(2006-2008)

In keeping with a focus of the JWCB Home Life Department, our January 2007 meeting offered a two-part program.  Ms. Paula Planey, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Tri-County Help  Center in St. Clairesville OH, first provided an overview of the many services available through the

Tri-County Help Center Services / Stress Reduction

Center (formerly known as The Tri-County Women's Shelter).  She talked about the availability to the community of professional individual and/or group counseling, crisis intervention, temporary shelter, sexual assault programs, community education, information and referral resources, in-service training classes, victim/witness advocacy, parenting classes, and a Domestic Abuse Intervention Program.

Ms. Planey then talked about stress sources and stress management techniques, and demonstrated one such technique by conducting a stress reduction exercise that included deep-breathing, meditation, and full-body-awareness accompanied by soft, soothing background music and a narrative designed to induce a relaxed state.  Participants learned how to apply some of these techniques to help reduce everyday stress.

As a result of Ms. Planey's discussion, clubwomen collected and donated bath towels, hand towels, washcloths and miscellaneous toiletry items for use at the Tri-County Women's Shelter in St. Clairesville, Ohio.