Mi Casa maintains a transitional "safe" home and modified Therapeutic Community at a non-disclosed location for women with and without children. At-risk families may remain at Mi Casa for up to two years.

The innovative model used by Mi Casa has been selected as 1 of 15 model programs reviewed by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence as a Creative Approaches Program. The Mi Casa program is extremely complex and includes deep level strategies and interventions specifically designed to reverse the effects of victimization and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Fundamental to understanding Mi Casa is the need to understand what exactly the Mi Casa program is and does. Mi Casa is a long-term treatment program for survivors of family violence who also struggle with problems related to substance abuse. 100% of Mi Casa’s residential clients to date have been substance abuse affected. Mi Casa often admits clients who, because of substance abuse, are rejected from entrance or continuance in traditional shelter programs. Mi Casa is not a crisis shelter. Mi Casa’s residential program is a treatment alternative. Mi Casa is probably the most intensive and structured program in the United States for victims of domestic violence who struggle with substance abuse.

Cognitive restructuring is well recognized as a successful method in treatment of substance abuse issues and preventing relapses to substance abuse. There is significantly high correlation between women who abuse substances and unresolved victimization. Mi Casa empowers women and their children to go beyond becoming survivors to becoming overcomers. Mi Casa specifically empowers survivors to understand they are never to blame for violence or victimization in their lives.

Mi Casa’s model is based on a combination of behavioral modification, cognitive skills development, Gordon and Martlett’s relapse prevention and Stages of Change theory, and William Miller’s motivational interviewing, all within an empowerment model which emphasizes choice and development of "I can" mentality. Most residents also participate in NLP or EMDR sessions. The program is on a 4-phase system which goes from:

1) adjustment, 2) very structured, 3) less structured, 4) support. All residents are considered "sisters" within a healthy family and the "senior sister" practices what Ross/Fabiano identifies as "helper therapy" and give back to newer members in the community. It is said, "You can’t keep it until you give it away." Giving back to others in healthy ways is seen as very important within the Therapeutic Community (TC).

Children within the community also participate and quickly develop "I can" mentality and assertive communication skills as they discover the Therapeutic Community is the safest place in the world. At Mi Casa the mores are to, talk, feel, and trust from the choice position. This is very important in breaking destructive cycles and generational patterns which have included substance abuse, addictions, as well as family violence.

Homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence combine in a partnership of destruction. Children in this environment often evidence developmental delays in the acquisition of cognitive skills. Cognitive deficits place the individual at a disadvantage academically, vocationally, and socially. They make the individual more vulnerable to criminal influences as well as at-risk to become future victims and/or perpetrators.

Mi Casa is implementing a preventive program designed specifically to break the cycles of destruction and motivate families toward a healthy balanced lifestyle and economic self-sufficiency.

Mi Casa uses behavior modification and teaches cognitive thinking skills while practicing self-discipline and self control in a safe environment. Victims explore their possibilities and creative potential while maintaining a clean and sober lifestyle. They practice effective reasoning and positive parenting which will empower them for the rest of their lives.

Mi Casa’s residential safehouse is a Therapeutic Community. Like all Therapeutic Communities, Mi Casa is based on what is commonly known as the competencies of the Therapeutic Community (TC). The TC structure is set up as a large family. There is a framework in place where all residents are performing duties and assuming responsibilities within the family structure for themselves and others

To be accepted into the Therapeutic Community, the woman and/or her children must be reported victims of family violence as evidenced by a police report, homeless or nearly homeless and low income. She must be motivated to move toward a healthy balanced life style and in cognitive stage of readiness for changes as evidenced by assessment, and committed to attend vocational or educational training. Residential clients also evidence problems related to substance abuse. Most clients have already had a number of experiences in shelters and/or treatment centers.

Mi Casa carefully screens its potential clients for high likelihood of success. Due to the frequent return of battered women to their abusive situations, Mi Casa is seeking to identify those women who are at a juncture in which they have the greatest potential to make a real change in their life situation. This both maximizes the effective use of limited resources and protects the security and safety of the location of the safe house. Mi Casa will break the cycles of destruction and empower women to become economically self-sufficient tax paying citizens. At the same time at-risk children will be insulated with resiliency factors thus increasing the number of children who make a choice for pro-social lifestyle, free of violence and substance abuse.

What Is Practiced, Our Therapeutic Community Program Tools:

Affirmations: Known in the TC as "verbal rooms" and "verbal doors". These repeated sayings are specifically designed to erase negative self-talk while reinforcing positive beliefs.

Pull Ups: Peer support addressing negative behaviors immediately while increasing self-awareness. Support is the foundation of the TC.

Dyads and Triads: Two or three individuals discussing issues. Designed to create open and honest communication within the TC.

Monad: Adult time out. A self-discipline tool used to de-escalate emotions or interrupt "spinning" while demonstrating self-control. Monad is the most respected tool at Mi Casa and is the adult role model for children.

Feedback: Making others aware of their behavior. Can be a stroke or an indictment.

Special Game: Supervised confrontation. Provides safe release of intense emotional response to issues and conflicts.

Morning Meeting: Formal gathering of all adult residents. Provides structured format to present therapeutic assignments, communicate questions, comments, and announcements while wishing each other a "good day".

 

This program, over time, will save many dollars in welfare assistance, law enforcement intervention, health care for teen pregnancies, nights in shelters, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and prison bed space.

The residential program is state of the art and based on an eclectic model developed by Debra Lynn Leewaye, Mike Vianna, Frank Macek and Cheryl Lammers. The overall objective is to move families toward a healthy balanced life style which includes balance in each of four areas: 1) emotional/mental health, 2) economic self sufficiency, 3) physical health which includes social leisure, 4) spiritual health.

Mi Casa is not a religious organization and does not either condone or condemn any particular religious beliefs. Mi Casa recognizes that a spiritual component is an important part of a person’s individual growth toward a balanced life style. Spiritual care is based upon meeting that individual person exactly where she is in her own spirituality and standing beside that person and provide resources for growth only when she is ready. Each woman is on her own path and moves at her own pace.

Each resident’s treatment plan is individualized and tailored to empower achievement of individual goals. The residential environment is the safe structured learning environment with emphasis on making cognitive aware choices, from the empowered choice position, utilizing overcoming mentality, while developing self-efficacy on the core belief of "I can" make the desired changes in my life. Developing self-discipline and self-control is seen and respected as an essential element and resource in an overcomer’s life style.

The core value is universal care and concern for all mankind. Residents realize that there is a great difference between being taken care of and having genuine care and concern for others. The Therapeutic Community is an empowerment model and de-emphasizes people being taken care of or serviced. Management of personal emotions and appropriate, non-violent conflict resolution are recognized as "get to’s". Residents understand the concept of the baby being the emotional child inside all of us. The baby says, "I want, what I want, when I want it!"

Self-control and self discipline means the emotional child will avoid impulsive decisions and compulsive behaviors. Overcomers also learn to set healthy personal boundaries. Developing and respecting boundaries is an important part of life at Mi Casa. The concept of personal choice is reinforced in every aspect of the program.

Mi Casa utilizes a variety of materials, books, video tapes and audio tapes by many authors including but not limited to J. Carlton, Leonore Walker, Claudia Black, Terry Kellogg, Bruce Fisher, Jim Smoke, Albert Ellis, Barbara Coloroso, Peter Alsop, Ross Fabiano, deBono, Goldstien, Jan Beliner-Statman, Granger Westberg, Anne Katherine, William Miller, Gordon and Marlett, Hannah Hurnard, Joseph Fabry, Ellen Bass and Laura Davis Bradshaw, Henry Cloud, John Townsend NLP, EMDR, AA, RR, AMEND and others.

The weekly schedule in the most structured phase includes: three formal morning meetings, boundaries development, trauma resolution, cognitive skill development, women’s support group, positive parenting skill development, nutrition, relapse prevention, structured family time, domestic violence education, drug and alcohol awareness, one on one sessions, and industrial therapy. Less structured phases, have fewer groups and add vocational and /or educational training to their schedules.

Residents at Mi Casa are continuously given the messages, "We expect you to succeed," and "We believe you can do anything you want to do." Residents are encouraged to affirm themselves and identify "What do I really want?"

Intensive therapy interventions resolve traumatic experiences for the past. Mi Casa’s interventions actually support is the foundation of this program and each resident is supported to experience growth opportunities and learn to know thyself. Overcomers learn to deal with it rather than take the fight or flight response.

The therapeutic community in many ways can be seen as a metaphor for life and is set up intentionally and specifically to push every emotional button any individual has ever had. This provides growth opportunity for the individual to deal through, discover "I can", and overcome the situation. Each success increases self-efficacy as well as self-esteem and self-confidence. Before long, the snowball of achievement is rolling and success begets success. This is an incredible change for an individual who, at her core being, sincerely believed "I am worthless, helpless, hopeless, and useless." The Mi Casa program is life saving and life changing. It is impossible for anyone to connect with and experience the therapeutic community at Mi Casa and avoid identifying and experiencing personal growth opportunities.

 Sample Metaphors:

One day the people got tired of keeping the little seed in the box, and they threw it away. The seed landed on hard, dry earth. It was too hot, and she got very thirsty. The little seed felt like she might die. She noticed lots of plants growing in places she could see, and she felt inside her that it was the wonderful growing time. She wanted so badly to grow like the other plants. She felt like she was an outsider, robbed of the right to live. She felt so alone.

One day a lady who loved flowers came walking slowly, looking at the flowers. Because the lady was walking slowly and appreciating the treasures of the earth, the lady saw the little seed lying on top of the hard earth. The lady picked up the little seed and cradled her in her hand.

"A seed!", the lady said. Hope rose in the little seed. She felt treasured and cherished.

The lady said, "I wonder what flower this will be?"

The lady took it home and planted it in a safe place. The lady gave the little seed lots of water, so she wasn’t thirsty anymore. The little seed felt life flowing into her as oxygen came to her through the loose soil around her. She felt the healing warmth of the sun, the moisture, and the oxygen loosening the hard shell around her. Something started to happen in the very center of the little seed. She felt like she was stretching for the first time in her life.

Soon the good water made her hard shell swell and burst open. She felt an electric jolt of excitement going through her saying, "Grow! Grow! Grow! Grow!"

She stretched. It felt so good! Happy little leaves sprouted from the top and busy little roots sprouted from the bottom as the little seed straightened out. Quickly her stem and leaves popped up out of the earth. Her leaves started breathing and got busy soaking up the sunlight. She felt good food flowing through her. She started growing strong and tall. She didn’t look like a little brown seed anymore.

One day she became a beautiful flower. She moved in the wind and the sun in her safe place, and became one of the special treasures of the garden.

  Metamorphosis
By
Rubetta Ridderhof

Once there was a caterpillar who broke out of a little egg attached to the underside of a leaf. She was very hungry, and she stayed hungry for a long time, eating all the leaves she could. She grew very fast, because something in her knew that she had to have enough of the food she needed to live the life she was created for. She worked hard all the time to get what she needed that her skin would split and she would come out of her skin, with a different skin which was a bigger size. Each change took all her effort, and was very difficult, but she wanted change. Each time she broke out of her whole skin and changed, she started on another part of her journey toward the life she was created for. She tried to make each new skin as hard as she could to protect herself. However, she also wanted her change so badly she kept frantically searching for what she needed! Her life seemed to consist of day after day after day of searching for what she needed, and struggling to get there. She never stopped trying, even though she didn’t know why. Even though id dint’ make any sense, something inside of her knew she had to keep on going to reach the life she was created for. It seemed to go on forever!

One day, her skin split another time—but something really different happened! Instead of crawling out, she found herself going to sleep inside of a protective chrysalis. As she went to sleep, she thought, "My life is over, and I will never reach the life I was created for..." She dreamed confusing dreams of complicated forms and shapes...she felt an overwhelming sense of losing who she was. She drifted dimly into brightly-colored dream that she didn’t understand. She thought, "So this is the end."

After a long time, one day she woke up and suddenly felt the warmth of the sun through her chrysalis, and felt an overwhelming desire to push out of it. She thought, "I couldn’t get out before, so why would I think I could get out now?" But she couldn’t stop! She felt a tremendous surge of strength flow through her! She said to herself, "I can still think and feel—so I’m going to become what I was created for, no matter what it takes!" She gave a mighty push, and broke out of her shell! Suddenly she got scared, because she felt soft and vulnerable—she didn’t have a hard shell to protect her anymore! Then she saw that she was in a protected place which kept her from the sight of other creatures but let lots of sun in to warm her. Suddenly something in the core of her being woke up and started pumping life into all her body from the inside, too. She felt herself changing shape, and becoming complete.

As she soared in full color through the air, she sang words to herself—"Free and beautiful and myself...Free and beautiful and myself!" She knew this was her real beginning.

But then when they came into the world their treasure was torn from their hands,

And trampled to the ground.

They were robbed, and they felt empty.

And the people around them started using the little girls as wastebaskets, and dumping trash into them.

Their hearts felt hurt, and they cried with grief!

They knew they were already trash containers,

And it was too late to hold treasure.

Then one day a few of the little girls came to a safe place,

Where people knew how to clean out the trash.

They gave the girls tools to get rid of the trash.

Receiving help and using their tools to get rid of the trash really hurt sometimes,

But they started feeling really clean,

And it felt so good,

Especially when God healed their hearts and made them new.

Then a wonderful thing happened!

The seeds of the treasure were still there,

And the treasures started growing again.

The people in the safe place knew how to fertilize the seeds so they started growing fast,

And more new treasure started growing, too.

The little girls grew into women full of beautiful treasure.

The spirit of giving back came and rested on them like a brilliant light,

And they started giving treasures to each other,

And the more they gave, the more treasure grew inside of them!

Treasure flowed out of them, to help, and to build each other up.

They became strong warriors and crusaders,

Their light was so brilliant that more women flowed into the safe place.

The beautiful women opened their arms to the women that came.

And they, too, became clean and filled with treasure.

In the safe place, the women learned to give back what they received,

And they walked out into the world, telling other women

"You are not trash containers. You are treasure chests.

We know how to help you recover your treasure."

And as the years went on, everyone in the safe place kept on sharing their unique treasures with the women who came there and showing them how to become beautiful and free.

 More About the Program 

Many of the clients who seek assistance from Mi Casa are survivors of extreme circumstances and display a range of serious characterlogical disorders as evidenced by substance dependence and often mental health diagnosis. In treating these cases Mi Casa employs the concepts of a Therapeutic Community. For most clients the safety, structure, and duration of this type of therapy provide an opportunity for change and growth to occur. The reality of treatment with this population is, unfortunately, not always successful. At times, a client will choose to terminate her treatment prior to completion.

A resident who leaves the program prior to positive discharge may criticize the program and the non-traditional approach. This is considered predictable. However the reality is that when a client is capable of communication of her feelings however negative, this is growth and a success in itself. The victim population often finds ways to create and perpetrate crisis even without a perpetrator present. Someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and learned helplessness can maintain the victim role in any situation where it is enabled.

Clients who are living life at the Therapeutic Community and benefiting from Mi Casa often say, "It works for me". Each day as a resident, they grow stronger and more assertive and more empowered to feel, think, trust, and talk, as well as make personal choices with cognitive awareness.

Victims who survive domestic violence, (children and adults) need a safe and stable transitional home, where they can acquire the life and social competency skills and resources that are essential for economic self-sufficiency and successful independent living. Until Mi Casa, no transitional housing that includes intermediate supportive treatment services targeted specifically to this population existed in Southern Colorado. Mi Casa services include prevention, treatment, and job development.