Yes I Can, Inc.

Helping Mothers Achieve their Full Potential as Women and Parents
Home

Yes I Can Inc.

Trauma Informed Care

 Ruth Barbosa, M.S., Founder/Trainer


Greetings:


Yes I Can, Inc. (Y.I.C.) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization incorporated since 1995. The agency is currently seeking start up financing in the amount of $XXXX to begin operation of its Y.I.C. “Spirit Care Healing Center.” The goal of Y.I.C. Spirit Care Healing Center is to substantially reduce or eliminate the drug relapse rate among low-income mothers living with HIV, who have an open ACS case, have a history of childhood/sexual and/or physical abuse trauma, domestic violence,  and who have been previously unsuccessful at residential/outpatient drug treatment. Our goal will be accomplished by enhancing recovery through a program of integrated trauma healing that includes a component where their children can heal as well; preventing possible maltreatment of their children and the lost of parental rights.


Welcome to our cause and thank you for making the time to learn more about our mission...

   

As an accomplished human service worker with over 30 years of experience in the field, I acquire a strong interest and understanding about mother with histories of substance abuse and child/adulthood trauma. The amazing mothers I’ve had the opportunity to service have inspired me to each out to other mothers in this population and provide them with the tools they need to overcome the emotional barriers that stop them from recovering.

Pro-longed trauma that begins at an early age usually results in more serious and deep rooted effects that must be addressed if recovery from substance abuse is to be successful.

 

According to The Nation Trauma Consortium, as many as 80% of women in psychiatric hospitals have experienced physical or sexual abuse, most of them as children; the majority of adults diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (81%) or Dissociative Identity Disorder (90%) were abused as children. Up to two-thirds of women in substance abuse treatment report childhood abuse or neglect. Nearly 90% of alcoholic women were sexually abused as children or suffered severe violence at the hands of a parent.

 

As the above statistics clearly demonstrate, thousands of women have survived unthinkable violent sexual and physical abuse as children, most of the time by those responsible for their well being. For many of them the cycle of abuse went on for years. However, surviving meant finding ways to suppress the memories of their experiences. For many, drugs help mask their inner pain. Unfortunately, their usage progressed to the point where their live became unmanageable affecting every aspect of their lives, especially their ability to parent; causing their children to suffer as well. Many have difficulty forming strong and/or healthy attachments with their children due to their traumatic experiences, anger, confusion, shame, quilt, and self-destructive lifestyle choices.

 

Growing up in families with a substance abusing or violent parent, or without consistent nurturing and discipline, these women lacked positive parenting role models. Because of their experiences as children, they may feel ambivalent about their own children and unsure of their abilities as parents.

 

Because of their experiences as children, they may feel ambivalent about their own children and unsure of their abilities as parents. The nature of their complicated histories suggests that these women have needs for special training on trauma and the impact their trauma and resulting behaviors has on their ability to parent effectively. Pro-longed trauma that begins at an early age usually result in more serious and deep rooted 

 

Consider joining forces with me to increase the recovery rate of mothers suffering from substance abuse and trauma. Together we can we can re-enforce the recovery process for your consumer and for the sake of their children...To find out more about our trauma informed care trainings, please read on...

 

Stay well and thank you again for visiting the site,

 

Ruth Barbosa, M.S. Founder and Trainer

 

 

 

 

I am available to provide trauma informed parenting training for mothers in residential and outpatient drug treatment programs during the day or evenings. Evenings are preferred in residential program, because it is more of a capture audience.  Trauma informed parenting trainings run from 10 to 14 sessions per training. Group size for parenting trainings are 15 participants. The following is a brief description of the trauma informed parenting training:

 

TREM - Non-Traditional Parenting Intervention: 

A 14 session training on the impact of early trauma on parenting roles. 

 

TREM - Parenting at a Distance: A 10 session group intervention designed to address issues of parenting for women who have children in foster care.    

 

Other consumer centered trainings include:

 

TREM Trauma-informed Addictions Treatment. A 20 session psycho-educational group intervention designed to address substance abuse issues within a trauma-informed perspective.

Women Living Healthy: A 14 session training on women and HIV healthcare. Women Living Healthy is a home grown curriculum developed by the founder of Yes I Can, Inc.

 

Training Completion:

At the conclusion of each training there will be a completion ceremony, at which time each mother will receive a certificate of completion, a goodie bag, refreshments and cake will be served. . The certificates for parenting training, will include a color picture of mother and child(ren).

 

Other consumer centered trainings include:

 

Seeking Safety. Seeking Safety treatment is comprised of 25 topics that are approximately evenly divided among cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal domains. Each addresses a “safe coping skill” designed to help the patient attain safety from both PTSD and substance abuse. The topics are designed to be written in simple language; to be as emotionally compelling as possible; to provide a respectful tone that honors patients’ courage in fighting the disorders; and to teach new ways of coping that convey the idea that, no matter what happens, they can learn to cope in safe ways—without substances and other destructive behavior.

 

TREM Trauma-informed Addictions Treatment. A 20 session psycho-educational group intervention designed to address substance abuse issues within a trauma-informed perspective.

 

Women Living Healthy: A 14 session training on women and HIV healthcare. Women Living Healthy is a home grown curriculum developed by the founder of Yes I Can, Inc.

 

Staff Training on Trauma-Informed Care:

Staff training on Trauma-Informed Care is not designed for staff to treat symptoms or syndromes related to sexual or physical abuse or other trauma; instead is about staff becoming informed and sensitive to, trauma-related issues present in survivors. Staff that is trauma informed is better able to accommodate the vulnerabilities of trauma survivors and allows services to be delivered in a way that will avoid inadvertent re-traumatization and facilitate consumer participation in treatment. The trauma informed staff focus on understanding the whole individual, builds trust and safety, and facilitates growth, resilience, healing and empowerment.