United Way Impact 100 partner Newhouse continues to see a dramatic increase in the number of individuals in our community needing domestic violence services. Last year, its staff provided nearly 600 survivors with transformative services, including trauma counseling. Newhouse’s Chief Clinical Officer has a personal connection to the work and an impassioned message.
It’s tough being a teenager, no matter the circumstances. But imagine being 14, fleeing your home with your mother and siblings and bouncing from shelter to shelter, seeking safety from an abuser.
“My mom was in a not so healthy relationship. We had to leave our house, and we had been to different shelters, eventually coming here, to Newhouse,” said Ondria Thornton, who today, is the organization’s Chief Clinical Officer.
At Newhouse, her mom was supported by a case manager and therapist. The nonprofit’s team helped the family get a house, where they could remain stable long-term.
“As a kid, I was kind of embarrassed that we were here, but I saw the benefits for my mom. She received treatment and was able to process a lot of things that happened,” Thornton said. “I was able to meet with her therapists and case managers, and we were so fortunate to have support from African American women. They were able to help families like ours flee danger, find safety, and strive to obtain stability.”
The combination of empathy, compassion, and diverse representation from the Newhouse team left a deep impression on Ondria and shaped her future in ways she couldn’t have imagined. She worked for a few social service agencies before her story came full circle, bringing her to Newhouse in case management, a decade ago.
“My favorite part about it is you get to be a part of someone’s healing journey. That’s awesome,” said Thornton. “And to witness someone evolve and to learn more about themselves, to gain their power back, to realize that it wasn’t their fault, to then gain confidence to go to school, get a job, raise a family–and for me to be a part of that, is an honor.”
She now works to help treat the same kind of trauma her family endured and oversees a team of therapists, who each have more than two dozen clients. And there’s a long waiting list for the services Newhouse provides in the community.
“We have to really establish trust and rapport, so each person feels safe before they embark on this journey of healing,” Thornton said. “We talk about what safety looks like, validate their experience and feelings, and let them know they are not alone.”
“Domestic violence is often only a small piece of the whole tapestry of what they’re facing,” she continued. “We have to acknowledge that. It’s nothing the client did. It is not their fault.”
Each survivor’s journey is personal and unique, and often involves overcoming shame, restoring relationships they’ve withdrawn from, and turning towards support.
“We look at the outcomes they desire, what they want to get out of this, how we can support them through case management. It’s a very client-led process and we are just here to support,” said Thornton.
While Thornton works with individuals facing trauma directly, she says it’s important for all of us to recognize that we encounter people daily who are walking through it and to approach everyone with empathy.
“Representation really does matter. So many Black women have told me there’s a level of understanding we have together, that they don’t have to explain,” Thornton said. “When I get the opportunity to share my story, hopefully it inspires other folks to know that there is another side of this. You can come out of it on the other side. Maybe not unscathed, but at least stronger and wiser, more resilient, feel more in control and more empowered.”
This October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, she hopes you will be inspired to learn more and take action.
“Domestic violence is a key community issue. It’s not a one-person issue or an intimate partner issue. It’s a community problem. And if the community can, just understand how domestic violence affects other areas and sectors in our community, and then we can show up and, support individuals who are fleeing domestic violence or experienced domestic violence, and they don’t know how to flee,” Thornton said.
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