The Women's Initiative

Today's Monday ✨mindfulness✨ moment comes from Elizabeth Cobb, LCSW, clinical services coordinator and therapist.

To get started with our services, visit us during our wellness clinic hours or join one of our many offerings. For more information, visit https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/wellness-clinic.

Join us for an introduction into the benefits of herbs on the physical and mental health journey. Led by Sydney from The Elderberry, in collaboration with Cultivate Charlottesville, we will learn how herbs and spices within your own cabinet can benefit you. We will also try a collection of teas and fellowship in sisterhood.

Register today: https://thewomensinitiative.formstack.com/forms/cultivateherbal2024

Meet Paige Riddle, MSW, one of TWI's therapists and our resilience educator!

What do you do at The Women's Initiative (TWI)?
I balance three roles as resilience educator, partnership therapist at the Shelter for Help in Emergency, and mental health therapist.

What is one thing you wished people knew about TWI?
I wish more people knew that almost every therapist at TWI holds more than one role, which I believe allows our team opportunities to develop a well-rounded approach to our therapy services. Holding more than one role also allows us to be present in the community and, hopefully, feel more accessible!

What brings you the most joy?
I feel immense gratitude when I get to talk with a counseling participant about how a therapeutic relationship has become a resource for them, even if it's related to a previous supportive experience! Away from work, I enjoy running in sync with my beloved cattle dog, Annabelle.

To learn more about our team, visit https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/team.

Chihamba West African Dance is now offered weekly on Tuesdays! Join us for a dance class for women and children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), in partnership with Charlottesville dance troupe Chihamba. In this fun and energetic hour, we will enjoy movement and rhythm, build community, and connect with our African ancestry as we explore the meanings and stories behind each dance.

Register today: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/all-programs?category=Sister%20Circle

Today's Monday ✨mindfulness✨ moment comes from Kishara Joy Griffin, MSW, Sister Circle therapist. We invite you to read her poem about self-compassion.

Find the poem at: https://thewomensinitiative.org/twi-blog/self-compassion-poem

Acompáñanos a una noche de bienestar donde realizaremos diferentes actividades para cuidar nuestra salud mental en comunidad. Este grupo se llevará a cabo cada segundo miércoles de mes con Sin Barreras VA.

Para registrarse para este grupo llame a Sin Barreras a 434.531.0104 o envíe un mensaje a [email protected].

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Join us for a wellness night in which we will do different activities to care for our mental health in community. This group will take place every second Wednesday of the month with Sin Barreras.

To register for the group, call Sin Barreras at 434.531.0104 or email [email protected].

The Women's Initiative honors the courage it takes to seek support. To get started with our counseling services, visit us during our wellness clinic hours, which provide a chance to meet with a counselor for the first time to discuss your needs and learn about your care options with us. Clinics are free, offered four days a week, and are open to all women and members of the gender-expansive community.

Learn more today: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/wellness-clinic

BIPOC-identifying women are invited to attend and build community with one another through creating a collective definition of love. Led by Kishara Griffin, MSW, this group will be a discussion about love based on the bell hooks book, all about love. Participants are encouraged to purchase the book ahead of time to use as a reference point. Focused discussion questions from the book will be used to build our collective definition of love.

Register today: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/all-programs

Le invitamos a participar en este espacio de expresión y creatividad junto a otras Latinas y Latines de nuestra comunidad. Exploraremos el poder curativo de la conexión con la cultura utilizando materiales textiles para crear relatos y narrativas visuales. Cada participante podrá crear una pieza visual que cuente historias de resiliencia y sanación, utilizando retazos de telas, costura a mano y bordados inspirados tanto en la tradición chilena de las arpilleras como en el bordado tradicional mexicano. No necesita tener conocimientos ni experiencia previa en estas técnicas. *Este grupo se dará en un formato presencial y bilingüe (Español/Inglés). ¡Gracias a The Scrappy Elephant por su donación!

Para registrarse para este grupo llame al 434.328.1800 o envíe un mensaje a [email protected].

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Join us in cultivating a space of creative expression with other Latinas in your community while exploring the healing power of cultural connection and visual story telling through textiles. Using fabric scraps, hand-sewing, and patchwork techniques inspired by Chilean arpilleras and traditional Mexican embroidery, each participant will work towards creating a visual story cloth centered on resilience and healing. No prior sewing experience is necessary. *This group will be run in a bilingual format in Spanish and English. Thank you to The Scrappy Elephant for your donation!

To register for the group, call 434.328.1800, email [email protected].

The 2024 Challenge Into Change submission window is open through today! It is not too late to submit your story (short selection of prose or poetry) and choose to be published in this year's book. Selected stories will be featured and all authors will be celebrated during our fall celebration. First-time and new writers are encouraged to participate.

Challenge Into Change honors women’s stories of overcoming life challenges to find hope and healing. This year's theme is “My Story, My Strength.”

Learn more: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change

Photo from the 2023 Challenge Into Change Community Celebration at PVCC

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¡Hoy cierra el plazo para enviar tu texto para De la Adversidad al Éxito! Aún tienes tiempo para enviar tu cuento breve, poesía, carta o texto para ser publicado en el libro de este año. Todos los autores estarán invitados a la celebración de la Adversidad al Éxito, en la que algunos textos serán leídos. Son bienvenidos a participar a escritores nuevos y primerizos.

De la Adversidad al Éxito honra las historias de mujeres que superaron los desafíos de la vida para encontrar esperanza y curación. El tema de este año es “Mi historia, mi fuerza."

Obtenga más información:
https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change

Foto de la celebración comunitaria De la Adversidad al Éxito 2023en PVCC

There's still time to submit an entry for this year's Challenge Into Change! We are accepting short selections of prose or poetry on transforming difficult experiences as part of the journey toward well-being and wholeness. Visit https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change for full details.

Questions? Contact us at 434.872.0047 or [email protected].

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¡Todavía hay tiempo para enviar tu historia y participar en De La Adversidad al Éxito!
Aceptamos textos breves en prosa o poesía, que relaten tu viaje de transformación de experiencias difíciles hacia el bienestar y la plenitud. Visite
https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change
para obtener todos los detalles.

¿Más preguntas? Contáctenos al 434.328.1800 o [email protected].

La Iniciativa de Salud Latina de UVA le invita a su Tarde de Salud el día Lunes 19 de Agosto a las 6:00pm en la Iglesia de la Encarnación , 1465 Incarnation Dr, Charlottesville, VA con el tema “Relaciones Humanas: ¿Es mi relación saludable o no? ¿Qué puedo hacer?” una valiosa colaboración con la Iniciativa de la Mujer de Charlottesville. The Women's Initiative
Regístrese utilizando el siguiente enlace:
https://forms.gle/cZWPCWiQacmxhPAF9
o llame/texto al 434-272-5910. Este evento es gratuito y en español

UPDATED DATE | Join us Tuesday, August 27, for an evening of arts, crafts, and creativity with your sisters. Led by Juanika Howard, LPC, we will immerse ourselves in the joys of painting pots and potting plants in a fun and relaxing environment.

Register today: https://bit.ly/twiprograms

Starting next Wednesday, August 21, we will host a biweekly book club focused on Trans pleasure. Pleasure is so frequently de-centered in conversations about trans people. These discussions often focus on what is wrong with our bodies rather than on what can be right with our bodies. We aim to create a safe space for all transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse folks.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/twiprograms

Embrace rest as resistance and reclaim your peace. On Saturday, August 24, we invite you to step away from the demands of the world and into a haven of tranquility designed for BIPOC women. This retreat offers a sacred space to pause, breathe, and reconnect with your inner wellspring of strength and serenity. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or simply in need of a restorative pause, this experience invites you to reclaim your peace and rediscover your inner strength.

Lunch will be provided for those who attend the entire day. Register today: https://bit.ly/twiprograms

Join us in creating a vibrant collective space where BIPOC LGBTQ individuals can connect, create, and thrive together. Each Friday offers an opportunity to socialize, and learn and connect with community through various activities, such as a BIPOC LGBTQ+ filmmaker showcase, artmaking, and more. Individuals who identify as both BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and LGBTQ (Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Q***r) are invited to participate.

Register once and attend any of the sessions: https://bit.ly/twiprograms

In Skill-Building for Emotional Well-Being, participants will learn how to better cope with upsetting circumstances and overwhelming emotions, develop a larger emotional vocabulary, and learn how to express beliefs and needs more effectively. This is a closed group where participants can share personal experiences and receive support in a safe, non-judgmental, and confidential setting.

Schedule a screening by contacting 434.872.0047 x304 or [email protected] by August 19.

On Sundays, August 4-25, join us for this yoga class to build strength, improve balance, and enhance overall health and well-being. We will use gentle, accessible yoga postures and practice self-compassion toward our body. No experience or ability is expected. Women and members of the gender-expansive community are invited to attend.

Visit bit.ly/twiprograms to register!

Acompáñanos a una noche de bienestar donde realizaremos diferentes actividades para cuidar nuestra salud mental en comunidad. Este grupo se llevará a cabo cada segundo miércoles de mes con Sin Barreras.

Para registrarse para este grupo llame a Sin Barreras a 434.531.0104 o envíe un mensaje a [email protected].

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Join us for a wellness night in which we will do different activities to care for our mental health in community. This group will take place every second Wednesday of the month with Sin Barreras.

To register for the group, call Sin Barreras at 434.531.0104 or email [email protected].

We're extending the submissions deadline for Challenge Into Change to Friday, August 23!

You're invited to submit short selections of prose or poetry on transforming difficult experiences as part of the journey toward well-being and wholeness. Visit https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change for full details.

Questions? Contact us at 434.872.0047 or [email protected].

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¡Ampliamos el plazo para enviar tu historia De La Adversidad al Éxito hasta el viernes 23 de agosto!

Te invitamos a enviar textos breves en prosa o poesía en torno al tema de este año "Mi historia, mi fuerza." Comparte tu relato en torno a tus experiencias de transformación transitando situaciones difíciles que te llevaron a un camino de crecimiento y bienestar.

Visite https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change para obtener todos los detalles. ¿Otras preguntas? Contáctenos al 434.328.1800 o [email protected].

We are excited to bring back the Q Social Hour at TWI! Every other Wednesday starting July 31, members of the LGBTQ+ community will gather for q***r companionship, connection, and fun. From board games to movie nights and themed conversations, join us as we build community together. Members of the LGBTQ+ community 18 years and up are invited to attend.

Register here: https://thewomensinitiative.formstack.com/forms/qsocial

Participants will learn the fundamentals of healthy relationships, how to “feel and deal” in times of conflict, and strategies for compassionate communication. This is a closed, confidential group where participants can process their learning, and deepen their understanding of how their own personal histories show up in present-day relationships.

Please contact 434.872.0047 x304 or [email protected] to schedule a screening by August 1.

Learn more: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/counseling-options

Join Narrative Therapist Alyson Davis LMFT for a five-week group focused on Black joy stories. Enjoy short films made by Black artists and creatives that highlight the importance of joy for mental health and our humanity, followed by a group discussion about lived experiences. Facilitated by Alyson Davis, LMFT.

To register, please email [email protected] to schedule a screening before July 26.

Learn more: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/all-programs/black-joy-group-counseling

En la vida sufrimos pérdidas que a veces nos causan mucho dolor. Puede incluir la pérdida de un ser querido, un sueño, su tierra o una mascota. Ven a compartir tiempo en comunidad con otras Latinas para procesar y sanar a través del movimiento suave y la reflexión.

Para más información llame a 434.270.0926 o envíe mensaje a [email protected] antes del 26 de julio.

https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/all-programs/grief-and-loss-gentle-movements-to-process-and-heal

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In life, we suffer losses that may cause us a lot of pain. This could be the loss of a loved one, a dream, your land, or a pet. Come share time in community with other Latinas to process and heal through gentle movements and reflection.

To register for the group, please contact 434.270.0926 or email [email protected] before July 26.