((PKG)) MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
((Banner: A Welcoming Place))
((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
In Clubhouse, we like to say that people leave their diagnosis at the door. So, because they’re not receiving any kind of clinical services, there’s not a psychiatrist here. They’re not getting one-on-one therapy here or anything like that. The therapeutic value is from coming in and being just a part of a group and working together every day. So, everybody’s been here before. So, we all, we’ve talked about what is the Clubhouse, but does anybody want to say anything about that again?
((Brenda, Member, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
The Clubhouse is a place where I have a reason to wake up in the morning. You meet friends and stuff like that and learn how to work together.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
Oh, perfect. That’s really great.
((Julian, Member, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
Well, it’s a beautiful place to be. Meet cool people and very nice.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
Capital Clubhouse is an organization that serves adults with serious mental illness and we create a place where people can come where they belong, where they can make friends, be productive and achieve whatever goals they have to achieve.
((NATS))
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
You’re doing a good job Marsha.
((Marsha, Member, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
Thank you.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
You have talent you didn’t even know you had.
((Marsha, Member, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
I’m making trivets.
((Amy Muhlbach, Program Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
They’re coming here to practice using their strengths and skills or, maybe, discover what their strengths and skills are. Learning to be a little handier in the kitchen. I can do more than use a can opener. How do I cut an onion without crying? That’s always a great discussion among members and staff, and so, we’re actually learning from each other.
((NATS))
((Micah Saviet, Social Work Student Intern))
No, I don’t think so. All right, that’s it.
((Marsha, Member, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
That was a little better. That was a little better.
Some of the members are living with mental disorders, like myself. And I come to Capital Clubhouse because I just like to keep busy and also stimulate my mind. I’m not worried about people judging me.
((NATS))
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
Trivet.
((NATS))
Nice, trivet number two.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
At Clubhouse, the people that come in, they’re not clients, they’re not patients, they’re not consumers, they’re members. And so, it’s their Clubhouse. So, members and staff work together side-by-side, that’s part of the model, to achieve what needs to be achieved for the Clubhouse. So, every day we fix lunch together, we’re putting a newsletter together. Everything that has to do with the Clubhouse, members and staff do it together.
((NATS))
((Brenda, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
Is there another box after this?
((Micah Saviet, Social Work Student Intern))
That is the last box.
((Brenda-Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
Ok.
((Micah Saviet, Social Work Student Intern))
Yeah, you’ve done solid work on the snow pea operation. Remember when you first got here Brenda?
((Brenda, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
The first day.
((Micah Saviet, Social Work Student Intern))
Not, not too experienced, right?
((Brenda, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
Right. The first day, I was a little nervous because I wasn’t, you know, in my comfort zone, and so, as I started doing, the more I did the kitchen, the more comfortable I got.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
It’s interesting because for people with mental illness, when they’re really doing really, really poorly, obviously the community wants to engage them in services, and all of those things revolve around being a patient, and people want a different kind of role than that. I mean, once you start feeling better, you don’t want to always just be focused on being a patient. And so, that’s what Clubhouse wants to see, is that person really begin to fulfill a different role in their life. You know, the role of friend, the role of worker, of student. But here, it’s not the role of patient. It’s the role of someone who is like anybody else, making friends and achieving something.
((NATS))
((Jesse, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
They always expect something more and more, like even the Executive Director Maria will ask me, my opinion on something. And we have a place to come, so we can do something. We can be part of an organization and right now, we’re building it. We get to direct where it’s going.
((NATS))
((Brenda, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
Bye Micah.
((Micah Saviet, Social Work Student Intern))
Good work today. Next time, until next time.
((Jesse, Member, Capital Clubhouse, Inc.))
Until next time.
((Maria Núñez, Executive Director, Capital Clubhouse Inc.))
So, we’re just getting started. We’re really eager to be fully open and eventually, we do hope to see other Clubhouses opening in D.C.
