Submitted by Tracy S. Swenson, Chrysalis Clubhouse colleague

Earlier this year I had the incredible opportunity to finish the Success Celebration afghan. As I was designing the afghan with all these beautiful granny squares (made my Miles, Mila, Kurt, and Dee previously) a story evolved. 

This is that story. 

We are all familiar with feelings of isolation, loneliness, hopelessness – being in the dark (1. As represented by the empty space at the bottom right corner of the afghan). If we reach out and/or ask for some help we realize there are opportunities reaching back (2. As represented by the black dangles at the bottom right of the afghan.) If we can embrace them, these opportunities can lift us out of the darkness. At first it may feel all mixed up, bits of chaos (3. As represented by the random colors above the black dangles.) When we begin to look at ourselves and engage in wellness, things begin to line up (4. As represented with the colors lining up on the afghan). [NOTE: These colors represent the 8 dimensions of wellness – Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental, Financial, Occupational, and Social.] Things start lining up and low and behold, doors begin to open (5. As represented by the open corner at the top left of the afghan.)

This is a journey. Celebrate every step forward regardless of the size. Sometimes this can lead to backward steps. This is alright – it too, is part of YOUR journey. Discover your truth and rejoice in it. YOU ARE ENOUGH!

This project came at a time I really needed it. It kept me out of my darkness and gave me something very important to do. This experience lifted me up! 

I have an abundance of gratitude in my heart for this project. I am especially grateful for being included in this group of other creative souls – Mila, Miles, Kurt, and Dee. How lucky am I to be in a group of these amazing people! 

Thank you Chrysalis. Thank you Clubhouse. You have changed my life more than you can possibly imagine, thank you friends. 

May you too find the love in this afghan which lives in the big Chrysalis room for all to experience!

[NOTE: Black danglies are also a tribute to the “Fidget Generation” and all those who love to fidget.]

Submitted by Shoua Lee, Clubhouse Staff, and Cody Vogel, Chrysalis Clubhouse colleague

The Clubhouse Wisconsin Coalition, made up of all five Clubhouses in Wisconsin, attended the NAMI Conference Apr. 26. Cody Vogel was one of the panelists who supported a table sharing about the Clubhouse Model. In this interview, he shares his Clubhouse experience with conference attendees. Kathy Ziegert, Clubhouse Supervisor, was the panel moderator. For information and resources about Clubhouse International, visit https://clubhouse-intl.org/

When did you find out about your Clubhouse, and how has it impacted your life?

It was at the beginning of 2020 when Kathy Ziegert had reached out and asked if I
wanted to be a part of Chrysalis very own Clubhouse and it didn’t take me very long to
accept. Being a founding member of the Chrysalis Clubhouse and from when it began
with 13 members and especially with when we started Covid had come and we weren’t
able to be an in person clubhouse for 6 months we didn’t hesitate to overcome this
obstacle and The Chrysalis Clubhouse has impacted my life so greatly as well as for
others. Chrysalis clubhouse allowed me to go further with my Cooking Skills, my
Communication with My Words and My Writings, My Physical Activity, My Work with
Technology, My Job Skills, My Bonds with Members and Staff, and most importantly it
Gave Me a Community. The Chrysalis Clubhouse helped me become the best version
of me. There were days that would be hard and other days where I was joyful and would
make none stop jokes and make people smile and knowing no matter if I was feeling
down or in higher spirits, having a good or bad day, that I was always welcome and
knowing I had support and if I needed it, I always had it within the Chrysalis Clubhouse
Community. The Chrysalis Clubhouse opened so many opportunities within so many
different realms of my life and the one thing it gave me the most was connection and
bond. Some connections and bonds that sparked out of the clubhouse and have
become some of my best friends. The Chrysalis Clubhouse has done so many
astonishing and bound breaking things for every member as well as the staff, and the
Chrysalis Clubhouse keeps growing. I know our Chrysalis Clubhouse community will
keep striving and reach so many more goals and accomplishments and we can’t do it
alone, “WE ARE ONE, NOT DIVIDED”.

Tell us a little about your experience with Clubhouse employment opportunities.

Within the year 2021 and 2022 I had a hard time finding a Job, so at some point The
Chrysalis Clubhouse had Grown to where we got a TE program and looking back I
remember talking to Kathy Ziegert about me becoming our Clubhouses first TE and I
was excited for me to finally get back in the WorkForce. I will say I was nervous going
into this but I had help from My Colleagues and Staff within Chrysalis Clubhouse to help
me. Personally, even though this was helping me get back into Working, I also wanted
to do it for The Chrysalis Clubhouse because I wanted to Represent our Clubhouse and
to show them that even somebody with Disability, that we are just as capable of
Working as anyone else. I was in The Chrysalis Clubhouse TE Program for many like 2
months and I really struggled and when I left the TE I honestly felt bad but The
Chrysalis Clubhouse Community Supported me and at some point in early 2023 I
started reapplying for jobs within Madison. On May 1st, 2023, I got an interview at
Buffalo Wild Wings and I got hired on the spot. When starting that job I had that same
nervousness from when I was in The Chrysalis Clubhouse TE Program but this time I
made it a different mindset and I honestly made it farther than before because of going
through that TE Program within The Chrysalis Clubhouse. It has been almost a year
since I was Hired at Buffalo Wild Wings and I still remain working there!!! I keep at my
job and I’ve made so much stride and improvement within my work. The Chrysalis
Clubhouse TE Program also showed that even despite not being quite ready, it didn’t
mean I failed, it helped me better prepare for my next Job, Which it Did. I am Living
Proof on what The Chrysalis Clubhouse Community has done within Job Goals and
Accomplishments.

What is one takeaway you want people to understand about the Clubhouse
model?

I want people to see, understand and realize what a Clubhouse Model does for
everyone and when I say that I mean The Members, The Staff, and The Clubhouse
Community as a whole. The Clubhouse Model is Here to Help all of that and each
person within a Clubhouse has something to offer, nobody is more valuable or important
than another. Every Clubhouse is important and in my opinion no Clubhouse is more
important, like even though a Clubhouse may be further within their Journey as a
Clubhouse, but every Clubhouse is Equal because we all are after similar goals. The
Clubhouse Model is Nation Wide and each Clubhouse Learns and Grows off each other
and a perfect example is the Clubhouse International meeting. Each Clubhouse has a
meaning to the Clubhouse Community as a whole and each Clubhouse has the
Clubhouse Model. The Clubhouse Community in my mind is the definition of support
and growth, which the Clubhouse model makes possible. We are the Clubhouse
Community and like I said before, “WE ARE ONE, NOT DIVIDED”.

By Adam Brabender, Chrysalis Clubhouse colleague

I was sad to hear of Rosalynn Carter’s recent passing. I knew she was an advocate for the mentally ill, but I wasn’t aware to what extent. Now we all know.

In 1966 she learned about terrible treatment in a psychiatric hospital. When Jimmy Carter became governor of Georgia, he created a state commission, based on her advice, to improve services for the mentally ill. As president he created the National Commission on Mental Health.

As the commission’s honorary chair, Rosalynn traveled the country to hear from experts and everyday citizens, then shared her findings with Congress. In 1980 this led to the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act, a revamp of federal policy, seeking to treat people with mental illness within their own communities. Though repealed in 1981 during Ronald Reagan’s first year, the act created a framework for future progress, leading to the act’s reinstatement in March 2010 with President Obama’s signing of the Affordable Care Act.

In 1987, the Carter Center in Plains, Georgia, funded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers to support the “unique needs of those who selflessly care for family and friends who are mentally ill.” It built on Rosalynn’s belief that everyone is a “caregiver now, has been a caregiver, or will need a caregiver in the future.” For 46 years the institute has continued to give support to many unpaid caregivers, estimated to be over 53 million in the U.S. alone.

In 1991, she established a fellowship for journalists who covered mental illness. Years later she lobbied Congress to create a landmark law requiring insurers to provide equality in mental health coverage.

So her mental health advocacy legacy is clear. She should be commended for her efforts. How can we continue her work? Who of us is not affected by mental illness — ourselves, our family, our friends? I’m not ashamed to admit that I suffer with a mental illness as well as autism. Thankfully there are better drug treatments today for the mentally ill. But for those of us with a mental health diagnosis, there is still the terrible stigma to deal with every day. More still needs to be done.

A good start would be to reform Medicaid at the federal level so states can include people with mental illness in their long-term care programs, which help keep people out of institutions and nursing homes.

Now, every other disabled group — the medically fragile, the physically disabled, the developmentally disabled, the frail elderly — qualifies for long-term care, but not the mentally ill. Why?

The argument goes that they don’t need it because they get better with time. That is rare. Mental illness is a lifetime illness. It’s time for our two U.S. senators and eight congressional representatives to sponsor a bipartisan bill to make long-term care for people with mental illness a reality and to provide more support for their families and other selfless caregivers.

Adam Brabender is a social work major at UW-Whitewater and the Disability Caucus co-chair with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

–

Published by The Cap Times on Dec. 17, 2023

Summertime, typically, marks the beginning of vacation time for most people.

For the majority of people, this is something they do each year and usually have a favorite place to visit and do so without any guilt or regret.

For others, it might be difficult to go on vacation or even give themselves permission to take a short break from work. Perhaps there is guilt attached to work responsibilities, or it is the financial aspect that scares them.Regret around spending money on a trip when they could have paid some bills or saved it for a rainy day. Not wanting to burden co-workers with your responsibilities, or making the people you work with go without service for a week or two. 

I am one of those who has had a hard time taking vacations or taking long vacations due to work and guilt. Even taking a day off or calling in sick is still a challenge for me. For most of my working life, I have put my head down and worked hard so my family did not have to go without. Often, that meant not going on vacations while the rest of the family did. Barely a day off unless I was seriously ill. Even then, I would still try to go to work.

Over the last few years, I have begun to give myself a break and take time for family vacations and not worry about the work aspect and the feelings that come with it. The work will be done and the business can operate without me no matter how important I think I am. 

By allowing myself to have the freedom from the guilt and stress related to “return to work” workload, I have been able to enjoy these vacations and I am finding that it is not as stressful as I once perceived it to be. And by “turning off” work for a week or two has been incredibly beneficial to my overall wellness. Taking a step away from the day-to-day operations, the people, and the environment is one of the best self-care practices one can have. Preventing burnout, and exhaustion are common in the social work field. We need to take care of ourselves so we can be there for others. 

Revitalize, rejuvenate, and relax so that you can come back and still enjoy the work you do. 

By Kurt Stapleton

Photo taken by Kurt Stapleton at Naples Beach, Fl 2023.

By Ashley Staley

Growth is the theme of April at Chrysalis, and for good reason! Spring is a time of change and re-emergence after hibernation, a time of rebirth and renewal as evident by the natural cycles all around us. A very clear example of growth, both metaphorically and literally, is in a garden. Chrysalis reaps the benefits of partnering with Madison Christian Community, where a group of committed volunteers help maintain a food pantry garden, by which Chrysalis Pops is a recipient and participant.

Our partnership has continued to grow and flourish over the years – and this year’s Chrysalis Pops season is another example of growth. Chrysalis Pops, a social enterprise of Chrysalis, is undergoing its own metamorphosis – it is being integrated into the Chrysalis Clubhouse where clubhouse members will support and contribute to helping maintain the business from “Seed to Sales.” Clubhouse members will be out in the MCC garden twice a week; members will not only support the garden to thrive, but will sow seeds of recovery and wellness in their own lives, morphing and growing right alongside the garden. 

I asked Dani Rischall, executive director at Chrysalis, and Jean Einerson, MCC Food Pantry Garden coordinator, to share more about the growth of our partnership over the years. 

• How did the partnership between MCC and Chrysalis sprout? 
• How have you seen the partnership between MCC and Chrysalis bloom over the years?
• How does Chrysalis benefit from the support of MCC/ How does MCC benefit from the support of Chrysalis?

Dani: The story of how Chrysalis and MCC connected is one of my favorite partnership stories! The experience highlights how meaningful change that is mutually beneficial can blossom with shared values, trust, and an openness to just give it a try. I first met some of the wonderful folks of MCC at a grantee award ceremony through The Willy St. Co-Op Community Reinvestment Fund in 2016. Chrysalis was being awarded funds to start sourcing local, organic produce for Chrysalis Pops and MCC was awarded to support food pantry donations from their community garden. As I was chatting with the fellow award recipients my ears perked up as I heard the MCC folks talking about potential access produce in their gardens and wanting to make sure the produce went to those in need. I was able to share more about our Social Enterprise and plant seeds to further explore a partnership. 

Soon after I was introduced to Ann and Jean, the MCC Green Team Leads who support the  incredible work of their community gardens. I was in awe of all they were able to do, their knowledge of gardening, and their commitment to supporting the community. As I think many strong partnerships do, we started small. The first season MCC donated produce directly to Chrysalis Pops. It didn’t take long to realize that there were more opportunities to make this partnership fruitful. Over the last six years we have shifted to having participants onsite at the gardens supporting the entire community garden process. Time spent at the garden is now a highlight of the program. MCC has donated hundreds of pounds of raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, and cucumbers. These donations not only make it possible for us to make our pops, this partnership also offers opportunities for skill building and community integration.  

We are so grateful for the folks at MCC, Ann, Jean and the entire Green Team for doing so much to support the Chrysalis Mission and Chrysalis Pops.

Jean: A seed was planted 7 years ago when one of our church pastors heard about Chrysalis at a meeting for nonprofits. The food pantry garden team connected

with Chrysalis and a partnership was established.  Our food pantry garden’s mission is to be good stewards of the land.  We do that by growing food for those that struggle with food insecurity.  Relationships with Chrysalis members grew when we watered, weeded and picked fruit and vegetables side by side.  Relationships, like plants, can be fertilized to develop deep roots and grow to be strong and beautiful.  A good garden example of this is planting spinach seeds in the fall.  Watering, composting and keeping the plants covered over the winter will hopefully provide a spring bounty. 

The food pantry garden team values the relationships that have been fostered over the past years. It is a mutual relationship, much like companion planting and hope the partnership will continue to flourish in years to come.