INDEPENDENCE PLACE, INC.
824 EUCLID AVENUE, SUITE 103
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY 40502
TOLL FREE 1-877-266-2807
A KENTUCKY CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
PRESENTS
FRIENDS FOR LIFE
L – I – F – E: Leadership, Independence, Freedom & Education – is the mission of the Peer Counseling program at Independence Place (IP) in Lexington Kentucky.
Friends for Life support and mentoring groups meet each month in the IP conference area on the first Monday evening from 6-8PM and the final Monday afternoon from 3-5PM unless holidays dictate a change in scheduling. Individuals qualified in the fields of Group Dynamics, Disability Rights, and Independent Living facilitate the group meetings. Subject matter for group discussion is chosen and agreed upon by the group participants, and special expert speakers from the community visit frequently.
The group counseling setting provides an atmosphere that is conducive to personal growth and development across psychological, vocational, and social aspects of consumers' lives. The group meetings are ordinarily conducted in the Open Group style, an on-going group session with varying topics and welcoming all who wish to participate. Closed Group sessions, sessions within a specific time frame with specific goals and objectives, do occur when individuals' circumstances necessitate. Focus Groups with specifically identified individuals setting forth to accomplish a very specific goal are also necessary periodically. Regardless the style of group setting, the "Friends for Life" gather regularly to share resources, life skills, barriers, and solutions in order to enhance effective community interaction and inclusion.
Friends for Life groups have also flourished into including monthly third Monday evening "Friends Socials" from 6-9PM! The social events are designed to provide social opportunity to Independence Place consumers. The social events are planned and implemented by group participants and range from dining out, to movies, and to dining in at IP with musicians, adapted board and card games, and pure old fashioned visiting.
The Friends Socials promote community inclusion and attitudinal change within the community as well as meeting the “Belongingness” need of the individual and breaking the isolation pattern which burdens many people with disabilities.
The Friends for Life peer support program is a planned activity of the IP Consumer Services Division (CSD). The CSD also makes available individual face-to-face counseling and mentoring in addition to telephonic peer support. IP accepts referrals and personal contacts. For more information about the peer support program, please call Independence Place at (859) 266-2807 locally; toll free at (877) 266-2807; at the Kentucky Relay Service; or contact IP via e-mail at info@independenceplaceky.org.
Friends Forum
To Subscribe to FRIENDS FOR LIFE send an e-mail to ffl@independenceplaceky.org
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at: info@independenceplaceky.org