The
clubhouse setting at Jodi House provides a place that members can
identify as their own; where they can congregate, share common experiences,
socialize, develop skills, and grow together.
Peer Support Group
A
warm and friendly weekly meeting where members share experiences
of dealing with the many aspects of living with a traumatic brain
injury, in a surprisingly candid and straightforward manner. Participants
learn from each other's experiences finding new coping mechanisms,
renewed strength and a kind of camaraderie invaluable to their recovering
process.
In
Santa Barbara, the peer support group
is facilitated by Jodi House Executive Director Luciana Cramer
and meets every Thursday, from 2 to 4 PM.
In
Solvang, the peer support group is
facilitated by Occupational Therapist Cheryl Hermann and
meets every Tuesday, from 2 to 4 PM.
First-time
attendees must check in with staff, personally or by phone, at least
24 hours prior to the meeting.
Family Group
A brain injury is a trauma for both the afflicted member of the
family and the affected family members. Family members know this
the day they are notified that a loved one… spouse, child,
relative… is in a coma or has been diagnosed with TBI. Traumatic
waves radiate out, slowly, to extended family members and friends
so that everyone involved is seriously affected.
The mission of Jodi House is to serve the TBI survivor and his/her
surrounding social and support systems --- spouses, children, siblings,
friends, relatives in an atmosphere of hope, understanding and caring.
In its eleventh year of operation, Jodi House is now able to offer
an extended educational and support program for families and everyone
intimately connected to a person with TBI, thanks to a grant from
the RNR Foundation.
Group meets every Tuesday, from 12 to 1pm. If you want to bring
a family member with TBI with you, there are parallel activities
available for him/her. Also, plan to have lunch with us (provided).
Family Support Series
In
addition to the family group, Jodi House also brings lecturers from
the community to talk about topics of interest to our members. This
year, the theme is "Stress, its harmful effects and ways of
reducing them". Monthly meetings are generally in the early
evening and snacks are provided. The whole family and caregivers
are invited and encouraged to attend. Check our calendar
for current schedule.
Percussion Workshop
Our
percussion group is back, with percussionist and capoeirist Daniel
Yoshimi (Shim). We also got new drumming instruments, thanks
to a gift from the Community Angels Network, and our percussionists
never sounded better! Please, check current calendar
for schedule.
Yoga
To
a person with a traumatic brain injury, exercising becomes even
more important than it was before the trauma: it helps in the recovery
process and in maintaining general well being. Our yoga instructors,
Nicole Inglish from the Yoga
Studio, Emily Kligerman and Daniel Bowen have
many years of combined experience in working with brain injured
people. They assure that even those with very limited ambulatory
skills have access to an exercise regimen tailored to their individual
capabilities.
Yoga
has also proved to be extremely helpful in achieving better concentration
skills, emotional stability and managing muscular disorders.
Classes
are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 2 to 3 PM. Please, check our
calendar for this month's schedule.
Reiki
Program
Led
by Reiki Master Rama Seltzer, he reiki program is operated
entirely by volunteer practitioners. This important program provides
Jodi House members with the soothing and relaxing benefits of this
increasingly popular and recognized practice.
Every
Friday, from 12:30 to 1:30pm on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Communications Skills
Many
people affected with a brain injury are also subject to speech disorders,
including delayed language, stammering, aphasia, swallowing disorders
and voice problems.
Suzanne A. Weintraub conducts the Communications Skills Program
created to address these problems. Suzanne is a speech/language
pathologist who has worked at the Rehabilitation Institute at Santa
Barbara for over 10 years. Classes are every other Thursday, at
12 PM.
Memory Strategies
Suzanne
also conducts this program designed to provide our members with
strategies to improve organizational and memory skills. Members
learn skills that have immediate practical use in their daily lives.
Classes are every other Thursday (alternating with Communications
Skills), at 12 PM.
Ceramics
Jodi
House members create pieces ranging from simple household items to
highly intricate art work. We fire their work in our own kiln, donated
by the Santa Barbara Shott Center. In addition to exercising creativity
and imagination, this class helps improving hand-eye coordination,
motor-coordination and planning skills.
Our
teacher, Moonen Mourad, has years of experience working with
people with disabilities.
Please
check current calendar for schedule.
Computer Lab
Jodi
House members tried for years to attend computer classes at local
community schools and adult education, resulting in the growing
frustration of not having a program designed to meet their specific
learning needs. That's when we decided to create our own computer
program.
Today,
our computer lab is equipped with state-of-the-art hardware, software
and adaptive equipment. Our high-speed Internet connection makes
researching the web enjoyable and easy.
Our
computer teacher, Don Devan is extremely dedicated and committed
to make learning the computer a rewarding, useful and fun experience!
Jodi
House members are now on-line, communicating with other people with
TBI around the world and starting our own web-based Peer Out-reach
Program. Computer skills are not only helping with improving concentration,
memory and hand-eye coordination skills, but are also helping bridging
the gap that keeps TBI survivors in social isolation.
The lab is open to all members during Jodi House opening hours and
Don is available from Tuesdays thru Thursdays, 12 to 4pm.
Socials - Please,
check our current calendar.
Community and recreational outings - -
Please,
check our current calendar.
Participation
is voluntary and free of charge.
Contact Jodi House to enroll.
