2013-2014 Healing Accomplishments Commitment

Throughout the process of re-piloting our survivor retreat, our commitment to our community of survivors and healers has remained steadfast.

We have provided direct clinical support and served as a bridge to life-saving resources for 960 survivors, healers and individuals in need of resources across the nation. Through our website and social media community, we have served hundreds of thousands more by sharing resources and breaking isolation.

In Hawai‘i, Joyful Heart continues to develop the Namelehuapono© program under the guidance of one of its creators, board member Dr. Valli Kalei Kanuha, as well as the newly reconstituted Hawai‘i Advisory Committee. The Namelehuapono project is a multi-year effort to refine and develop a Hawaiian cultural approach for trauma-based intervention. This year, we hosted two informational sessions for over 50 program partners to share the Namelehuapono group model and invite them to refer participants for the women’s group. In March, Joyful Heart’s VP, Hawai‘i Region, Kata Issari, along with Dr. Kanuha, led a workshop for over 100 people about the project at the Institute of Violence, Abuse and Trauma International Conference, held in Hawai‘i. As part of the project, Joyful Heart will be evaluating the impact of the group, with the goal of building capacity to disseminate the model to our community partner programs throughout Hawai‘i. We will also identify and share universal guidelines for the use of a cultural approach throughout the United States. Under the leadership of the Hawai‘i Advisory Committee, we have also begun designing and developing a children’s version of the Namelehuapono, as well as piloting a training model for facilitators.