Beyond Trauma Program
Beyond Trauma is a culturally-responsive program committed to preventing and alleviating the impact of generational trauma within the Latina/e community by offering education, awareness, and healing.
Upcoming Classes:
TUESDAYS - VIRTUAL
Date: 10/31/23 to 12/5/23
Time: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Modality: Virtual - Zoom
WEDNESDAY - IN PERSON
Date: 11/1/23 to 12/6/23
Time: 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: Family Justice Center de Washington (735 SW 158TH Ave #100, Beaverton, OR 97006)
For more information: lhernandez@adelantemujeres.org | 971-330-3297
Program Components
Adelante Mujeres takes an integrative and holistic approach to moving Beyond Trauma to foster whole-family, two-generation support to prevent and intervene in the conditions of trauma, reducing the risk of the continuation of generational trauma.
To meet our goal of building a more just and compassionate community, Beyond Trauma (previously called ESPERE) workshops are also offered to the greater community, beyond Adelante Mujeres’ participants.
Beyond Trauma Workshops
Each workshop includes 6-weeks of sessions (12 hours total) of culturally-specific and trauma-informed peer support guided by the Beyond Trauma Program Coordinator. Workshops are available in English and Spanish.
Mental Health Support
Still in its infancy, our new Mental Health Program provides mental health resources and matches program participants with culturally-specific providers all throughout the year.
Program Strategies
We believe that through transforming our individual trauma, we can each work to eliminate familial and societal violence. In utilizing a trauma-informed and culturally-specific approach, we meet our participants where they are and walk forward together on a path of recovery and understanding one’s self more fully. We are transforming generational and individual trauma and creating healthy families, a sustainable community, and a more just society.
Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues
Beyond Trauma is a culturally-specific program that acknowledges the cultural and historical trauma that impacts our participants. Within the context of helping the Latine community to heal from all forms of trauma, we specifically focus on the cultural and gender-specific trauma that many of our participants face on a daily basis. We also help our participants to feel pride in their cultural and ethnic heritage as a protective mechanism against future microaggressions.
Safety
We ensure the physical, psychological, and emotional safety of our participants through training our staff in confidentiality, providing a physical space that promotes safety, establishing ground rules for participation, helping participants to feel comfortable in their choice to participate in all or no parts of the training, and fostering a culture of peer support among all participants.
Popular Education
The Education Department within Adelante Mujeres utilizes a Popular Education approach, which breaks down the barrier between teacher and student, recognizing that everyone brings knowledge through life experience. We respect the wealth of knowledge and expertise that everyone brings to the classroom.
Trustworthiness and Transparency
Adelante Mujeres has been working with the Latine community in Washington County since 2002. During that time, we have built a strong relationship with the community. All of our direct staff are bilingual and bi-cultural and many members of our team are former Adelante Mujeres participants.
Peer Support
Every Beyond Trauma workshop begins with building a culture of support among participants on the foundation that they are all peers on their journey to heal their trauma. We help them to understand that peer support involves expressing vulnerability, building trust through sharing their stories and experiences, and encouraging one another in their comfort and recovery.
During the 2020 - 2021 school year:
90%
of participants report that Beyond Trauma has helped them develop tools to manage daily problems or challenges with increased contentment.
85%
of participants report a better state of mental health after completing the classes.
Why Beyond Trauma?
Oregon ranks 49th in the nation for adults with mental illness and ranked 45th in the nation for youth experiencing mental illness (Mental Health America, 2022).
Latine women and youth in our programs struggle with poverty, domestic violence, mental health issues, family members with substance use issues, and daily micro-aggressions that create a build-up of toxic stress for which many do not have the resources to alleviate.
Our Beyond Trauma Program is offering hope and healing by empowering Latine women and their families to transform their trauma and become compassionate leaders in their families and in our communities.
