by: Sarabeth Felushko
We’re super excited to enter our 4th year supporting HOPE for Mental Health Philippines
In North America EMOTIONAL HEALTH is recognized as a vital resource to support staff. But in many other countries these Mental Health resources simply do not exist. Month after month, decade after decade the staff serves.
They support the displaced and marginalized in the aftermath of typhoons, fire, floods, and volcanic eruptions in societies often immersed in political unrest, graft, and shortages of physical resources. They plan for, teach, nurture, feed and ceaselessly raise funds; always "ON" with few holidays; LOCAL directors, administrators, teachers, dietitians, who simply get on with the job day after day.
In 2020, in cooperation with HOPE Worldwide Canada and HOPE Worldwide Philippines, Aimee Gonzaga and I started the MENTAL HEALTH TOOLS, PHILIPPINES project. My husband and I donated the first funds to get started and others soon followed. I volunteered my time to teach and mentor groups online. As Jun Velaesco, the director of HOPE worldwide Philippines stated. "This is a LOW cost- HIGH impact Project."
2020- 2023
For each group, highly motivated men and women on the staff of HOPE worldwide Philippines come together online to learn and practice a specific mental health skill. Engagement is warmly invited. They are SEEN. They are HEARD. They are KNOWN. THEY ARE EQUIPPED with new mental health concepts and SKILLS to last a lifetime.
The Impact
3 years and 2 groups later, Aimee and I could not have imagined the good that has come from this work as the impact and skills are passed down from person to person, family to family, at work, at home, and in their communities.
27 local staff completed 16 + hours of training and mentoring. These training sessions are culturally adapted in consultation with local professionals.
They hold the full range of staff positions. Executive Director, Senior Staff, Program Managers, Social Workers, Child Therapists, Nurses, Nutritionists, Teachers.
6 Centers of HOPE
Baseco
Payatas
Laguna
Ormoc
Tacloban
Aklan
Daan Bantayan
2024
1. I invited mental health professionals from the US/Canada to mentor and train HOPE worldwide Philippines social workers and therapists.
Thank YOU to these Canadians who are now volunteering their time and expertise.
Trauma Coach Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg (https://www.wacs.ca/coaching)
Dr Sean St Jean (https://seanstjean.com/)
Carol Loney, MA, RPC, MPCC-S, CCTP-II (https://www.wacs.ca/carol)
Could this be YOU?
They teach relevant topics that any staff member can sign up for.
S-J divides the monthly time between 2 separate needs: the 3 psychologists and the group of house parents and social workers
2. Purchase mental health textbooks, workbooks & subscriptions to virtual resources that are not easily accessible in the Philippines
3. Weng Monjie (school principal), Eda Rica Fauni and Katiah Manalo (psychologist), all former students in my classes have developed a workable I-MAP curriculum to teach adults and have completed teaching their first class!
Support Our Work. Donate to
Philippine Mental Health Program.
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