History
In 2019, we began providing Emotional CPR trainings in the Fox Valley through LEAVEN—a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to people in need.
LEAVEN recognized that people coming for financial support were also experiencing emotional distress. They received funding to provide Emotional CPR training to their staff, volunteers and faith-based community partners and also implemented a “Listening Space” at the LEAVEN Community Resource Center. The space was staffed by individuals who completed the 12-hour Emotional CPR Practitioner Certification, and the listeners began hearing the stories of people in our community.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, expanding Emotional CPR Training became an urgent and critical need to build capacity of individuals that could provide support throughout our community.
To date, we have had over 1,200 people attend our 2-hour introductory workshop and over 300 people complete our 12-hour practitioner certification. Participants come from all walks of life and represent a wide variety of community organizations, including non-profit organizations, businesses, faith communities, schools, law enforcement, county government and human services, clinicians, and more.
The LEAVEN Listening Space demonstrated the importance of connection as prevention. To expand listening opportunities, we obtained a 6-month planning grant to explore the concept of Community Living Rooms.
We identified the need for a non-clinical, person-centered environment with the primary objective being connection as a framework for prevention.
We interviewed over 60 community stakeholders and learned that pop-up spaces would allow us to bring the environment to all areas of the community for people seeking social connection and emotional support.
In 2023, we received a grant from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region to pilot pop up Community Living Room spaces. The outcome for Community Living Rooms is connection – connection is prevention. By supporting folks in feeling seen and heard just as they are, Community Living Room listeners will offer a nonjudgmental, mutual, trauma informed, culturally empathetic connection space.
