Corazon Cura Corazon

A group for women who have endured trauma any time in their life and who also deal with addictions. This particular program focuses on the healing process. Each woman will receive intensive case management, Mental Health services, housing referrals, health, and education, and individual one-one counseling sessions if she so desires.

We embrace the importance of healing the self in the community. Women gain a support system to walk them through the next 6 months. Groups consist of 20-25 sessions that include specific topics such as:

• What is PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Why women use
• Compassion for self
• Grounding (safe place)
• Healthy boundaries
• Thought processing
• Cognitive Behavorial Therapy

The women create art as a way to discover their strengths and express their inner thoughts. A Case Manager assists participants with housing, food, clothes, treatment access and other services. Weekly groups serve a dual purpose – to guide participants through our health curriculum and “stages of change”, and to provide a safe place for women to develop friendships that support recovery.

Mind - Corazon Cura Corazon participants openly discuss the issues facing them and learn harm reduction techniques like detox methods to enhance their chances of success as they start working toward their personal goals and dreams.

Body - Dealing with stress, avoiding abuse and violence, and taking care of your body form the core of Corazon Cura Corazon activities.

Spirit - Instead of focusing on deficits, SISTERS guides women to discover their strengths through group discussions. Art activities develop strength-based management skills they can put to work for themselves and their families.

History of Corazon Cura Corazon

ALEGRE, a strength-based case management research project for women smoking crack/cocaine, began in 2004; Debbie Berzoza and Adrienna Corrales were the original outreach workers. Both are community women, with a passion for people. Because the needs of the women weren’t being addressed, Debbie and Adrienna fought to offer more services than the research project was supporting. Through their efforts the ALEGRE Support Group was established. Then, Vangy Santistevan was hired on in 2005; the group flourished and continued to educate and empower women. Funding for the project came to an end in 2008, but the staff at Sisters worked hard to find other funds to keep the group going. ALEGRE was for support; Corazon Cura Corazon will be a time for healing.

For more information, please contact Debbie or Vangy at (303)446-8800