I am talking with Marco Mino this week. Marco has been a member at Independence Center since 2013. Marco has accomplished a lot during his time with the Clubhouse and recently relocated to Punta Gorda Florida. He participates in the Hope Clubhouse near him as well as virtually with Independence Center.
This week we are speaking with Dr. Ingrid Daniels, hailing all the way from South Africa. Dr. Daniels is the CEO of Cape Mental Health, the oldest community based mental health nonprofit organization in South Africa. She has a Master’s in Social Science – Clinical Social Work. She then completed her PhD in Social Work at the University of Cape Town. She also serves as the President of World Federation of Mental Health. She is committed to addressing global mental
Julie Tang is a longtime supporter of Independence Center and founder of an organization called Starting the Conversation which is focused on raising mentally fit children. Since her retirement from the federal government, she has worked more closely with Starting the Conversation to build its impact and reach in the community. She is also currently pursuing her Masters of Social Work degree from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. This week, we are going to talk to
This week we are talking to Cassandra Burries and Naomi Holland about the 3700 project, a disease management project through the Missouri Department of Mental Health. Cassandra is a member and a Board member at IC and Naomi is a staff leader for 3700. We are going to talk about both of their backgrounds, how they first got involved with 3700 project, how it operates within Independence Center and a couple other cool things they are working on.
Independence Center, a St.Louis-based nonprofit that assists individuals with chronic mental illness, has named a new executive director. Trish Holmes, who spent the last three years as CFO of the nonprofit, is Independence Center’s new executive director. She, along with Operations Manager Jennifer Higginbotham, served as interim executive director over the past year. Mark Bethell resigned from the post in June 2020, and became executive director of Sustainable Food Center, an Austin, Texas, nonprofit, in November last year. Read More LATEST NEWS
This week we are talking with long time Independence Center member, Steve Whyte. Steve has had a long journey with his mental health recovery and describes the journey like a phoenix rising from the ashes. We are going to spend some time getting to know him, learning about the importance of safe and supportive housing for those living with a mental illness, and what he is up to now including working as a tour guide at the Gateway Arch.
This week I am speaking with Jack Yatsko, Chief Operating Officer at Clubhouse International. Jack’s role includes overseeing the programs at Clubhouse International, new clubhouse development, training, and supporting training bases. He has been in the social work field for his entire career. He has a master’s in Social Work and started his Clubhouse career as the Clubhouse Director of Friendship House in Hawaii. Clubhouse International focuses on expanding the Clubhouse model around the world, accredits new and existing Clubhouses
This week I’d like to introduce Danielle Rose. Danielle is a program participant or what we refer to as member at Independence Center. Danielle has recently returned to work after a seven-year gap in her employment. We are going to be talking to her about her experience as a member of Independence Center, how and why she chose to return to work, and how the Clubhouse continues to support her in her goals.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It is the leading cause of death among people age 10 to 34. Almost half of those people had a diagnosed mental health condition. Trish Holmes is the executive director of the Independence Center. She talks about what we all can do to help prevent suicide. National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text NAMI AT 741-741. Read More LATEST NEWS
This week we are talking with Angelo Blanchard, Katie Hayes and Paula Heller. Katie is the outreach coordinator at STAGES St Louis. If you have not heard of Stages, it is a local theatre that is committed to preserving and advancing the art form of musical theatre through excellence in performance and education. Paula is a licensed professional counselor and registered drama therapist who works with individuals, couples, and families and leads Drama Therapy Groups. Angelo is a member at
