health stop them from living. Celebrate how far you have come and what you did to get there. Someone that was suffering from an addiction could celebrate their independence from an addiction. Celebrate the feeling of being free. So the next time you walk through the doors of the Independence Center take pride in those words and yourself.
The weather was beautiful the day members of the Mending Art program visited the Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center in Litchfield. Sr. Jo-Ann greeted the I.C. Artists and brought them in the Marie Louise Tricket Art Gallery to see the current exhibit curated by Tony Carretta titled “Transforming Sorrow” by artist Kardash Onnig. After visiting the art exhibit I.C. artists took a walk through the labyrinth. The day was full of reflections and gratitude. “This experience felt like a form of spiritual practice.” -Rich A. “It made me think about history and I started thinking about what we can do together.” Terrex C. “Art that is in me I didn’t know was art until I saw his sketch work. Every piece connects!” - Cynthia W. “I liked the smell of the cedar wood, the feel of the drum, and the connection to the whole family. The yellow was positive light!”- John P.
“The art was inspiring. I think this experience helped me pray and care a lot better for my family.”-Shawn M.
For people who hear voices: www.facebook.com/cthearin gvoicesnetwork or http://www.hearingvoicesus a.org/ Alternatives to Suicide Support Group 399 Franklin Avenue Hartford Wednesdays 4-5pm http://toivocenter.org/ OCD support group http://psychiatry.yale.edu/o cd/patients/support.aspx Alcoholics Anonymous http://www.aa.org/ Narcotics Anonymous http://www.na.org/ Overeaters Anonymous https://oa.org/
I.C. Artists Lea D., Jennifer F., and Cynthia W. held a Mending Art group at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club in Waterbury. The children enjoyed seeing the I.C. Artist’s sketchbooks and created their own drawings in sketchbooks that the I.C. Artists made for them. Drawings of favorite places, favorite things, and masks began forming on the sketchbook pages. I.C. Artists and the children of the Boy’s and Girl’s Club inspired one another through their art.
Gamblers Anonymous http://www.gamblersanony mous.org/ga/ For additional information on Support Groups in Connecticut, visit http://www.mhconn.org/ed ucation/information%20and %20referral/ or call: 1-800-842-1510, ext. 10
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We are proud to announce that we have 2 new graduates of WRAP/Curriculum! The names are Chris B. and Christina P. The two graduates have attended and participated in the four required classes. It was a growing experience! Job well done! FYI- We will be planning more WRAP/Curriculum classes in the near future. For more information ask for Jayne at the I.C. What is Wrap? Every Friday at 11 am we have a “Peer Support/Topics in WRAP” group. We will be discussing Triggers and Early Warning Signs along with coping skills and ways to handle stress. If you missed our WRAP course, you can catch up again. We will be offering a “closed” WRAP/Curriculum again, see Jayne if you are interested. Everyone is always welcome on Fridays at 11am! Come and join us!
Our goal is simple, to promote random acts of kindness to unsuspecting peers, whether by painting and dropping inspirational rocks or some other cool creative way to bring kindness into the world. If you do choose to create inspirational painted rocks, come down to the IC and ask Alisa about our new acts of kindness project.
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Michael F. is sharing his artwork for the first time! He recently began creating small images using sharpie markers. When Michael draws he feels inspiration and energy. “Art gives me something to do with my time. Instead of watching garbage on TV I can put some music on and draw for a couple hours. I wouldn’t have done it really if it wasn’t for Mending Art.” says Michael. The artwork of Salvador Dali, Vincent van Gogh, and Ralph Steadman interest Michael. We look forward to seeing more of Michael’s art in the future!
“Art gives me something to do with my time.” -Michael F.
I.C. Artist, Jennifer F., will be having her first solo art exhibit titled “My Life, The Story Behind” at Gravity Smoothie & Coffee Bar in Torrington. The art will be on display for the month of August. Stop by, take a look, and try a delicious smoothie! Members can sign up for an August 18th visit to the exhibit. (For more information please contact Mending Art Coordinator, Amy Smith.)
Asa W.
08-01
Jeannette S.
08-02
MaryAnn C.
08-03
Joseph L.
08-04
James G.
08-05
Leonard L.
08-07
Susan G.
08-08
Darryl H.
08-10
David R.
08-12
Jason W.
08-13
Matthew C.
08-14
Wayne J.
08-14
Alonza C.
08-16
Jack S.
08-18
Lisa P.
08-18
Luis R.
08-19
Eldridge E.
08-19
Alex B.
08-21
Lee T.
08-22
Francis M.
08-22
Valerie F.
08-25
Jose M.
08-26
Maria D.
08-27
Gil T.
08-29
Join us for a birthday bash on the 30th at 3:00PM 5
The IC had its 7th annual anniversary party, it has been 7 years that the IC moved to 21 Church Street. Even though mother nature decided to join us this year we still had a blast! We had delicious burgers, hotdogs, potato salad, pasta salad, tuna salad, watermelon, and ice pops! Members and staff played games, won prizes and everyone had a chance to utilize our photo booth and took home a photo souvenir!
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Fiona de Merell received her B.A. in Classics and Ancient Greek from the University of Wales and her M.A in Adult Learning from the University of Connecticut. She believes passionately in the power of sharing personal experiences as a component of recovery and support, and is well-versed in narrative, and transformative, learning theory, both of which form the basis for her grief support group format, “Seen and Heard.”
Infoline CT 211 Logisticare 1-888-248-9895
Fiona is a writer and has featured at many spoken word events throughout Connecticut. Some of her personal essays are published in the anthology, “This One Has No Name” (2016), and can also be found at jaggedhead.com.
Guiding Path Warmline: 1-860-482-1783 or 1-800-314-2680 5pm-10pm 7 days per week
Want to hear more about Fiona? She will be at the IC on Aug 16th at 10AM. Come down and meet her!
National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8522 Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline 1-888-999-5545 En Español 1-888-999-8332
IC advocates attended an Emergency Field Hearing at the Hartford Public Library on Friday. This was the third hearing held by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal to discuss the GOP’s proposed changes to healthcare that would negatively affect millions of Americans. Some of the stories included a young woman who suddenly lost her husband and was left to provide for herself and her three children, a Veteran who has a son on the Autism Spectrum and needs specialized services, and a woman with a rare respiratory disease and is hoping to be placed on the lung transplant list, to name a few.
We are hoping to continue to advocate so people do not lose their services that were put in place by the Affordable Health Care Act.
Crisis 1-866-794-0021
Dentists in Waterbury Who take Husky Health Staywell Health Center 203-597-9044 South Main Street 203-756-8021 Phoenix Avenue Community Health Center 203-574-4000 Columbia Dental 1-866-645-0111 Statewide # for Opioid (Opiate) Dependence 1-800-563-4086 You will be linked with walk-in assessment centers
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Disclaimer: Articles which show “submitted by” are not written by an IC member. They are articles that our members came across, were inspired by, and brought in to the Center to inspire and encourage other members. Often the authors of these articles are unknown. The opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Independence Center’s members, the staff, or the Editor.
The Hispanic Heritage Group had their first meeting last month. The members meet each month to discuss all things relating to their culture. The Hispanic Heritage Group met on July 26th to talk about foods from their countries. Jose served blood sausage, a Puerto Rican favorite. The group meets once a month and you don’t have to be Hispanic to participate. Come and join the fun and learn about different Hispanic cultures. You might even begin to learn a little of the Spanish language.
PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE
Independence Center 21 Church Street Waterbury, CT 0672 Phone: 203-756-5772 Fax: 203-756-9744