In today’s challenging media and political climate, leaders in the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities are navigating immense pressures while advocating for inclusion, equity, and mental well-being.

This program provides a safe space for connection, support, and healing, facilitating conversations about these struggles and offering therapeutic support. 

Program Overview:

Touchstone Foundation proudly offers Helping the Helpers, a ten-week program providing free healing circles and group therapy sessions for community leaders serving LGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations. This initiative fosters resilience and mental well-being among leaders who work tirelessly to uplift vulnerable communities. Thanks to generous funding from the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle at the Lancaster County Community Foundation, facilitators will receive compensation for their valuable contributions. 

Meet Our Facilitators:

Jacquelyn Palm- CLINICIAN ,STEPS TO RECEOVERY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND TOUCHSTONE FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER, ACCESS COMMITTEE

Jacquelyn brings a wealth of experience in addiction and mental health recovery, with a career spanning counseling, ethics, trauma-informed care, and mental health billing. A Mental Health Careers Scholarship recipient and 2024 Elizabethtown College graduate in Human Services, Jacquelyn is passionate about empowering others through recovery and care.

Skylar Wyatt Smith, LPC, ATR- LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR AND ART THERAPIST, OUTPATIENT THERAPIST, TEAM CARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Skylar has over 35 years of experience supporting clients across life stages, specializing in ADHD, anxiety, ASD, trauma, and LGBTQ+ issues. A seasoned therapist and published author, Skylar also co-facilitates the Lancaster-based Trans/Nonbinary group Acrasid and is expanding their private practice, Welcoming Connections, LLC, to offer therapy and expressive arts services.

Participants:

Participants are supported through guided sessions facilitated by mental health professionals and individuals with lived experience, creating a space for healing, empowerment, and growth. 

  • Who Can Participate: This group is open to leaders, staff, and volunteers of Community Benefit Organizations (CBOs) who serve the LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC communities. These leaders may include executives, program managers, advocates, or community organizers. 
  • Participant Focus: The program is designed for those experiencing burnout, stress, or emotional fatigue due to their roles in advocating for marginalized communities. It provides mental health support for helping professionals and a space for healing from compassion fatigue. 

Facilitators

We are actively seeking facilitators from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities to support these sessions, and we invite mental health professionals to apply as facilitators.

Each session will be co-facilitated by two individuals: one will be a mental health professional, and we encourage individuals with lived experience to apply as co-facilitators.

To ensure facilitators feel supported, all sessions will include guidance and supervision from a licensed mental health professional.

For Facilitators:

Eligibility Requirements:

We seek co-facilitators who are:  Mental Health Professionals with experience leading group therapy and/or healing circles.

Mental health professionals may be:

  • Bachelors or Master’s level graduates,
  • Pre-License 
  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs)  
  • Licensed Clinical Psychologists (PsyDs)
  • Licensed professional counselors, or advanced degree professionals.  

 

Compensation: Facilitators will be compensated for their participation in the program, with funding provided by the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle at the Lancaster County Community Foundation.  

Paired  Co-Facilitator: 

  • Peers in leadership serving the LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC communities, bringing lived personal and professional experience from the community with some prior expertise in group facilitation.

Facilitator Role:  

  • Guide group therapy and/or healing circle sessions provide mental wellness support while fostering a safe space for open conversations and healing. 
  • Maintain confidentiality, ensure safety, establish respect, and set boundaries to maintain continuity and provide needed support for all participants.

 

Program Format

Current Session Format: 

  • Group Therapy: Led by licensed therapists, group sessions focus on addressing mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and burnout. These sessions incorporate psychoeducation and therapeutic techniques to help participants manage emotional stress. 

Our Partnership:

Touchstone Foundation remains committed to our mission of elevating the mental well-being of youth and communities in Lancaster County, and this partnership enables us to continue providing essential support to LGBTQ+ and BIPOC leaders. Together, we are creating lasting impact and fostering resilience in the face of systemic challenges.

 

 

 

 

More about this fund:

The Touchstone Foundation is honored to be awarded a grant from the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle, a program of the Lancaster County Community Foundation. This generous grant will support our initiative, Helping the Helpers: Healing Circles and Group Therapy for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Leaders, a six-week program offering free healing circles and group therapy sessions for community leaders who serve LGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations.

Launched in October 2022, the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle was established by local volunteers and donors to raise visibility and address the needs of LGBTQ+ communities in Lancaster County. Through this collective and intentional approach to philanthropy, the Giving Circle ensures that critical projects, such as inclusive resources at public libraries, empowerment programs for transgender individuals, and community festivals celebrating LGBTQ+ resilience, are funded and celebrated. This grant cycle has awarded $100,000 to six local organizations working to make an impact.

The advisory committee of the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle, which includes diverse voices from the local LGBTQ+ community, carefully selected initiatives that align with its mission to support and uplift vulnerable communities facing systemic challenges such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny. We are truly grateful to be among the recipients and to share in this collective vision. Learn more here: https://www.lancfound.org/lgbtq-giving-circle-awards-100000-to-organizations-in-lancaster-county/

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