Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/705876
Thursday, July 21-July 27, 2016 www.shelbyinfo.com 704/484-1047 - shelby shopper & info - Page 29 The message board at Shel- by High recently read, "Congratu- lations SPARCS Girls. Continue to Shine. Love, Mel- ody and Jessica." It sounds like be- ing a "SPARCS girl" is part of an afterschool club and while that is true, in a way, the SPARCS girls group is so much more. SPARCS stands for Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Re- sponding to Chronic Stress. Jessica Talbert and Melody Thompson are two therapists with Children's Homes of Cleveland County that are trained in SPARCS. SPARCS is a na- tionally-recognized therapeutic technique that has proven rehabilitative outcomes According to Thompson, "We know that many youth in our community are experienc- ing more stressors than a typical teen: sexual abuse, physical abuse, traumatic death of a loved one, exposure to domestic and commu- nity violence and many other types of chronic stress." This therapeutic technique teaches traumatized and chronically stressed youth how to use positive coping skills, increase communication skills, maintain healthy rela- tionships and improve their overall functioning in the school, home and community. "We knew that the skills taught in SPARCS are critical to students' success. Yet even we were amazed at the impact this group made in the lives of these girls. They told us how they looked forward to group every week, how they were beginning to apply the skills they learned, and they really began to support and guide one another. We saw these girls blos- som right before our eyes- it was an amazing process," Talbert adds. According to Talbert, "One of the most im- portant aspects of this group is helping youth make meaning of the traumatic, stressful events they have lived through. They come to believe that they are survivors, not victims, and that they are not defi ned by what has happened to them. They have the power to write their own story." CHCC, a non-profi t organization, seeks to enhance mental health services for Cleve- land County by removing common barriers to treatment. Bringing SPARCS treatment to the community addresses two of the greatest bar- riers to accessing mental health treatment- transportation and stigma. Taking treatment directly to the client reduces time and cost constraints of transportation issues. Offering the service at schools or in the community where youth are already engaged reduces the stigma of seeking mental health treatment. "Students are able to experience the ther- apeutic environment, enjoy the support and encouragement of their therapist and group members, and see that counseling is not as scary as they feared, and actually quite help- ful," says Thompson. Thanks to a generous grant, CHCC will also be providing a SPARCS group at the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland County this summer. Providing this group treatment allows thera- pists to reach more youth than traditional indi- vidual therapy. Last year, 130 individuals were served through CHCC's Outpatient Mental Health program; however, the agency main- tains a waiting list of 10-15 clients and fi elds 40-50 new calls each month for services. Thompson contends, "There is a real need for evidence based, trauma-focused treat- ment in our county." CHCC has the only Cleveland County based therapists trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Thera- py, an evidence-based treatment for trauma- tized children and adolescents. For more information on the CHCC therapy programs, contact the Children's Homes of Cleveland County, Inc. at 704-484-2558. About CHCC Children's Homes for Cleveland County, Inc. is an independent, not for profi t agency serving children and families for more than 25 years that are in crisis due to abuse and ne- glect. CHCC's mission is to provide services to children and families in which they have the opportunity to come together to learn, to grow and to develop in a safe, stable environment – because we care. An array of supportive services have been developed including su- pervised visitation, social services to families, limited adoption services, outpatient mental health services, parenting education services, and community education and awareness. Submitted by Shannon Kennedy Children's Homes of Cleveland County offers Specialized Youth Therapy Programs The message board at Shelby High with public congratulations. Photo furnished Free Papers Working For You Does your advertising leave you feeling this way? Advertising can be pretty complex. You may not know which way to turn. !ere is a sign you can rely on... ours. Call us today so that our professionals can make the most of your advertising investment. Insert Your Logo Here Another sign we're working for you. 704-484-1047 ADVENTURE BIKING BOATS CAMPSITE CANOE CLIMBING COASTAL DISCOVER EXCITEMENT EXPLORE FISHING FOREIGN FOREST FRESH AIR GARDEN GLIDING HIKING HORSEBACK KAYAK MOUNTAINS NATURE OUTSIDE PARK ROAD TRIP ROCKS SAILING SCENERY SKATEBOARD SNORKELING SURF TRAILS TRAVEL TREK UNDERWATER VISTA WILDLIFE Shelby - August 6, 2016 - The American Heart Association has teamed up with Re- naldo Auto Mall to offer the Kids Cook with Heart culinary program that will provide key skills for middle school students in Cleveland County to grow into healthy adults. Kids Cook with Heart is designed to foster life skills in advocacy, leadership, responsibility and teamwork while promoting healthy lifestyles for youth. Designed as a culinary competition to edu- cate young people to on how simple and fun it can be to cook healthy, inexpensive meals, Kids Cook with Heart is meant to help cur- tail the onset of obesity among children and promote healthy lifestyles among youth. Five teams of six students from the local Commu- nities in Schools Summer Program will partic- ipate in the program from August 1st thru Au- gust 4th at Shelby Middle School. Local chefs and nutritionists will teach them important nutritional information, guidelines for safety and sanitation, knife skills and how to create a healthy meal and snacks for themselves and their families. The students will show- case their knowledge at the Kids Cook with Heart Challenge where they will prepare a dish as a team before a panel judg- es on the fi nal day, Saturday, August 6th from 9AM - 11AM at the Renaldo Auto Mall GMC/ Cadillac/ Buick Showroom, for a chance to win a trophy for 1st place along with bragging rights. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devot- ed to saving people from heart disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fi ght for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these disease. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary or- ganization dedicated to fi ghting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offi ces around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Submitted by Lynn Grayson Renaldo Auto Mall teams up with American Heart Association Kids Cook with Heart Program coming to Shelby