Community Support Program
VSS is pleased to announce that we have scheduled our first workshop under our new Community Support Program!
Please join us on Thursday, May 2 from 4:00-6:00 PM for a virtual workshop: Making Meaning Out of the Mess: Being Well on the Other Side of Violence.
***Please note, this workshop is for victims of crime only, not professionals providing services to victims of crime. Thank you for understanding!
Through authentic conversation, the facilitator will share their professional knowledge and expert-by-experience wisdom on surviving, and eventually thriving, after violent crime. In this interactive workshop, we will explore restorative practices and mindfulness techniques such as guided meditation, breathwork, and journaling – all ways that can support us in regaining balance and wholeness in our lives. We will have dedicated time for facilitated reflection on what helped and hurt our hearts throughout our ever-evolving healing journeys. Participants will have the opportunity to share and learn from a community of other beings who are also doing their best to make meaning out of the mess that crime leaves behind.
If you have ever been a victim of a violent crime, whether a client of VSS or not, you are invited to attend!
Learn More About the facilitator, Kim Flournoy DiJoseph
Kim Flournoy DiJoseph has been called a “punk rock, modern-day Chinese medicine woman” who “sees the clearest in the dark.” A former social work professor and trauma therapist, Kim now works from a spiritually-grounded, intuitive and ancestrally-guided perspective to facilitate the witnessing, integrating, and transmuting of wounds that reside deeply beyond where our heads and hearts can go on their own. In addition to shadow work readings, she guides healing meditation journeys, serves as a conduit for grievers and loved ones who passed from traumatic death, and holds community space for personal ceremony and public vigils.
Kim has 30+ years experience with those impacted by trauma and violence (clinician, shelter, court advocate, DV program director) and developed courses on vicarious trauma, grief/loss, and violence across the lifespan. Following the murder of her mother in 2012, she also trains from a dual perspective on traumatic grief, the criminal legal system, and the healing process. She is lead facilitator for VSDVAA’s V.O.I.C.E.S. Project (a survivor-sourced leadership council), facilitates various wellness groups for advocates and social workers, volunteers with the Virginia Department of Corrections to share her experience with individuals incarcerated for homicide, is a community-embedded faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work, and is a 2020 recipient of the Unsung Hero Award from the Virginia Office of the Attorney General.
Kim is a Chinese-American mother, healer, teacher, innerwork activist, and former personal chef who lives in Richmond, VA. She is especially grateful for time in the kitchen and the ocean.
DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY – PUT YOURSELF FIRST AND REGISTER TODAY!
Read Below to Learn More About the History of the Community Support Program
Victim Support Services has been awarded a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) which enables us to launch our new Community Support Program (CSP)! The objective of the program is to enhance and bolster services for individuals affected by crime and violence, promoting a comprehensive approach, designed to address the distinctive needs of victims and survivors of violent crime. The Community Support Program will include FREE trauma-informed support groups, workshops, and other related activities, for eligible participants. Through these support groups and activities, we aim to create a safe space where individuals can come together to share their experiences, find solace, and build connections with others who have faced similar challenges. The power of shared experiences cannot be overstated, and our goal is to facilitate a sense of community, understanding, and empowerment among those who have been affected by violent crime.
The CSP will enable us to:
- Expand Reach: Reach a wider audience of individuals who may benefit from participating in support groups, ensuring that our services are accessible to all who need them.
- Professional Facilitation: Provide trained facilitators who specialize in trauma-informed care, creating a safe and empathetic environment for participants.
- Resource Development: Develop additional resources and materials that will enhance the support group experience and provide valuable information for coping and healing.
- Community Outreach: Conduct outreach initiatives to raise awareness about the support groups and encourage individuals to participate.
- Strength through Community: By fostering a sense of community and shared strength, and celebrating small victories in the journey towards healing, the program will contribute to the resilience of individuals facing grief.
As we embark on this new chapter, we invite you to stay connected and involved. If you would like to be emailed directly as activities, workshops, groups, and retreats are planned, please email Community Support Coordinator, Liberty Miller at [email protected] to be added to the list. Together, we can create a community that fosters healing, resilience, and strength for all those who have been impacted by violent crime.