Every year following the celebrations, libations, confetti, and champagne comes the calm and peaceful day of reflection on Jan. 1. New Year’s Day offers us an opportunity to assess 2017 and set resolutions for the year to come.
At SAVA, we’re intensely grateful for so much support throughout the year. With thankful hearts, the clinical team presents to you our top five resolutions for 2018:
The More You Know!
At SAVA, it’s really important to us that our team stay up to date and current with the latest information and skills to best serve survivors in Northern Colorado.
That’s why in 2018, the clinical team will commit to attending at least one training that will contribute significantly to our skill sets and our ability to provide support.
Attending trainings is also a great opportunity to get to know our colleagues who offer other services in Northern Colorado. This enables us to make recommendations to our clients about where they may find additional support, outside of SAVA. There’s nothing better than when we can collaborate with other organizations and individuals to ensure that our clients’ needs are being met.
Group support.
Over the course of the past year, many of our therapy groups have temporarily paused for a myriad of reasons.
We vow, in the New Year, to get these groups up and running again. Therapy groups are a great way for survivors to get to know others who may be experiencing similar struggles and sharpen their ability to communicate. It can be empowering and liberating to share their stories with a handful of trusted confidants.
In the past, we have offered groups for male survivors of sexual violence, friends, and family members of survivors of sexual violence, young women (ages 18-25) survivors, and for survivors who fall outside the young women’s age bracket. Groups are a very important part of SAVA, so if you’re interested in participating, please reach out today (970-472-4204)!
Supporting all survivors, no matter the circumstances of their assault!
Given the recent events in the media, it is abundantly clear that many survivors of sexual violence choose to wait for years before disclosing their story. Some survivors choose never to break their silence.
At SAVA, we vow to continue providing support and advocacy to survivors from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. It’s important to empower survivors to make their own decisions, and at SAVA we vow to validate and support the individuals who come into our offices. Whether a survivor chooses to go to the police, press charges, or quietly heal from their experience, SAVA will be here to provide support and advocacy.
With a Playful Heart,
George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
It’s easy to remember the many benefits of play for kiddos, but what about for adults? Play helps the blood flow, and it allows you to set aside the many adult worries and focus on simply having fun! Also, did you know that smiling as you play boosts your immune system by decreasing stress levels?
As the clinical team, we will remember in the New Year that it’s important for us to play too. Playing as an adult (and as a child as well) looks a little different for everyone. We’ve seen adults who color in coloring books, play team sports, knit scarves, spend time with babies or small children, or just act silly with a group of friends. These are all acts of self-care!
Roll with It!
Change is inevitable. That’s why the clinical team is committed to adapting with 2018’s changes. SAVA has new office space, new educational programming, new staff members, and new tech! We’re so excited that we could burst!
With change, comes transition. We plan to embrace the changes head on, celebrate the growth and opportunities that SAVA experienced in 2017, and capitalize on all the possibilities to make SAVA an even better resource for individuals in Northern Colorado in 2018.
We have a busy year ahead! And we couldn’t make it happen without the encouragement and loyalty of our wonderful volunteers, board members, donors, and supporters. One thing that will never change with the New Year is how profoundly we appreciate you. Your dedication to our mission, your cheerleading, and your willingness to lend a hand are irreplaceable. Thank you.
The clinical team wishes you and yours the happiest of New Years, filled with all the magic you can conceive of and beyond!