Why We Matter
Neuro-debilitating Diseases and Injury Causing Intractable Pain: A Unique Kind of Torture
Whether Brain cancer, NeuroLyme, LongHaul Covid, POTS/EDS/MCAD, or catostrophic conditions of intractable pain, without help, women are robbed of their independence, personality, career, and often even relationships. Spouses are forced to become caretakers and without adequate help children grow up too fast. They need understanding, they need to be seen, and above all they really need community!
Like a hurricane, they tear through the lives of families and their loved ones, often leaving the wreckage of divorce, joblessness and suicide in their wake.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Our mission is to stop this cycle and help women and families gain the tools and advocacy necessary to survive the challenges ahead.
so, What is Emily's place?
"We are a quilt set to catch you, a quilt of women's hands, threaded by pain..."
A few years ago, Emily moved from Arizona to Oregon to stay with Regina, a single mother who was racked with the misery and pain of NeuroLyme for over a decade. Emily's compassion and service allowed Regina to achieve remission after years of failed treatments. Through this act of service, Emily's place was born: an innovative and compassionate program designed to free women from suffering and get their lives back once and for all.
How It works
Our purpose: to free women struck down by neuro-debilitating conditions and intractable pain from the crushing burdens they cannot carry alone, so they can llive independently and in some cases even achieve remission.
To accomplish this, each of our guests go through three separate phases on the path of healing:
PHase 1: Rest and Convalescence
EMILY‘S PLACE, the residential arm for women of our demographic also racked with trauma and PTSD, begins as the ultimate retreat. We need do everything for our guests that worsen their symptoms, including cleaning, cooking, driving, shopping and ensure that they have access to medical care and treatment.
EMILYS HELPING HANDS, staffed with experts and volunteers form a dream team to help lift Moms with neurodebilitating conditions and catastrophic intractable pain above what crushes them daily. In so doing, they become free to BE their best selves with their children instead of merely a shell. Courtney, the first to be lifted through kind and generous helping hands in her community, sings about her hope of breaking the chains that bind her down in her original song Dreamer. You can listen to it here:
Our goal is to lhelo these women out of survival mode so they have the energy and cognitive resources needed to move on to Phase 2.
Phase 2: Building the toolbox
- Residential or in-home care begins
- Our guests embark in the journey of our Triumph Program: Chronically Thriving
- Structured days, and daily and weekly goals are introduced
- Guests gradually take on more responsibility and begin gentle exercising.
- They work with a medical advocate, mental health professionals, professional organizers specializing in the brain-challenged, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, and more
Phase 3: Independent living
Once residential guests, and in-home clients, of Emily's place can live on their own, after getting help obtaining social security disability, our objective is to help them find reduced rent affordable housing and an inhome caregiver to ease the transition back into independent living. After this, they move on with their lives, pursue their passion in life, and may even start an Emily's place of their own!
Overcoming Trauma
What Is The Triumph Program?
The Triumph Program: Chronically Thriving is a 12 week narrative therapy program that helps people find meaning and purpose in their suffering. Another version of the program, made for prisoners and veterans, recently received a Governor's Award in Texas for its service to veterans.
Trauma is inevitable when living with a chronic illness. Between misunderstandings by family, friends, and doctors, and mourning the loss of everything you once were, it is critical to work through these emotions in order to fully heal. In many cases, unresolved trauma can be just as debilitating as the illness itself!