Personal Development Services
Overview of Empowerment Services
Fresh Start’s Social Workers can provide individual support to women as they face various life transitions, seek opportunities for new growth, and set personal and professional development goals. Social Workers work with you one-on-one to help prioritize current needs and create an action plan for accessing community resources and connection to Fresh Start’s own life-enhancing services to support you on the road to empowerment. Attendance at Fresh Start 101 is required prior to scheduling an appointment with a Social Worker.
How Can We Help?
Fresh Start 101
All clients are strongly encouraged to attend a Fresh Start 101 orientation session prior to participation in other Personal Development Services. Fresh Start 101 orientation sessions may be facilitated by Social Workers, interns, front desk staff, and/or other Fresh Start staff members.
Following Fresh Start 101, depending on availability, clients may have the opportunity to sign up for a one on one meeting with a Social Worker or intern.
Fresh Start 101 is offered:
Tuesdays at 12 to 1 pm
Wednesdays at 12 to 1 pm
Thursdays at 12 to 1 pm
Saturdays at 9:30 to 10:30 am
During an appointment with Personal Development Services Staff
One-on-one meetings with Fresh Start Social Workers or interns provide an opportunity to discuss your current needs, receive personal support, and be linked to community resources. They can support you in the creation of a personal action plan to meet your immediate needs and help you set long term goals. Social Workers offer ongoing support as you progress towards your current goals and formulate new goals for the future.
Click here for Community Information & Referral
Empowerment Support Groups
Empowerment Roadmap Groups
The empowerment road map group is a supportive educational group to help you assess your current strengths and develop a road map for achieving your long-term goals. Have you struggled with setting goals in the past? Do you feel like you have goals but don’t know how to achieve them? Do you need support in following through on the goals you have set for yourself? Led by Fresh Start Empowerment Staff, this group will help you identify your personal strengths and resources as well as new opportunities for growth to start you on your road to personal empowerment. This group requires pre-registration before attending. Call 602-261-7135.
Session 1: Wednesdays, May 12-June 9, 6 to 7:45 pm
Session 2: Wednesdays, July 7-August 4, 6 to 7:45 pm
The Women's Group
This group is for anyone looking to be a part of a community of women to share in the joyrs and sorrows of life. Gather to de-stress, strengthen coping skills, and share support, stories, dreams and goals.
Tuesdays, May 25-July 13, 6 to 7:45 pm
The Second Half
This support group is for women over 45 who want to plan the "second half" of their life while examining the path they chose during the first half. If you now face an empty nest. you may experiencing a range of feelings, including relief, remorse or regret. If you have been career-concentrated most of your life, you may now desire a shift in focus or to explore new dreams. We will take a look at your life journey thus far and "pack" for the journey you choose to take in the second half. This 7-week closed group requires pre-registration before attending. Please call (602) 261-7172 to register.
Begins Wednesday, July 7 at 6 pm
Entrepreneur Group
Thinking about starting your own business? Already own a business? Looking for support, ideas, and information about the in’s and out’s of self employment? Join us once a month for education and encouragement around entrepreneurship and women’s business ownership.
1st Thursday of every month, 6 to 7:45 pm
Courage to Change
This co-dependency support group for women meets weekly to examine how self-defeating behaviors affect our relationships with ourselves and others, including people-pleasing, putting ourselves last, trying to control others; choices and behaviors, having low self-esteem, and exhiviting the patterns of denial. This safe space will allow for open sharing and support to help change these behaviors and learn healthy ways to enhance our relationships in life.
Wednesdays, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Bereavement Support Group
The death of a loved one is one of the most powerful emotional experiences we can know, turning our lives upside down and inside out. Come process and heal with others who have also experienced painful loss. This group does not deal with the loss of a pet.
Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 pm
Surviving Abuse
Women who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence come together in support of each other. Join this group to share your experiences and learn from others about their journey into leading safer, healthier lives.
Tuesdays, 6 to 7:30 pm
The Healing Journey
Join this safe, confidential and casual group to share your experiences, learn from others, and receive emotional support as you work through the effects of abuse and begin your journey to a healthier, happier life. This group will also help you learn about the effects of abuse on children, how to create trusting, caring relationships and cultivate personal growth and tools and rsources to help you heal, rebuild and move forward.
Thursdays, 11:30 am to 1 pm Facilitated by JCFS Shelter Without Walls Staff
Alcoholics Anonymous
The purpose of this AA group is to encourage women to share experiences, strength, and hope with each other so that they might recover from alcoholism and help others do the same.
Mondays, 6:30 to 7:30 pm (women only)