Well Being, Trauma Informed, Personal Empowerment Workshop for Formerly Incarcerated Women

Well Being Testimonials Please Click here to Listen to Testimonials from Participants of our Pilot Class in April 2023.

What is WellBeing?

The WellBeing Seminar is offered by La Clinica, an Oregon based group of nonprofit community health centers offering affordable, quality healthcare services at 25 locations.

WellBeing Seminar is a four-day profound and practical learning experience—a complete immersion in an environment that supports learning by doing. Through trauma informed activities and lectures that are grounded in psychological theory, this seminar teaches people to understand that they have control over their reactions and how to act out of conscious choice. In a safe and guided learning environment, participants try on new behaviors and see what happens. They learn the skills to continue to practice any behaviors they find more effective once they leave the seminar.

In April 2023, we offered the first Well Being workshop to 24 formerly incarcerated women. Every one of the participants, without exception, reported having a unique, powerful, and transformational experience.

We are seeking ways to sustain and support the success of this program by:

1. Offering the same 24 women an opportunity to take the advanced, Cross Over, 5-day workshop

2. Supporting 6-7 participants in a training program to become facilitators of this work.

3. Offering the Well Being workshop 1-2 times per year for formerly incarcerated women and eventually bring this work into the NY state correctional facilities for women, men and juveniles.

The ripple effect of this work has infinite possibilities and impact. As a group we remembered how our own Well Being, self-awareness and personal power effect our relationship with ourselves, our families, and how we want to be in service and contribute to our community.

It is our goal to make this workshop accessible to individuals who are impacted by the criminal justice system and to address the unique and profound trauma that is created by the experience of incarceration.

Holiday Giving Opportunity - Wings

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Rockland Prison Justice Project,

We hope this finds you well and enjoying a blessed holiday. We are writing with a giving opportunity for you to consider this holiday season.

Ninety percent of women incarcerated in NY state prisons have suffered childhood trauma resulting from physical and sexual abuse, rape, incest, and neglect. Unhealed trauma has devastating health effects on individuals and communities, contributing to self-medicating substance use disorders, which are largely criminalized in our society. Unhealed trauma also contributes to suicide, depression, interpersonal violence, and even physical health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Incarceration itself is traumatizing with the threat of being thrown into "the box" (solitary) hanging over one's head for even slight infraction of rules, such as taking too long in the shower.

Once incarcerated, little or nothing is done to address the institutional racism, sexism or individual traumas that led a woman to be incarcerated. Mental health services are nearly non-existent. A woman might see her counselor once every month at best, with culturally competent and sufficiently trained clinicians nearly non existent.

RPJP is supporting an effort to train a critical mass of formerly incarcerated people and direct service workers in a particular trauma-informed intervention called Wings at the Stony Point Center from October 15-18, 2020, as a first step towards bringing this deeply healing approach into our NY State women's prisons. We are raising funds to implement this pilot program in October – to train 30 individuals it will cost approximately $20,000.  To donate, please go to RPJP PayPal Donate Now. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Many, many thanks to you for your continued support of our sisters and brothers behind bars and their families.

Wishing you many blessings this holiday season,

Jennifer Mancuso, on behalf of the Rockland Prison Justice Project

Parole in NY State: False Hope and Death Behind Bars

The NYS Parole Board denies release to far more than half of parole-eligible people in prison. Even people who have changed tremendously and pose no risk to public safety remain behind bars for decades beyond their minimum sentence. Why are they being denied parole and what can be done about it? Join us and a panel of formerly incarcerated people and other parole experts to discuss current issues in parole release policies and the statewide movement for parole justice.

Restorative Justice Community Building Circles

As we continue our exploration of Restorative Justice Practices, we will be holding a series of authentic community building restorative justice circles addressing specific concerns affecting our community. Our next circle is November 11, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. Please check back for details and future circles. EVERYONE is welcome free of charge but please do RSVP as space is limited to 25 participants.