Standing Tall Igniting Hope is honored to have been featured on page 6 of the Fall 2024 issue of the Hopewell Community quarterly newsletter!
Hopewell is a farm-based residential treatment program for adults with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depression.
Using the healing powers of nature, of meaningful work, of our therapeutic community, and of clinical engagement, Hopewell’s program treats the whole person: mind, body and spirit.
To view the newsletter in its entirety, click here.
Below is a reprint of the article:
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In the Heart of Loss, Hope Emerges
Written by Colleen Schuerlein, President & Founder, Standing Tall Igniting Hope
If you have had the daunting assignment of researching and choosing a place for yourself, a family member or friend who is dealing with mental health issues, finding Hopewell is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
When looking for a place for my grandson Erik, Hopewell was a perfect match – a spiritual healing center, in a beautiful peaceful setting, offering a dedicated, caring professional staff. Being an artist, Erik loved the inspiring art programs.
Erik truly loved nature, so the beautiful 325-acre farm setting and the awareness of treating the whole person, body, mind and spirit, were the perfect fit for him. The staff truly cares for the well-being of each resident and individually tailors programs that provide the best treatment approach. It was heartwarming for our family to know that Erik was with the Hopewell team.
Erik left us in March 2020 after struggling many years of living with the disabling disease of schizoaffective disorder, which ultimately led to him taking his own life. As our family dealt with the anguish of Erik’s leaving us, I asked myself, what could I do with the pain of losing him?
From these questions, came the birth of my nonprofit organization, Standing Tall Igniting Hope. We inspire, support, and provide services for thoseliving with mental health challenges or experiencing grief due to the loss of a family member by suicide.
We do not know what twists and turns will be on our life’s path, but we do know that grief and loss are part of the experience. When we share our experiences, a healing occurs, and others may realize that they are not alone in their journey. To learn more, visit our website at standingtallignitinghope.org.
