Skill Building Groups


Jim, 64, has been a member of Independence Center since it opened in 1989. Initially he was hospitalized several times for severe depression, but has been able to stay off of medication for a number of years now. Jim is an active participant in the life of the Center, serving as co-head of the birthday and anniversary committee and co-head of the political advocacy committee, which sends out letters to politicians regarding mental health issues. He contributes to the weekly newspaper by writing introductory interviews with new staff members and submitting movie reviews. He buys food for the snack bar and works there three times a week. He also helps with the Saturday social program, cooking and serving food. Jim credits his participation at Independence Center for his recovery. "I was very lonely before coming here," he says. "Now I have many more friends and feel much more confident. I enjoy doing all the things to help with the programs here. It makes me feel useful."

Skill Building Groups

Business Unit- The business unit helps people developing daily living skills, such as communicating and working with others. Structured activities offered in the business unit include: keeping track of the Independence Center's statistics, publishing the Center Voice newsletter, reception work and computer skills training. Members working in the business unit also maintain the upper level of the clubhouse and the south side of the property.

Community Problem Solving Group- The Independence Center's staff and members meet collectively to help members problem-solve in order to find the most positive outcomes for difficult life situations. Any issues or problems affecting the clubhouse community are also explored, utilizing the problem-solving model.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy- In this group the Independence Center's members learn coping skills to deal with difficult emotions. Members are encouraged to develop and use techniques to better regulate their reactions to emotions in order to avoid negative behavioral reactions to emotional stress.

Enrichment Group- This group is designed to expand the knowledge of the Independence Center's members. Topics include geography, vocabulary, science and culture, to name a few. Discussions are facilitated to enhance the conversational skills of the Independence Center members.

Food Service Unit- The food service unit, like the business unit, assists members with daily living skills such as communicating and working with others. Structured activities in the food service unit include preparing the Independence Center's lunches and other meals, keeping track of lunch orders, and maintaining the kitchen and dining areas. Members in the food service unit also maintain the north side of the Independence Center's property.

Government Meeting- The Independence Center's members elect fellow members to represent them every six months. The government meets weekly to discuss any pertinent issues affecting the clubhouse. Members periodically vote on clubhouse issues, such as programming concerns, in order to ensure that services offered at Independence Center continue to be driven by the collective preference of its members.

Job Readiness & Search Skills- The vocational unit focuses on developing skills such as communicating and working with others effectively. Members, with assistance from staff, assist one another find job leads on the internet, in newspapers, and with other media aids. Members also work on filling out applications and developing résumés.

Life Skills- The life skills group assists Independence Center members develop their daily living skills. Such skills include money management, taking care of a household, personal hygiene, and all other skills necessary for independent living.

Mental Health Management- The mental health management group is designed to help Independence Center members develop their symptom control and identification skills. Members in the mental health management group learn about different psychiatric conditions, medications used to treat psychiatric conditions, and other mental health management issues, such as coping with stress or negative emotions such as anger. Members in the mental health management group also learn about communicating effectively with treatment providers.

MISA- The MISA (Mental Illness/Substance Abuse) group is a support group for Independence Center members who have a history of both mental illness and substance abuse. The group discussions utilize traditional 12-step concepts of recovery along with an eclectic mix of information from other self-help groups.

Saturday Program- Independence Center's Saturday activities offer members an opportunity to participate in activities designed to promote increased involvement in community activities. Staff facilitating Saturday activities encourage improved social and communication skills.

Snack Shop- The snack shop at the Independence Center gives members an opportunity to develop social and communication skills. Members working in the snack shop operate a cash register and serve coffee and other snacks.

Social Hour- The Independence Center's social hour group helps members improve their social and communication skills, while engaging in fun social activities at the clubhouse.

Spirituality- The spirituality group at the Independence Center is non-denominational and designed to help members utilize their spiritual resources as coping skills. Members are also assisted in finding spiritual resources within the community.

Vocational Dinner- The Employment dinner celebrates work & job-related achievements among members. Dinners are held in the evening and usually twice monthly.

Housing Dinner- This event celebrates achievements in independent living and gives members residing in Center housing a forum to discuss and resolve housing-related issues.

WRAP- is a holistic approach to overall wellness. The group utilizes various resources including Mary Ellen Copeland's Wellness Recovery Action Plan to help members develop wellness tools. Group discussions focus on utilizing these tools for any of life's issues including mental health, physical well being, and other concerns and problems encountered during day-to-day living.

YMCA Group- Members of Independence Center have the opportunity to use the local YMCA facilities and equipment to increase their opportunities to exercise.

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