Welcome to the 2021 August issue of Volunteer Voices, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) volunteers.
In this Issue:
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Hello, everyone!
My name is Irvin Hernandez, and I am one of the Anger Domestic Abuse Prevention & Treatment (ADAPT) program’s counselors. Previously, I worked as a home-based program manager for another agency in Fairfax County, which allowed me to collaborate with the county and create positive connections and enhanced my networking serving families in our county. I am incredibly thrilled I get to work with an amazing group of talented diverse people, including colleagues, volunteers, partners and clients.
I have been providing direct services in the mental health and social services field for over 14 years. Prior to my move to the United States (from U.S. territory Puerto Rico) in 2014, I worked as an intake social services specialist, crisis emergency clinician, case manager and psychologist intern as part of my doctoral degree requirements in clinical psychology. I decided to move to the U.S. to fulfill one of my childhood dreams, which was to live the American dream and create more opportunities in my professional career.
I worked as a child protection bilingual therapist at the Family Drug Court Treatment Program before moving to the East Coast to complete my doctoral internship requirements and the continuation of my growth as a mental health professional. In addition, I have been able to work in Washington, D.C., as a family services specialist through a nonprofit providing direct services to homeless youth and their families.
I have always considered myself a passionate driven clinician, committed to work and help families of immigrants, trauma survivors, adolescents and grief survivors. In December of this past year, I was able to obtain certification as a grief counseling specialist, which allowed me to enhance my knowledge working with grief, loss and bereavement. I am honored to be part of DSVS, as it is giving me the opportunity to continue serving my community, acquiring more skills and knowledge in the mental health field.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I also love watching movies, working out, cooking, eating and traveling. As a Puerto Rican, I love travelling to the beaches around this area; that reminds me of my favorite days at home. I am very passionate about movies--to the extent that I have a podcast and website with a group of friends that allows us to talk freely about movies, write about our experiences with movies and share our excitement about films in general. I am also a diabetic, so I have learned to eat smartly, and to prioritize a low-sugar diet; however, I love eating and cooking, mostly Puerto Rican dishes and dishes from different cultures such as Indian, Italian and Asian.
I am looking forward working with all of you, and maybe sharing thoughts about movies, dishes and favorite places to travel. But most importantly, I am looking forward to learning from all of you and collaborating to continue serving our community. I am proud of belonging to a team that does such special work, impacting positively the lives of our clients.
See you all very soon!
Irvin Hernandez-Perez
ADAPT Counselor
Managing Your Emotions
Emotional self-care happens when you engage in activities that help you connect, process and reflect on emotional needs.
Learn about how six activities – talking, breathing, writing, saying it out loud, creating, listening – can help regulate emotions.
The Widening Income Gap
It's well known the pandemic has had a significant impact on the United States economy, especially on women. Particularly notable is the steady decline of women in the workforce. Prior to the pandemic, there was a pervasive history in the U.S. of gender-based income inequities. Job losses and layoffs due to the pandemic have exacerbated these inequities, making the road to economic stability longer and more challenging.
Check out this article about the widening income gap.
“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.”
—Unknown
Though Fairfax County’s office buildings currently are closed to the public, DSVS volunteers can still help answer the Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-Hour Hotline. We are also still providing hospital accompaniment via the phone. If you have questions about your role during the pandemic, contact Lynne Rowson or Ara Jo (Hotline) and Angela Acosta (Hospital Accompaniment).
Each newsletter will include this section to help share reviews, spotlight the people who support Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, recognize birthdays and list upcoming trainings and meetings.
The Women's Center
Ten years ago, Domestic and Sexual Violence Services reached out to The Women’s Center (TWC), a community-based mental health organization that serves women, men, children and families, about joining forces. The partnership is part of the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) Advisory Board, which is made up of 15 county and non-profit organizations that provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking. Learn more about this meaningful partnership.
Untamed
Untamed is a New York Time’s bestselling book written by Glennon Doyle, an author, women’s right’s activist and, currently, host of the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast. Untamed is her personal memoir and is the #6 most sold book of 2020. It depicts Doyle’s journey from emotionally unwell Christian housewife, mom of three to a divorcee, remarriage to a woman and emotionally thriving.
In Untamed, Doyle describes how pressure to fit society’s female mold resulted in decades of feeling unfulfilled and struggling with addiction and an eating disorder, while being in an unhappy marriage. She details the process of finding her true self and feeling brave enough to leave her comfort zone to live an authentic and fulfilling life.
Untamed provides insight and awareness into the demands and pressures women encounter in American society. It provides inspiration and a model for how to overcome these standards that society puts on us to behave and look a certain way. It reminds us we need to trust and listen to ourselves in order to be connected to who we are and what we need.
If you are looking for inspiration or are simply curious as to how some of these concepts may relate to you, add Untamed to your summer reading list. It is a quick read that was life changing for me. Enjoy!
—Jennifer Perkins
Meet Emily Hendrickson, Data Analyst Volunteer
“Some of the most difficult parts of my particular position is seeing the sheer amount of violence that happens. But for every incidence where something occurs, I remind myself of how I am helping these people in my own small way,” says Emily Hendrickson, data analyst volunteer. Learn more about Emily’s volunteer story.
Dennis Dillon, 3
Sammar Butt, 4
Ashley Kotania, 5
Lorena Guerrero, 6
Himabindu “Bindi” Mandava, 15
Emma Pierce, 17
Tina Mather, 18
Wendy Werner, 18
Levette Fondaumiere, 23
Training: Incarcerated Victims of Sexual Violence
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021
9-11 a.m.
Incarcerated individuals face much higher rates of sexual violence and are also disproportionately likely to have been sexually abused before incarceration. Just Detention International will explain the incidence and dynamics of sexual abuse in detention and provide guidance on addressing the impact of sexual violence on incarcerated survivors, including the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards. JDI will also discuss how to challenge cultural assumptions about sexual violence in detention so “rape is not part of the penalty.” This training is free but registration is required.
QUARTERLY TRAININGS
There are no quarterly trainings this month.
Please take a moment to log on to your Volunteer Management System (VMS) account and log your hours for the month of July. Please also log any time you spent on training under “volunteer training.” If you do not see this selection under your opportunities, please email Debra Ranf, and she will log on to add it to your account.
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Please enter your hours for each day you volunteered and not as a lump sum.
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If you need to log hours for a previous month, please send email Debra to let her know so she can be aware of the entry and expedite the approval process.
Check out past issues of Volunteer Voices.