About Hope for Healing

- a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based program -

Hope for Healing is designed to spur healing, new growth, and empowered creativity for survivors of trauma and loved ones.

Although internet support is often all that's available for some survivors – due to geographic location, type of trauma survived, gender or sexual orientation, or relationship to the direct survivor – FORGE understands that ALL primary and secondary survivors of violence need support. FORGE offers many opportunities for face-to-face, person-to-person, dynamic yet gentle support and connection.

[You can sign up for FORGE’s Hope for Healing listserves by clicking on the links on the right side of this page.]

All of FORGE’s Hope For Healing programs are designed by trauma-informed facilitators with an awareness that support programming needs to be both diverse enough to be applicable to many types of people and situations, and yet specific enough to address key components that will lead to deeper understanding and an integration of healing and wholeness.

Every Hope for Healing event is open to anyone who wishes to explore their healing process or who wants to be surrounded by others who are on a similar path of self-discovery. We especially welcome survivors who are often unable to access services elsewhere – such as survivors of violence committed by female perpetrators, male survivors, LGBT survivors, survivors of ritual abuse, partners and loved ones of survivors, people who have witnessed trauma, and many others who don’t neatly fit into traditional service providers’ models. Of course, we also welcome those who are also able to access mainstream services.

Hope for Healing events also approach trauma-recovery in progressive ways. We know that people frequently need to participate in many types of healing modalities in order to integrate and recover from their trauma. Although our programming is specifically not therapy-focused, our years of experience and education have led us to create programs that are experiential and kinesthetic and highly effective in transforming lives and engendering hope. We employ techniques that stimulate thoughts and feelings in new (safe) ways that encourage systemic healing change.

FORGE views trauma recovery as a JOURNEY. We know that the journey is often long and may wander through dense woods, overcrowded with trees and underbrush that often make us feel lost and hopeless. Hope for Healing programs are one way for people to feel less lost and more connected on their personal healing journey. Although every individuals’ journey is different, we honor and encourage connection, communication, and compassion between individuals to make that expedition a little less lonely and a little more loving.

Upcoming Events - Milwaukee

September 4, 2008 -- Truth and Transformation monthly writing group begins

September 22, 2008 -- Creating Connections weekly writing group begins through the Shorewood Recreaction Department

September 27, 2008 -- Loving Through Trauma all day retreat

November 10, 2008 -- Building Strong Relationships weekly workshops begin through the Nicolet Recreation Department

Listserves

Writing Circle

The Writing Circle list is an interactive space to share your writing, be inspired, and read how others are healing from violence and trauma through writing. To subscribe, send an email to: writing_circle-subscribe@lists.forge-forward.org

SV-Support

The Sexual Violence Support/Healing list empowers and supports LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Intersex) primary and secondary survivors of sexual violence, and loved ones and providers of survivors. This loosely facilitated list is a place where survivors and “secondary victims” (partners, family members, etc.) can “come” to share their stories, experiences and resources with others who are interested in healing and recovering from sexual violence. We define this list to include ALL people who fall under the LGBTQI/SOFFA umbrella, anyone who has been directly or indirectly affected by sexual violence (regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity), and anyone else who feels a affinity or bond with the LGBTQI/SOFFA community and/or has been denied access to “mainstream” services and support. To subscribe, send an email to: sv-support-subscribe@lists.forge-forward.org

TSVProeject

This is an announcement only list primarily for providers who want to keep up to date on publications, events, and other activities FORGE is doing related to sexual violence and trauma. To subscribe, send an email to: tsvproject-subscribe@lists.forge-forward.org