Ceirra and Melissa are AWBW facilitators who work in the WINGS (Women in Need Growing Strong) Domestic Violence Program at YWCA San Gabriel Valley. They provide educational support groups in both emergency and transitional shelter settings, as well as through YWCA’s outreach services.

After being trained by AWBW staff in the summer of 2017, they began using art in these support groups, which “allows [them] to address trauma by giving another outlet to do so, and therefore empowering clients to move forward in their lives.”

For Ceirra and Melissa, adding art workshops into their support groups has made a significant impact: “By giving them ‘A Window of Time’ we are allowing a space for clients to create and share freely … before incorporating AWBW, support group was a constant conversation. A window of time allows for silence that is sometimes needed to process feelings and traumas in a way that doesn’t involve speaking.”

Due to A Window Between Worlds training and support, Melissa and Ceirra say they now have an “extra tool in our pockets to bring out and share with participants so they are able to process trauma… AWBW challenges us to invite our clients to try something new that might be out of their comfort zone and can be beneficial to their healing process.”