Hello, and welcome! Today, we’re thrilled to share a heartwarming story of generosity and holiday spirit. Hope House has a compassionate family from our community that organizes a Secret Santa to bring gifts, joy, and hope to survivors and families impacted by domestic violence.

This thoughtful gesture is a beautiful reminder of the kindness that exists around us and how acts of kindness and generosity can make a big difference.

To Mark, Mary and their family and everyone who’s joined in to support, thank you for making this season brighter for those who need it most. Now, let’s dive into today’s episode and celebrate the power of community and giving!

Hosts: MaryAnne Metheny, Tina Johnson and Ilene Shehan

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Welcome to Illuminating Hope a podcast of Hope House. Hope House wants to pause to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of our supporters—our donors, community partners, and listeners.

Your dedication to ending domestic violence is truly inspiring. Through your generosity, we are able to extend resources, hope, and empowerment to those who need it most.

You are not just supporters; you are change-makers, and we’re so grateful for all that you do. Let’s continue this journey together, building a future free of domestic violence.

The journey ahead for survivors of domestic violence starts here, together!

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Welcome to this episode of Prevention: A Paradigm Shift - Empowerment Through Education. Today, we’re focusing on the transformative role of education in preventing domestic violence within our communities and beyond. We’ will explore how knowledge and awareness empower individuals to recognize red flags, challenge harmful norms, and find pathways to safety and support. Join us as we equip you—and those you serve—with the tools to shift mindsets, build resilience, and create lasting, positive change.

Together, we’re redefining prevention through the lens of education, empowerment and hope.

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Dr. Sara Brammer began working as an overnight victim's advocate in the field of family violence in 1994. She continued working as a therapist for victims and offenders as she completed her Master and Doctoral Degrees in Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri. While in her doctoral program, her research and dissertation focused on love relationships and batterer intervention treatment. She is currently the Vice President of Family Violence Services at Synergy Services where she has worked for 23 years. She supervises the Domestic Violence Center, the Children’s Center, the Domestic Violence Housing Program, the Batterer Intervention Program, and outpatient domestic violence clinical services in this capacity. She provides frequent training on Domestic Violence and the intersection between Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and trauma. She has also served on a variety of local, state, and national committees related to domestic violence and child abuse service provisions. Her research interests continue to focus on love relationships, batterer intervention and victim services.

Dr. Brammer has successfully led the agency through two flawless COA re-accreditations and is a lead peer reviewer for other agencies. Sara was commissioned by the Missouri Supreme Court for best practices committees on Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking. She has received technical assistance from FUTURES and The Center for Justice Innovations for state-wide offender intervention implementation. Additional achievements include partnering with the Domestic Violence Court to offer exclusive offender intervention services, guest editing for the Journal of Child and Family Studies and collaborating with Yale University to implement the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention Program (CFTSI). Sara also represents Missouri on the National BIP Network and serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Missouri’s Community Counseling and Assessment Services Center.

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

For information about Synergy Services visit https://www.synergyservices.org

Domestic Violence 101: Empowerment Through Education is a podcast episode designed to shed light on the often-overlooked realities of domestic violence. Join Hope House CEO MaryAnne Metheny and Director of Community Engagement Tina Johnson as they dive deep into critical topics like identifying early warning signs, breaking free from the cycle of abuse, and providing resources for both victims and allies.

By educating listeners on the dynamics of domestic violence, we aim to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to recognize, prevent, and take action against abuse.

Whether you're a survivor, a concerned friend, or someone who wants to better understand domestic violence, this podcast offers valuable insights, and expert advice.

Join us as we break the silence, educate, and empower, one episode at a time.

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Nancy McCormick has been in private practice at Unity since October 2013. Before joining Unity, she accumulated 17 years of experience in domestic violence, working at Hope House and Rose Brooks. Additionally, she spent 5 years facilitating contract groups for individuals with substance use disorders and for family members of those affected by these disorders.

Nancy firmly believes in the power of collaboration to address life’s challenges. She understands that taking the first step—finding a counselor and making the initial call—can be the hardest part of the journey. She commends those who reach out for support and help.

With many years of experience, Nancy has dedicated herself to assisting people in coping with the profound effects of addiction, both for the individuals struggling with the disease and for their families and loved ones. She has also devoted much of her career to supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Nancy's goal is to build on her clients' strengths and empower them to overcome barriers, enabling them to achieve their life goals. She likens creating a successful life to assembling a jigsaw puzzle—together, they find the right pieces to fit together to create a complete and fulfilling life.

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Meg Nelson holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and is credentialed with the State of Missouri as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Clinical Supervisor. Employed with Hope House since 2022, Meg brings extensive experience working with children, adults, and families, with a specialization in trauma, substance use, and severe and persistent mental illness. She is thoroughly trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Crisis Prevention/De-Escalation, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

If you are in an emergency, call or text 9-1-1.

For information about our services and how Hope House can help, call our 24-Hour Hotline at 816-461-HOPE (4673) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233.

Dr Bridget McCandless is a passionate about her community! She started her career serving medically under resourced families living in Eastern Jackson County. As an internist, her career and volunteer efforts focused on providing high quality, evidence-based, culturally competent care to adults without insurance. Earning her MBA allowed her to expand efforts to affect durable public policy change at local and state levels. She is fortunate to have been part of the Health Forward Foundation in its early years and later as CEO, to use public funds and advocacy to strengthen communities in the greater metropolitan KC area. She now turn her efforts as an At-Large City Council member to support the great City of Independence. She truly believe in the vision of Independence “to remain a vibrant, historic, full-service community that celebrates its unique multi-cultural heritage and respects the environment while fostering a stable, diversified economy.” Come celebrate the city of Independence, Missouri!

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