One group I got a lot out of is the Intensive Community Readiness Group.  They do a lot of different things in that group like self-advocacy, leisure education, OT.  This helped me deal with a lot of different behaviors – more than just one way.  Tracy, my OT helped a lot.  She was more than just a friend she was somebody I could tell everything to – I mean there was no secrets.  Even if it was bad I knew I could talk to her.  In self-advocacy I learned that I could speak for myself.  I learned how to read better, of course we wrote a lot.  I learned how to spell better and I wasn’t too ashamed to ask.  When I got my Diploma from the Intensive Community Readiness Group, I really felt happy.  I felt in my life there was something that I completed.  There have been a lot of things in my life that I never got to but I was really proud of myself when I completed that group.

My favorite thing at Northeast Center was helping people.  I got to meet a lot of people here.  I became good friends with one Neighbor and every day I would go visit her and taker her out to the patio.

I am going to be discharged in May (of 2005).  I am going to live in an apartment in a different area than before and I am going to be away from the kind of people that caused me problems.  The area is clean and quiet.  I can walk out of my apartment and I don’t have to worry about being in an environment that could get me into trouble.  I am going to go to a day program. 

If I could say anything to people who come to Northeast Center is that you can do it if you really want to.  First things first is that you got to pay attention and part of paying attention is listening.  When we listen sometimes we hear things that we don’t want to hear but in the end it’s all for the better because its things that we need to know.  We have choices and it’s better that you choose to do it because when you get back to the community, you’re living for yourself.

Cindy Pope remembers: 

Roxanne was a totally different person when she left then when she first came to us.   She learned how to better relate to other people.  Her turning point was when she participated in the Intensive Community Readiness Program.  After being in that program for some time, when she was faced with challenges in relating to others.  Her reactions to those situations were something that she thought she would never be able to do – walk away and not get caught up in a negative response.  She leaves with a great attitude and an understanding that she can accomplish her goals.

Tracy Gravitz, Occupational Therapist spoke about her work with Roxanne:

Roxanne attended our Intensive Community Readiness Program at Northeast Center.   The program was designed to help people to hone skills and ability in the community and to recognize awareness of barriers that were a result of their injury.  And most importantly for people to see things in themselves that they learn they need to address and to set personal goals.  We have an emphasis on note taking and developing organizational skills.  Roxanne did well in this program.  First her attendance was excellent and she was a good participant.  Roxanne was also helpful to other peers – she was a lovely person, she cared for other people a lot.

I believe the turning point for Roxanne was her self-discovery in this program.  She got a good understanding of why she had had problems.  What she learned and what she told us was that she knows that she has to put herself first and work on getting herself better so she can make it back in the community.