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Message Recovery Times July 2025 www.seattleclubhouse.org 206.501.3730 June Recap: -Enrolled one new member -Hosted a case-worker from Un-ion Gospel Mis-sion - Sent a member and staff to a week long Social Practitioner train-ing -Members enjoyed four socials in-cluding a Juneteenth cele-bration! -Outreached local business and so-cial service agen-cies. -We are hiring! If you know anyone who would be a great fit send them our way! Clubhouse Member Robin Anthony Gets Keys to His New Home! I was living in a podment, where my rent was $958 per month. I became unemployed and could no longer afford the rent. I felt over-whelmed, thinking that I would be homeless in a few months. The thought of being homeless caused me to lose sleep and overeat. My mental illness caused me to be-come lower level functioning. I became withdrawn, isolated, and confused. It affected my day-to-day functioning. My memory was poor, I could not remember people's names, my anxiety was high at night when I thought about being homeless, I cried off and on, which I normally do not do. Even though I was struggling, I still managed to attend the Clubhouse once a week. During that time, I started working with the staff to find housing. The Clubhouse and Plymouth Healing Communities partnered to secure housing for me. Even though there was a lot of paperwork, I did
not give up on looking for housing, the Clubhouse helped me with the application process and I completed it. It was worth it. I was fortunate that a unit in one of their buildings opened up. I was shocked at how fast I got a move-in date. I felt like the universe hadn't forgotten about me. When I knew I would not be homeless, my mental illness improved drastically. I started to sleep better, and my functioning improved. I was able to start remembering people's names again, and I didn't want to isolate. My faith in myself remained strong. I was unsure how I would move my belongings, but the Clubhouse offered to help that day. I was so relieved to pack up my podment. Clubhouse helped load and unload my belongings. When we arrived at my new home, I felt like I was in a dream. The neighborhood is vibrant. It has a park, a grocery store, a Starbucks, and a barbershop. It is a 10-minute bus ride to Alki Beach, where I go for a walk. It is very peaceful. When I got my key and entered the building, I felt excited to have a new home that I could afford. The energy surrounding my apartment is positive. My apartment has inspired me to create more art. I sleep soundly like a newborn child. I feel so thankful to Plymouth Healing Communities and the Clubhouse for their support and for providing me with a safe place to live. They helped me with the entire housing process. I was even given new sheets, pillows, and a mattress cover. It feels wonderful not to have to worry about being homeless and on the street! HERO House Seattle is deeply grateful for our partnership with Plymouth Health Communities!
What I learned from Social Practitioner Training: On my first day of the Social Practitioner training, I was nervous and shy. My level of confidence went down a notch. As I got to know the participants, my confidence came back. I learned a lot of helpful information about the Clubhouse and how it works. The in-structors broke down what social practice is and the components of it. One thing that stood out to me was the techniques listed in the charts they showed. The techniques helped guide me in figuring out if I am doing social practice the right way. The methods I was drawn to were: Actively demonstrating warmth, acceptance, and curiosity. They showed me the proper ways to communicate with members and staff in the Clubhouse. I learned that how I say or do things matters. You have to be aware of each member and their unique situation. You also need to show empathy. As a social practitioner, seeing members as whole people, not just their illness, empowers them to see themselves in a new light. This helps members become more open and com-fortable in the Clubhouse community. I learned a lot about how to utilize social practice effectively. It helped me understand my role in the Clubhouse and gave me tools to use when engaging with people. I learned that greeting members, taking the time to get to know them, calling them by their name, and asking them to join in on a task helps build meaningful relation-ships. I also learned that tasks are a valuable way for members to make great contributions to the community and bond with one another. It is important to explain the purpose of the task to new members so that they know why it needs to be done.
By helping members find meaning and purpose in their day-to-day, community-oriented work, they can begin charting a path towards long-term recovery. At the end of the training, I felt like a light bulb went off in my head. I understood the meaning of why Clubhouses exist around the world—engagement, so that people liv-ing with SMI can become successful in their day-to-day life. This is a picture of me with our social practitioner training colleagues.
Take a look at our new monthly lunch calendar and pick a day or a bunch of days!
Contact Us: 711 6th Ave. N. Mon—Fri 9 am –4 p.m. Info@seattleclubhouse.org P: (206) 501-3730 F: (206) 501-3733 Come Visit Us! We love to give tours:) The Recovery Times July 2025 edion was published by Seale Clubhouse members and sta: Abel M. Dan F. Gretchen H. Nicci R. Robin Anthony H. Seattle Clubhouse @seattleclubhouse @SeaClubhouse Follow Us! Resources BIPOC Resources : https://namiseattle.org/bipoc-mental-health-resources/ Black Mental Health Alliance: hps://www.blackmentalhealth.com/ hps://neighborhoodcare.org/services/ Muslim Behavioral Health Network: muslimbhnetwork@gmail.com Consejo Counseling: hps://consejocounseling.org Seale Indian Health Board: hps://www.sihb.org/services-and- programs/behavioral-health/ NW Immigrants Rights Project: hps://www.nwirp.org/ Aordable Internet: hps://www.internetessenals.com/ Seale Food Bank Map: http://www.seattlefoodcommittee.org/ food-bank-map/PDF Map Medical Services (e.g. Primary Care): https://neighborhoodcare.org/services/medical/