Since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence has run a public health program in April known as Alcohol Awareness Month. The program has focused on different issues regarding alcohol consumption over the years, including its use among teenagers. Most recently, organizers have used the month to discuss the causes and effects of unhealthy alcohol use, as well as how to help families and communities deal with drinking problems. Sojourner House is very familiar with the impact of alcohol abuse on individuals and families. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 28.6 million adults ages 18 and older had Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the past year. This Alcohol Awareness Month, we’re focused on two key things that all community members … [Read more...] about Talking About Alcohol Use Disorder for Alcohol Awareness Month
recovery
“National Recovery Month reminds us that we are all recovering from ‘something’ and helps reduce the stigma attached to substance use disorders/addiction,” said De’netta Benjamin-Miller, Executive Director of Sojourner House. September is National Recovery Month. During National Recovery Month, Sojourner House celebrates and supports individuals who are in recovery from substance use disorders and their families. Sojourner House is planning Yoga in the Streets, a free community event held in celebration of September as National Recovery Month. The event will take place on Friday, September 23, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Kelly Street (between N. Murtland Avenue and N. Lang Avenue), Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Yoga in the Streets will feature a resource fair of local organizations … [Read more...] about Sojourner House Celebrates National Recovery Month with Yoga in the Streets Community Event
The Pennsylvania Treatment Alliance is a recently formed collaboration between three organizations focused on combating the opioid epidemic in Western Pennsylvania, with a specific emphasis on treatment for women and families. The Alliance is a combined effort between Sojourner House, which provides compassionate, faith-based addiction recovery services to women and their children; Family Links, an organization committed to building healthy communities by strengthening individuals and families through provision of comprehensive, quality services in matters including addiction; and POWER, whose mission is to help women reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction and to reduce the incidence of addiction in future generations. The trio of organizations has been working together for … [Read more...] about Sojourner House, Family Links and POWER Join Forces to form Pennsylvania Treatment Alliance, Combating The Opioid Epidemic
A record-breaking 375 guests attended the 12th Annual Victorian Tea on April 10, raising over $60,000. The event was chaired by Christie Smith, Sojourner House board member and Sojourner House MOMS board treasurer. Special thanks to honorary co-chairs Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman and his wife Amanda Gilman. Kathy Slencak, Manager of Public Relations at CentiMark Corporation and CentiMark Foundation was this year's Pearl of Hope recipient. Brenda Waters, anchor and reporter for KDKA-TV, was the event emcee. The event featured a silent auction, basket raffle, and program that included live testimonials of Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS graduates. Guests were among a unique audience to view the debut of a new video, "Fight Song," set to pop-artist Rachel Platten's … [Read more...] about Thank you, Victorian Tea supporters!
rit·u·al (noun) 1. A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. Seeing your drug dealer across the street; touching the bag of heroin he surreptitiously places in your palm; hearing the flick of the lighter as your finger rolls across the striker wheel; the bittersweet smell of tan powder cooking over a cheap metal spoon. The act of drug use is ritualistic in nature. The user participates in a specific series of actions, these actions often being the hardest habits to break. But the mothers of Sojourner House welcomed a new ritual into their lives, and left the old ones at the Sojourner House entrance. Sojourner House residents gather to observe rituals symbolizing their journey on the road to recovery. Led by … [Read more...] about Rites of Passage
Creating a new Mind and Body Group at Sojourner House, Program Assistant and Group Facilitator, Tara Irwin has partnered with the community to bring worthwhile experiences to the women in the program. In just the first few months of the group, residents have practiced guided meditation, visited a Himalayan Salt Cave and attended a T'ai Chi class at Still Mountain T'ai Chi and Chi Kung. Teacher Jesse Prentiss from Still Mountain donated an introductory course for the residents, in which the women were taught various slow movement postures that facilitated in full body stretching and relaxation. Mr. Prentiss also provided a basic lesson on the history of T'ai Chi. "T'ai Chi is an ancient form of exercise that blends physical movement with deep meditative breathing in order to boost … [Read more...] about Sojourner House Residents Learn the Art of T’ai Chi