11 minute read
Enlightened Solutions
The Hansen Foundation’s Recovery Housing
Housing Recovery….One Person at a Time, One Day at a Time
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Lisa Whitley, PMP – Executive Director, The Hansen Foundation
The Ying Yang of this duo creates a balanced dualism that is essential to their life saving work…..helping people heal from substance use disorder (SUD). The complementary opposite forces of Terri Burns, Director of Operations, and Melissa Loupos, Assistant Director of Serenity Housing at the Hansen Foundation, creates the ideal team to run the Recovery Housing Program. The Hansen Foundation Residences, called Serenity Houses, provide a structured, affordable, long-term, family-like atmosphere for people to learn how to LIVE after enduring the depths of addiction. Living in Recovery housing is truly a time of learning new life skills and having the right kind of support is essential to sustained Recovery.…. enter Terri and Melissa. Each one has travelled their own road of addiction and know first-hand the challenges of sustaining Recovery.
Terri, a high energy personality that has a spirited approach to everything, is in long term Recovery since 1997 and has worked in the field of addiction since 1999. She started using substances before the age of 12. As a young teenager she was allowed to drink alcohol at home and by her mid-teens this “norm” led to increased alcohol and drug abuse. By her midtwenties Terri finally reached a point at which she knew if she didn’t stop using substances she would die. Terri entered the addiction profession by coincidence while living in Recovery housing after her own treatment. A housemate invited her to take a temporary job while she was on leave from work, at a youth advocate program. It was a job that became a profession; one that has led her to co-founding Enlightened Solutions Treatment center, her current position with the Foundation, and numerous leadership positions with organizations that determine standards and best practices for Recovery housing in the State of New Jersey.
Quiet but strongly persuasive, Melissa had a much different journey to addiction. Although plagued with severe anxiety as a child and teen, Melissa was a model child. She was captain of the track team, a good student, and had wonderful friends. Her close family was thrilled when she entered Villanova where she chose to major in business. College partying introduced her to a new way to control her anxiety, something that was increasing as the college work intensified. It was during this time Melissa lost her grandmother and aunt, both of which she was close to. As the alcohol consumption increased, the ability to manage it all diminished. She left college and proceeded to enter a cycle of drinking and prescription drug use 24 hours a day. By 21, she had endured 12 detoxes, numerous Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), and three inpatient treatment centers. She entered the Hansen Foundation’s Serenity Recovery House in 2013 after treatment. After several years of Recovery, Melissa was offered a position by Terri to work in housing while pursuing her BSW from Rutgers.
Each one brings a dedication and passion to the job. As a team, they work with each resident on an individual basis. “No two people are alike and it is our role to go the extra mile for everyone that walks through our doors,” says Loupos. Their philosophy is to know the individual, understand their strengths and struggles and identify the ways to best support them. “Whether it be facing legal issues, regaining a driver’s license, getting custody of their children back or simply learning how to do laundry, food shop, cook and clean, our staff helps people,” says Terry. Terri and Melissa are not only fiercely committed to their staff but also to each other and their mission to help people heal. Terri says that her work with the Hansen Foundation has “been an amazing journey of watching people get their lives back.” Melissa’s favorite quote sums it best, “You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.” Dr. Cornel West
MORE ABOUT THE HANSEN FOUNDATION
The Hansen Foundation transforms lives—helping ALL people become healthier and happier. To learn more about Terri Burns, Director of Operations, and Melissa Loupos, Assistant Director of Serenity Housing and to support the life-changing work we are doing at The Hansen Foundation, please visit us at www.hansenfoundation.org or reach me directly at lwhitley@hansenfoundationnj.org
The Hansen Foundation, Inc.
4 East Jimmie Leeds Road, Suite 3 | Galloway, NJ 08205 Mobile : 609-968-3873 | Main: 609-270-4443 | Tax ID #31-1667973 lwhitley@hansenfoundationnj.org | hansenfoundationnj.org
Happy New Year
Wishing you and your family a happy and prosperous neW year in 2022!
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a ‘going on’, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” - Oprah Winfrey
“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host
- Helen Keller
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its - Edith Lovejoy Pierce
“Each New Year, we have before us a brand new book containing 365 blank pages.
forgotten things from last year—the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show, and the charity we forgot to offer.”
“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not
potential.” - Ellen Goodman
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Medical Professionals
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are swollen veins that can be seen through the skin. They often have a bulging, twisted appearance. Some varicose veins may be very large and discolored. Others may be smaller. They can occur anywhere on the legs, including the groin area.
What causes varicose veins?
Blood must flow up, against gravity, to exit the legs and return to the heart. Our leg veins have one-way valves that assist in this process. Those valves can malfunction and leak, causing blood to flow in the wrong direction. The blood then pools in the legs, increasing the pressure in the veins. This is known as venous reflux disease or Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). Venous reflux is one of the most common causes of varicose veins.
People with varicose veins and venous reflux may feel leg pain, leg heaviness, leg fatigue and/or leg swelling. Itching of the skin of the legs is also a very common complaint. Standing may worsen symptoms. Many people will notice the appearance of bulging legs veins. However, some people will only feel discomfort but not notice any cosmetic changes.
It is important to understand that varicose veins and venous reflux are NOT necessarily simple cosmetic problems. This can be a sign of an abnormal condition in the circulation. In addition to pain, some individuals may be at risk for chronic swelling, permanent skin discoloration, open wounds and even blood clots. With early diagnosis and treatment, long-term complications can usually be prevented. Treatment often has the added benefit of improving aesthetics, even in cases that are not considered “cosmetic.”
Who is at risk for varicose veins?
Prolonged standing or sitting on one place, family history of varicose veins, and being overweight are all known risks. In addition, increasing age and pregnancy are risk factors. Some people may develop varicose veins without having any of these known conditions.
An experienced vascular specialist can make the diagnosis with a combination of a medical history, physical examination and a painless vascular test called a Doppler ultrasound (also known as a venous duplex scan.) Making the correct diagnosis is essential in properly treating this condition.
How are varicose veins and venous reflux treated?
Sometimes compression stockings will be sufficient to control symptoms and prevent complications. When procedures are needed, current technology and
Medical Professionals
The Most Common Questions And Answers Concerning Varicose Veins aricose veins are one of the most common vascular conditions affecting women...and men of all ages. Jeffrey S. Gosin, MD, FACS Treatment options have improved greatly in techniques, allow for treatment recent years. In spite of these advancements, many people mistakenly still believe that treatment for this problem is difficult, painful, and WITHOUT the need for painful surgery. One of the best, most proven treatments for venous reflux is the Closure® Procedure. This simply considered “cosmetic.” Other people minimally invasive procedure is may experience leg pain and other symptoms performed right in the office in less but they don’t realize what is causing their than 30 minutes, with no incisions, condition. This article will answer some common questions regarding varicose veins, minimal discomfort, and excellent results. the associated symptoms, and treatment. How long is the recovery What are varicose veins? Varicose veins are swollen veins that can be seen through the skin. from vein treatment? In most cases individuals can return to their usual activities within They often have a bulging, twisted appearance. Some varicose veins a day of the procedure. may be very large and discolored. Others may be smaller. They can occur anywhere on the legs, including the groin area. Is varicose vein treatment covered by health
What causes varicose veins? insurance?
Blood must flow up, against gravity, to exit the legs and return to Venous reflux disease is a medical condition. Therefore, in many cases, varicose the heart. Our leg veins have one-way valves that assist in this process. vein treatment is covered by health insurance. An experienced vein treatment Those valves can malfunction and leak, causing blood to flow in the center will have insurance specialists who will work with your insurance company wrong direction. The blood then pools in the legs, increasing the pressure to confirm coverage. in the veins. This is known as venous reflux disease or Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). Venous reflux is one of the most common causes Visit www.GetGreatLegs.comof varicose veins.
People with varicose veins and venous reflux may feel leg pain, leg heaviness, leg fatigue and/or leg swelling. Itching of the skin of the legs is also a very common complaint. Standing may worsen symptoms. Many people will notice the appearance of bulging legs veins. However, some people will only feel discomfort but not notice any cosmetic changes. I thought varicose veins are just a cosmetic problem. Is that true?
It is important to understand that varicose veins and venous reflux are NOT necessarily simple cosmetic problems. This can be a sign of an abnormal condition in the circulation. In addition to pain, some individuals may be at risk for chronic swelling, permanent skin discoloration, open wounds and even blood clots. With early diagnosis and treatment, long-term complications can usually be prevented. Treatment often has the added benefit of improving aesthetics, even in cases that are not considered “cosmetic.”
Who is at risk for varicose veins?
The Most Common Questions And Answers Concerning Varicose Veins Varicose veins are one of the most common vascular conditions affecting women...and men of all ages. Treatment options have improved greatly in recent years. In spite of these advancements, many people mistakenly still believe that treatment for this problem is difficult, painful, and simply considered “cosmetic.” Other
How are varicose veins and venous reflux diagnosed? An experienced vascular specialist can make the diagnosis with V people may experience leg pain and other symptoms but they don’t realize what is causing their condition. This article will answer some common questions regarding varicose veins, the associated symptoms, and treatment. a combination of a medical history, physical examination and a painless vascular test called a Doppler ultrasound (also known as a venous duplex scan.) Making the correct diagnosis is essential in properly treating this condition.
How are varicose veins and venous reflux treated?
Sometimes compression stockings will be sufficient to control symptoms and prevent complications. When procedures are needed, current technology and techniques, allow for treatment WITHOUT Jeffrey S. Gosin, MD, FACS the need for painful surgery. One of the best, most proven treatments for venous reflux is the Closure® Procedure, now referred to as Venefit™. This minimally invasive procedure is performed right in the office in less than 30 minutes, with no incisions, minimal discomfort, and excellent results.
How long is the recovery from vein treatment?
In most cases individuals can return to their usual activities within a day of the procedure.
Venous reflux disease is a medical condition. Therefore, in many cases, varicose vein treatment is covered by health insurance. An experienced vein treatment center will have insurance specialists who will work with your insurance company to confirm coverage.
VISIT www.GetGreatLegs.com
• The Venefit Procedure The Closure Procedure • Microphlebectomy • Sclerotherapy for treatment of spider veins • Excel V Vascular Laser for treatment of spider veins and unsightly facial veins • IAC Accredited Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory on site • Enlighten(TM) Laser Tattoo Removal 442 Bethel Road Somers Point, NJ 08244 (609) 927-VEIN (8346)
www.GetGreatLegs.com
