Hi.  My name is Linda and I am here to tell you that I don’t know where I would be today without COMHAR!  The doctors were fantastic and made me feel comfortable and helped me build my self-esteem.  After graduating from the Partial Hospitalization program, I began receiving outpatient services and joined the Open Door Clubhouse.  Dr. Angelo was fantastic and became my anchor.  The entire outpatient “psych crew” made me feel comfortable and continued to help me build my self-esteem which put me on a mission to be stable.  At the Clubhouse, they helped me with my writing skills.  I gained confidence from that and now post poetry on Facebook and music videos on TikTok.

I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to be the cook at a Partial Hospitalization site.  I loved cooking for the residents and staff!  Observing and interacting with the residents made it very interesting.  Unfortunately, I tore a tendon that required surgery and was unable to continue working.

I live alone with a wonderful support system from my family and am self-sufficient.  I start my day with a pep talk in front of a mirror and then take my medication.  But my life was not like that before COMHAR.  I became addicted to pot at the age of 14 and missed almost an entire year of school in 9^th grade.  After 10 inpatient hospitalizations, they finally determined I had bi-polar disorder and indicated that I had been using pot to self-medicate.  Now that I finally had a diagnosis that could be treated with the right medications, I was able to really begin my recovery journey.

I no longer define myself as my diagnosis. I am a perfectionist who enjoys expressing my moods by channeling through different music.  Singing and playing the guitar give me great pleasure.  I am grateful and thankful for all the people who have supported me on my journey.  My 22 years of service from COMHAR coupled with my love of God keep me stable.

The best advice I can offer others on their recovery journeys is “work with, learn from, and trust your therapist and ask about what medications would help you most.”

Arleen, a member of COMHAR’s Community Living Room (CLR) program and an active participant, has become a pillar of support within the COMHAR community. Arleen has taken charge of her own journey, creating a transformative NA meeting named “No Excuses.” Through this initiative, she has not only empowered herself but has also become a beacon of inspiration for others within the community. Her journey stands as a testament to resilience and self-empowerment, embodying the aspirations of many fellow members. Arleen’s actions and example have become a source of hope and motivation for others striving to overcome similar challenges.

Arleen first came to COMHAR in 2006 having found herself trapped in the clutches of addiction, a clear departure from the person she once was. Despite the supportive atmosphere, the shackles of addiction refused to loosen their grip. In her pursuit of the next high, she resorted to lies, theft, and manipulation, revealing the extent to which addiction had completely changed her character. Arleen faced troubling tribulations, battling not only her addiction but also enduring abusive relationships, the deaths of her parents, and the abandonment of her sister. Arleen drifted into the unforgiving streets to feed her addiction. The cycle persisted until a pivotal moment prompted her return to COMHAR in 2022 where she felt safe and supported and was able to release the weight of her pain and trauma.

This return to COMHAR marked a profound transformation for Arleen. The impulse to deceive and steal faded away, replaced by a sincere concern for others and an unmistakable departure from the self-centered pursuit of her addiction. Arleen’s journey is an example of resilience over despair, showing that even in the darkest depths, transformation and healing are possible. Today, she stands as a testament to change and recovery. She exemplifies the remarkable ability to undergo positive change in the face of adversity.

 

Listen to Arleen tell her recovery journey

 

Hi, my name is Marisa Ozuna, and I am a member of the Open Door Clubhouse at COMHAR. I’ve been with COMHAR as a whole since 2010. I found out about the Open Door Clubhouse through the Latino Program that is offered here at COMHAR. Now as a member of the Open Door Clubhouse for 4 years, I am happy to say I enjoy being here. Open Door Clubhouse taught me how to do administrative work and how to work the kitchen. I tell myself every day that this is my second home. Staff and all the members are very welcoming. I would refer Open Door Clubhouse, and just COMHAR as whole to anyone.

 

 

Following the two-year Covid-19 lockdown, dealing with the isolation and loneliness at home, my symptoms of anxiety and depression significantly worsened, for this reason my OP therapist at that time referred me to the CIRC program. I was admitted to CIRC-Hope Latino on February 16, 2022. Honestly, I joined Hope Latino afraid of being judged and criticized, shunned or disliked because socializing with others had been one of my biggest challenges. Initially, I felt very insecure and anxious because I did not know what I was going to face at Hope Latino. However, after a month I already felt accepted by my peers with a sense of belonging. Hope Latino is a place where I noticed that mental health stigma does not exist and that is something that I have had to deal with for so many years by my own family and friends. The Hope Latino program allowed me to discover my potential to achieve greater levels of success; and I have felt motivated to do new things and fight for my goals, including learning English to communicate directly with my doctors without the need for an interpreter. With the guidance and support of the Hope Latino team, I started the English classes at Visitation Community Center and obtained three different certificates for having completed my English classes, and today my English skills have improved to the point that I can communicate my needs to my providers and understand them with a minimum use of interpreters. My motivations did not stop there, I decided to start advanced English classes and again with the support of the Hope Latino team, I enrolled in the Community College of Philadelphia with the aim of not only improving my English, but also completing a psychology degree. My classes are scheduled to start in the fall of this year and I feel very motivated and eager to continue. I am very grateful to the Hope Latino team for all their support in my journey towards my recovery and achieving my personal goals.

Spanish

Después del encierro de dos años por el Covid-19, lidiando con el aislamiento y la soledad en casa, mis síntomas de ansiedad y depresión empeoraron significativamente, por lo que mi terapeuta de OP en ese entonces me refirió al programa CIRC. Comencé en CIRC-Hope Latino el 16 de Febrero del 2022. Honestamente, cuando me uní a Hope Latino lo hice con miedo de ser juzgada, criticada o rechazada porque socializar con otros había sido uno de mis mayores retos. Al principio me sentía muy insegura y ansiosa porque no sabía a lo que me iba a enfrentar en Hope Latino. Sin embargo, al cabo de un mes ya me sentía aceptada por mis compañeros y me sentía parte del grupo. Hope Latino es un lugar donde me di cuenta que el estigma de la salud mental no existe y eso es algo con lo que he tenido que lidiar durante tantos años con mi propia familia y amigos. El programa Hope Latino me permitió descubrir mi potencial para alcanzar mayores niveles de éxito; y me he sentido motivada a hacer cosas nuevas y luchar por mis metas, entre ellas aprender inglés para comunicarme directamente con mis médicos sin necesidad de intérprete. Con la guía y el apoyo del equipo de Hope Latino, comencé las clases de inglés en Visitation Community Center y obtuve tres certificados diferentes por haber completado mis clases de inglés, y hoy mis habilidades en inglés han mejorado al punto que puedo comunicar mis necesidades a mis proveedores y entenderlos con un uso mínimo de intérpretes. Mis motivaciones no terminaron ahí, decidí iniciar clases de inglés avanzado y nuevamente con el apoyo del equipo de Hope Latino, me matriculé en el Community College of Philadelphia con el objetivo no solo de mejorar mi inglés, sino también completar una carrera de Psicología. Mis clases están programadas para comenzar en el otoño de este año y me siento muy motivada y con muchas ganas de continuar. Estoy muy agradecida con el equipo de Hope Latino por todo su apoyo en mi camino hacia mi recuperación y el logro de mis metas personales.

 

Joe has been a member of COMHAR’s Open Door Clubhouse, a recovery community that offers people with mental health challenges hope and a place to belong and connect with their peers. Joe had been depressed and suicidal and entered into a psychiatric hospital.

Joe was feeling despair, isolated, lonely, and hopeless. Joe was referred to COMHAR’s Open Door Clubhouse where he discovered a supportive welcoming community of peers and staff and participated in the work-ordered day where he learned some new skills. Joe also received outpatient mental health services at COMHAR. Joe learned how to manage his depression and started taking his medications. Joe got a job in the sanitation field and found a place to live with a new partner. Joe felt inspired and renewed. In Joe’s own words, he shared, “I feel motivated to achieve my goals towards a better life! I hope to become a homeowner! COMHAR’s Open Door Clubhouse gave me HOPE!” With the help of COMHAR, Joe got his life back and is on his path to recovery.

At COMHAR, serving over 5,000 people each month, inspiring hope, building self-confidence, encouraging independence, and becoming integrated as part of a community are pillars of our service delivery model. No matter the person or level of need, COMHAR helps people THRIVE!

COMHAR’s Mission is “to provide health and human services that empower individuals, families, and communities to live healthier self-determined lives.”

Amarilis was filled with despair and depression, isolated, alone, and scared. At the request of her friends, she joined the COMHAR Open Door Clubhouse.

At the Open Door Clubhouse she participated in a Healing Verse workshop and was featured on WHYY.  In her words, “I’m blooming!! I’m rooted!! The COMHAR Open House Clubhouse gave me HOPE!” 

Amarilis is working now and is well on her way to recovery.