Some pics from Stockings of Hope
Some pics from Stockings of Hope
with Senior Prevention Specialist, Cortney Kleek
February 16th, 2021 9am-11am via Zoom
2 Hour CASAC Credits
40 Participant Max
$20.00
Center for Family Life & Recovery in Collaboration with Erin’s Light, and Angel Stockings, in memory of Thomas Fletcher, and all of our Beloved Angels…. invites you to donate either a premade Christmas Stocking, or a monetary donation of $20 to fill a stocking.
This Friday, 11/13, is World Kindness Day. As an effort to spread kindness our Prevention team has been working hard to implement kindness affirmations in the schools we work in, our CFLR office, and throughout social media. We all know times are tough for many people and you never know who just needs a kind act or word. I promise you that any effort put into being kind to someone else, you will not regret. Regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, beliefs, etc, everyone deserves, and could use, an act of kindness these days.
~Kristina Lindberg, CFLR Prevention Specialist
Put on some ‘feel-good’ music, get out your craft supplies, and get creative! Painting is a really good way to relax and rocks are everywhere!! You can paint kind words or pictures and put them on neighbors porches, decorate your home, or pass them to friends to spread kindness. Remember, no act is too small.
-The Prevention Team
Happy World Kindness Day!
Thank you to everyone who is doing their part to spread kindness!
Here are some ways you can continue to show your kindness:
• Ask someone how they’re doing
• Tell someone something you like about them
• Buy the order of the car behind you in a drive thru (if your able)
• Let others know what they mean to you
• Hold the door for the person behind you
• Send a letter to a friend
• Buy a gift
• Bake for someone
• Smile at others you pass by (it’s hard with masks but even with your eyes or saying hello can make someone feel seen)
• And so much more!! Be creative!
Don’t forget, being kind to yourself is one of the most important things you can do to show your self-respect. It will also be easier to be kind to others when your kind to yourself. Have a Good Day!!
-The Prevention Team
Kindness is an act of love, and when we show kindness to ourselves by being gentle, compassionate, encouraging, supportive, and accepting of who we are at this exact moment, unapologetically… the ability to show kindness to others becomes a thoughtless action. Experiencing the serenity that is born from showing kindness to yourself, makes offering kindness to others an effortless gift.
How can you show yourself kindness today?
• Buy flowers for yourself
• Send yourself a Thank You card for all the ways you show up for you and others
• Take yourself out to dinner or a cup of coffee
• Draw yourself a hot bath and put on the comfiest jammies you own
After you show yourself kindness and recharge with some much needed self-care, pay an act of kindness forward…..a simple hello and smile to a stranger as you pass by is all it takes for the ripple of kindness to begin…..
“Kindness is the ability to know what the right thing to do is and having the courage to do it!"
-RAKtivist
(From left to right: PINS Counselor Heidi Gates, FSW Keshonna Griffith-Gabeaud, FSW Gracie Schrader, CFLR Senior Sandy Seaman, PA Jennifer Morey, FSW Alexis Dekanek.)
A special thanks to DSS Supervisor JoAnn Mower for taking this photo.
#CFLR#WorldKindnessDay
Let us be kind to ourselves. Let us remember we are doing what we can, the best we can at this moment. Let us remember we judge ourselves so much more harshly than others do. Let us remember we are all incredibly, wonderfully perfectly imperfect. Let us remember to love ourselves as those perfectly imperfect beings. We all have so much to offer this agency and our community and most importantly ourselves.
Hi my name is Gracie Schrader and I am a Family Support Worker for the PINS unit. I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree from The College of Saint Rose in May and started working for CFLR in June. In the short time that I have worked here I have learned a lot about myself. I feel as this agency has helped me grow as a person in ways I was not even aware I could.
I enjoy working with families and the community. I have a strong passion for making a difference. I am so lucky to be part of the CFLR team who shares the same passion. Outside of work I love to go on adventures, travel, run, hike, spend time with family and friends, and drink lots of coffee.
Hello, my name is Alexis Dekanek and I am one of the Family Support Workers for the PINS unit in Herkimer, NY. I joined CFLR’s family in June of 2020 and I could not be happier. I graduated in 2019 with my Bachelors in Criminal Justice and with a Minor in Psychology focusing on adolescent development. Once I graduated, I worked for Empowered Pathways in Utica, NY where I got certified in basic mediation. In that role, I worked closely with Oneida County Family Court for a little over a year until I was offered this position as a FSW. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, playing with my dogs, and target practicing to prepare for the upcoming hunting season!
Hello Everyone! My name is Heidi Gates. I enjoy working with families and youth of all ages. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and participating in activities such as four wheeling, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, classic car shows, scrapbooking, and more. I also work part time/as needed on a local dairy farm and maple syrup business.
In 2014, I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology after changing my major several times to find something I was truly interested in. I then returned to school to complete my Master’s Degree in Education in School Counseling.
My career began when I was hired by Rehabilitation Support Services in Schoharie County, working as a Full Time Residence Counselor in a home for people experiencing mental illness and substance abuse, age 18 and over. Here I really learned my passion was to help others dealing with mental illness and who have had traumatic experiences throughout their lives. During my time here, I was attending school online Full Time working on my Masters’ in Education in School Counseling. When my classes were completed I spent the hours of the school day working on my internship and then working 3:00pm-11:00pm at Rehabilitation Support Services. My weekends were spent working or completing school work. This made for long days, but I enjoyed every minutes of my time, whether it was working with the children at the school level or adults within the residence home.
After receiving my Master’s Degree, I was able to land myself a job working Full Time as a Family Specialist for Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth, in Schoharie County. Here I was able to work with teenagers and their families who were in need of family support due to traumatic experiences resulting in mental illness, substance abuse, and behavioral problems. I learned a lot about how the school systems work as well as the county interactions and criminal justice system. Everything I learned here, prepared me to accept the position at CFLR where I became a PINS Counselor working for their PINS Unit in Herkimer County.
My name is Sandy Seaman, and I am the Sr. Family Support Worker with the PINS Diversion Program. I have worked for CFLR for 6 years now, and have had three positions within the agency: Impact Program Coordinator, Individual and Family Counselor, and my current position. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology, and still need to complete my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have 3 grown children. 2 of whom are currently in college. My free time is spent doing renovations on the house I bought 2 years ago, doing a variety of crafts, and hanging out with my kids. Our family has several pets. We have 3 dogs; a Standard Poodle named Ruby, a Morkie named Whomper, and a Newfoundland named Mazikeen Morningstar (Maze for short). We also have 2 cats; Rowena and Crowley. My daughter recently got 2 baby rats; Espresso and Latte. I’m planning on getting Axolotls again in the near future. The thing I am proudest of is my 20+ years in dog rescue; having served on the board of a rescue, and organized transports for dogs from kill shelters to rescues all over the US.
Jennifer Morey received her Associate in Applied Science degree, Human Services at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC). She is currently working towards her Bachelor of Social Work degree with Keuka College. Jennifer’s previous work experience includes a position as Student Assistant at MVCC in Utica, New York. In addition to serving as Program Assistant with the Center for Family Life and Recovery, Herkimer PINS Diversion unit, she also works as a Professional Tutor of Human Services with MVCC. When she is not working, she enjoys reading, walking track, and listening to music.
January 2021
Happy New Year and welcome 2021! We have made it through a tough year and still working through many challenges that COVID has brought us.
I know right now, vaccinations are tough to get but I encourage everyone to get vaccinated when they can. It will take some time and we have learned from 2020 to be patient and it will come.
What is up with CFLR Services? We are in full swing of servicing our clients and our community. CFLR is growing and flourishing! How great is it that CFLR is provided so many opportunities to serve.
What to expect? Through the month of January our in-person office hours are extremely limited due to the rise in COVID positive numbers and hospitalizations. We are committed to keeping our staff and clients safe and we appreciate that you are all willing to work with us in a virtual platform. Leadership will continue to monitor the COVID numbers and begin to do more in-person work as it is deemed safer. In the meantime, we are open for full service business (virtually of course). There are some awesome and creative programs happening. Please visit our website and Facebook page for more information and as always we are just a phone call away for HOPE.
Sincerely,
Cassandra