When Mariska started playing Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit a decade ago, her eyes were opened to the silenced epidemics of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse in this country. It wasn't just in the scripts for the show, but in the many emails she received from viewers disclosing their stories of abuse, many for the first time.
She felt a great responsibility to these brave men and women and wanted them to know that they had been heard and that they could have hope. Mariska studied the subject, trained to become a crisis counselor, and used her visibility as an actress to become an advocate. The result was the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing support and encouragement for survivors.
In creating programs for their participants, they quickly realized that everyone heals differently. They choose treatments that engage the mind, body and spirit for healing purposes and try to discover the strategies that work for each individual. They provide an extensive network of resources and their own groundbreaking retreats that complement traditional counseling and therapy.
When people are abused and assaulted, it is like the doors to their souls slam shut. The goal of Joyful Heart is to let the light, and the life, back in--to banish the darkness and let the healing begin.
At Joyful Heart, we envision a community that is strong enough not to turn away from the epidemics of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. We envision a community that endeavors to shed a light of healing, hope and courageous awareness into the darkness that surrounds these issues. We envision a community that says to a survivor, "We hear you. We believe you. We feel for you. You are not alone. And your healing is our priority."
The cornerstones of our community are safety, trust, diversity and continual support. We believe it takes courage and strength to survive, seek help and heal from violence. We are committed to the population we serve and to deeply listening to their needs and responding with compassion and non-judgment.
As an organization, we operate in a tender place between interrupting isolation and honoring boundaries. We seek to create safe, open and restorative spaces as sanctuary for those we serve and for ourselves. We humbly recognize ourselves as part of a much larger community striving for freedom from suffering.
Get Involved:
Donate to Joyful Heart Foundation.
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Source: The Joyful Heart Foundation
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