Charitable Footprint

At the Obsidian Institute of Integrative Medicine (OIIM), we recognize that financial constraints can often be a barrier to accessing essential services. To address this, we strive to make our programs accessible to all, regardless of their ability to pay.

Commitment to Accessibility

• Free Programs: Many of our services are provided free of charge to participants, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from integrative wellness support.

• Sliding Scale Services: For those who can pay, we offer affordable rates through insurance or self-pay options, maintaining fairness and accessibility.

How We Sustain These Programs

• Donations: Generous contributions from donors are crucial to maintaining our free and low-cost programs. Every donation directly supports our mission of inclusivity and accessibility.

• Service Fees: Fees collected from those who self-pay or use insurance allow us to compensate our staff, contractors, and service personnel who are integral to our programming.

Through this model, we ensure that everyone—regardless of financial capacity—can access the care and resources they need while sustaining the dedicated team that makes these services possible. Thank you for supporting our mission of equitable wellness!

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Reduced fee counseling: 

We are proud to collaborate with a team of skilled clinicians who provide high-quality therapeutic services on a reduced-fee basis for eligible individuals.

Our Clinicians:

1. Enchelle Morris, MA, LCPC, CADC, NCC

   • Founder of A Bridge to Healing Therapeutic Services, LLC.

2. Diamond Nelson, MA, LPC

3. Deborah Bates, MA

4. Terrance Rogers, MA

Reduced-Fee Program:

• Eligibility: Available to individuals with an annual income of under $75,000.

• Fee Reduction: Service fees are reduced by 50%, making therapy more accessible for:

  • Those without insurance coverage for mental health.

  • Individuals with high deductibles unable to afford standard fees.

Key Details:

• Affordability Focus: Designed to support those facing financial barriers to mental health care.

• Limited Availability: Due to the nature of the reduced-fee program, spaces are limited and offered on a time-sensitive basis.

This initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring mental health services are inclusive, affordable, and accessible to those who need them most.

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Counseling Internship: 

Our counseling interns are Masters and Doctoral-level clinicians who are gaining valuable hands-on experience as they develop their skills in providing effective therapeutic care.

Key Details:

1. Qualified Clinicians in Training:

   • Interns are advanced students at the graduate or doctoral level, learning and practicing under professional supervision.

2. Affordable and Accessible Services:

   • As unpaid interns, they are able to offer low-cost or pro-bono services to clients in need.

   • This approach ensures that quality counseling remains accessible to those who may not have the financial means to afford traditional therapy services.

3. Sustainability and Community Impact:

   • Fees collected for intern-provided services are used to fund programming costs.

   • These contributions enable the organization to provide services to other clients who may require financial assistance, creating a sustainable model of support and care.

Purpose:

By utilizing the expertise and enthusiasm of skilled counseling interns, we ensure that therapeutic services are both high-quality and inclusive. This model not only fosters professional growth for future clinicians but also strengthens the community by removing barriers to mental health care.

Please CLICK HERE to view information about our interns.

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Wellness grant: 

The OIIM Wellness Grant is a compassionate initiative designed to make wellness services accessible to all clients, regardless of their financial circumstances. This grant is funded through donations and ensures that the remaining balance for services, which clients are unable to pay, is covered seamlessly.

Key Features of the OIIM Wellness Grant:

1. Donation-Funded:

   • The grant is sustained by contributions from individuals and organizations who support equitable access to wellness services.

2. Automatic Application:

   • Clients are not required to fill out any forms or take additional steps to access the grant.

   • The system identifies accounts with noted financial concerns and automatically applies the grant to cover outstanding balances.

3. Ease and Dignity:

   • This automatic process removes potential barriers, ensuring clients can focus on their wellness journey without the added stress of financial paperwork.

Purpose and Impact:

The grant reflects a commitment to fostering inclusivity and removing financial obstacles to wellness. By bridging the gap for clients in need, the OIIM Wellness Grant ensures that financial hardship does not prevent access to essential services, promoting well-being for a diverse community.

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Creative Healing:

Creative Healing Through Cosplay and Period Reenactment as a Coping Mechanism

Overview
Cosplay and period reenactment are immersive, creative practices that involve embodying characters, personas, or historical figures through costume, performance, and role-play. These activities can be powerful tools for emotional and psychological healing, offering participants a safe space to explore identity, express emotions, and process trauma.

Key Components of Creative Healing Through Cosplay and Reenactment

1. Identity Exploration and Empowerment

   • Cosplay: Allows individuals to adopt the traits of fictional characters they admire, such as strength, bravery, or resilience. By stepping into a different persona, participants may explore parts of themselves they find difficult to access in daily life.

   • Period Reenactment: Involves connecting with historical or cultural identities, providing a sense of belonging and deeper understanding of personal or shared heritage.

2. Safe Emotional Expression

   • These practices provide a structured way to channel emotions into performance. For individuals struggling with stress, anxiety, or unresolved trauma, role-playing offers a safe outlet to express complex feelings in a non-threatening environment.

3. Social Connection and Community Building

   • Both cosplay and reenactment often occur in group settings, such as conventions, gatherings, or reenactment societies. These communities can foster a sense of support, camaraderie, and shared passion, reducing feelings of isolation.

4. Creative Problem-Solving and Skill Development

   • Participants often engage in making or curating costumes, crafting props, and learning historical or cultural details. These hands-on activities provide a therapeutic focus and sense of accomplishment.

5. Escapism and Narrative Therapy

   • Embodying a character or historical figure can create psychological distance from personal challenges, offering temporary relief and fresh perspectives. Narrative therapy principles can apply as participants reframe their struggles through storytelling.

Psychological and Emotional Benefits

• Stress Reduction: Creative engagement has been shown to reduce cortisol levels and promote relaxation.

• Improved Confidence: Successfully embodying a character or performing in a reenactment can boost self-esteem and self-efficacy.

• Trauma Processing: Role-playing can provide a controlled environment to revisit and process difficult experiences indirectly, especially in therapeutic settings guided by trained facilitators.

• Mindfulness: Focus on costume-making, historical accuracy, or staying "in character" encourages present-moment awareness, reducing rumination.

Applications in Mental Health

• Therapeutic Cosplay: Mental health professionals can integrate cosplay into therapy sessions, encouraging clients to choose characters that symbolize strengths they wish to embody or challenges they seek to overcome.

• Historical Role-Play Therapy: Exploring historical reenactment can be used to address intergenerational trauma or cultural identity struggles, reconnecting participants with their heritage in a meaningful way.

• Support Groups and Workshops: Group cosplay or reenactment sessions can be designed to provide a supportive, structured environment for healing and growth.

Challenges and Considerations

• Boundaries and Balance: It’s essential to ensure participants maintain a healthy boundary between fantasy and reality.

• Accessibility: Costuming and participation may require financial or physical resources that should be adapted to individual needs.

• Guidance: For participants using these methods for trauma processing, professional guidance is recommended to prevent re-traumatization.

Conclusion
Cosplay and period reenactment offer unique and dynamic ways to promote healing and personal growth. By providing a creative outlet for self-expression, a framework for social connection, and opportunities for emotional exploration, these practices can serve as powerful coping mechanisms for individuals seeking to navigate life’s challenges and reclaim their sense of agency.