#GIVING TUESDAY IS COMING

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

#giving tuesday is a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world.

PLEASE CONSIDER A GIFT TO VIPCare on this day of giving. Your gift supports VIPCare's Counseling Aid Fund, which offers pro bono and sliding scale counseling for clients unable to afford the cost of their care.

For many clients in need of counseling, VIPCare is a critical support in anxious and isolated times. More than 1/3 of VIPCare's clients receive counseling financial aid to cover the cost of their sessions.

Gifts can be made through Givelify (button below), by mail 2000 Bremo Road Suite 105, Richmond, Va. 23226 or by calling us at (804) 282-8332.

Questions about VIPCare’s work in the community or about making gift? Please contact Nadja Gutowski in Development at (804) 282-8332 ext. 212 or by email at development@vipcare.org.

Thank you for offering others the gift of counseling—a gift of both hope and healing.

Richmond Marathon: VIPCare Board Treasurer Janiel Youngblood

VIPCare Board Treasurer and Senior Business Advisor with The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Janiel Youngblood, ran the Richmond Marathon (half 13.1 miles) on Saturday, November 13, 2021. She shares below how she became a runner and a poem about her journey.

How I became a runner:

My running journey began after having my 2nd child. I wanted to lose a little weight so I joined a walk/run group. Before long, I was challenged by my coach to run to the stop sign, then one full block, and then 13.1 miles. What started out as a weight loss activity quickly became more than just that, it is like therapy for me. I love being out in the open air, no demands on me other than forward motion. Since beginning over 9 years ago, I have now run 14 half marathons, one full marathon, one triathlon, and a host of 5K, 8K, and 10K races.

“Running My Race”

Oh the joy that fills my soul

When the pavement meets my soles

It’s no longer about fighting off potential weight gain

It’s all about keeping myself mentally sane

The stress relief that comes with every step on the road or sidewalk

Oh the stories to be told if the streets could talk

It’s the race against myself for the goal of personal win

My running buddy who applies positive peer pressure

When I’m struggling to end or even begin

It’s overcoming the harsh wind and water puddles

When my fingers feel like they’ll freeze

Pushing through the thick humidity longing for a cool breeze

It’s so worth it when the endorphins flow

I complete my course with that finisher’s glow

The Bible says the race is not given to the swift but to the one who endures

Even when my pace is slow

The run refreshes me, restores me

It is anxiety’s cure

I’m thankful for my strong body, determined will and willing feet

And all the running warriors that this therapeutic sport has allowed me to meet

Janiel Youngblood

VIPCare's Donors 2021: Counseling Aid Fund

VIPCare’s Counseling Aid Fund provides pro bono or sliding scale counseling to clients in need of financial assistance.

Thank you to our committed donors who make this outreach possible.

If you would like to help others receive the gift of hope and healing, please contact Nadja Gutowski at (804) 282-8332 ext. 212 or write her at development@vipcare.org

To make a gift online through GIVELIFY, please click the button below:

2021 Donors to the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care (VIPCare)

Individuals

BENEFACTORS ($1,000 or more)

Sudie and Raleigh Althisar

The Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Daniel G. Bagby

Frances Broaddus-Crutchfield

Audrey and Bob Harris

Gwen and Alan Lingerfelt

Melinda South

Janiel Youngblood

FRIENDS ($500-$999)

Jessica Young-Brown

Marlene V. Fuller

Ryan and Lisa Lingerfelt

CONTRIBUTORS ($250-$499)

Paul and Betsy Bullock (in honor of Anne Peck)

Ralph Hutton

SUPPORTERS ($100-$249)

Donald D. Denton

Nancy Brubacher

Charlotte M. Minor (in honor of Anne and Ted Peck)

HONOR ROLL (UP TO $100)

Suzanne Harris

Ed and Sue Schutt (in honor of Vic Maloy)

FOUNDATIONS

Lind Lawrence Foundation

Sisters of Mercy of the Mid Atlantic Community, Ministry Fund

COMMUNITY

The Catholic Woman’s Club

CONGREGATIONS

BENEFACTORS ($1,000 or more)

River Road Church, Baptist

St. Mary’s Catholic Church

St. Matthias Episcopal Church

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

FRIENDS ($500-$999)

CONTRIBUTORS ($250-$499)

Mount Olivet Baptist Church

St. Bridget’s Catholic Church

Slash Christian Church

SUPPORTERS (Up to $250)

Central Baptist Church

GIFTS IN KIND

Jessica Young-Brown

Sister Cora Marie Billings

MALOY SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Retirement Party: Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre

Thank you from Mary FraN

Dear Friends at VIPCare:

The retirement party at Doug and Mary’s was the BEST of my adult life! I
felt affirmed, loved and seen. The document presented by Doug which you
each signed showed that we have walked an authentic journey with lessons
learned together. Vic gave the kind and accurate overview of my 44 years at
Vipcare. It was like hearing my eulogy without dying. The other gifts showed
that I am known: membership at VMFA and Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, and
a dozen fragrant red roses. The appreciation plaque from the Bates
Foundation was a welcome surprise. The food was delicious, and I thank each
of you who brought a dish or contributed to the group gift, or gave an
individual card. Those able to personally attend warmed my heart and got to
meet my beloved Bill Greene and my friend since childhood, Debbie Rogers.

I am grateful to each of you who is investing the present era of VIPCare.
God has blessed our 54 years as the VIPCare ministry, which Vic and I have
shared for all but the first 9 years.

We are blessed, and we have the precious privilege of being blessings to
many storm-tossed children of God. Thank you for blessing me with a stellar
(though delayed) send-off.

Love, peace and joy,

Mary Fran

Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre

Farewell to Counselor Sudie Althisar

VIPCare's weekly staff meeting was dedicated to sharing stories and wishing godspeed to counselor Sudie Althisar. After more than seven years with VIPCare, and commuting from Charlottesville the entire time, Sudie has joined Life Christian Counseling Network (based in Clinton, MD with an office in Charlottesville).

As repeated often during the farewell meeting, this is not a goodbye but until we meet again as Sudie will continue to offer the Pre Marriage Retreat (next date December 4 from 10-1:30 on Zoom).

Gracious, insightful and kind, Sudie is a beloved staff member and will be greatly missed.

Sudie Althisar

Chester Baptist Church Center Location Open

"Our satellite counseling center at Chester Baptist Church is VIPCare's second oldest satellite center," said Dr. Donald Denton recently. "The last eighteen months we've had to shut the center down because the church was not open for outside visitors during the pandemic."

"Thanks to the efforts of Rev. Nate Travis, the church's senior pastor, we have a new counseling room," he continued. "We're now receiving new clients there on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 pm through 5:00 pm."

New clients can make an appointment with Dr. Denton through our main office (804-282-8332), our website (www.vipcare.org) or by contacting Dr. Denton directly by his telephone (804-282-8332 x 205).

Chester Baptist Church 4317 School Street Chester, VA 23831

Pastor Nate Travis

Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre Retirement Party: Saturday, October 9

On Saturday, October 9, VIPCare staff and friends (former colleagues and friends of Mary Fran) met at Executive Director Doug Thorpe and his wife, Mary's, house to celebrate Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre's service at VIPCare and wish her well on her much deserved retirement.

The party was postponed for more than a year due to COVID-19 precautions and took place outside.

Director Emeritus W. Victor Maloy offered thoughts, insight and humor into Mary Fran's work at VIPCare (a copy of the remarks are posted below—click on the button). Attached are photos from the event. More photos will be posted (from different sources) in the coming days.

Guest celebrated Mary Fran's wisdom and deep spiritual sensitivity and thanked her for her leadership in championing VIPCare's outreach and mission to serve.

ACPE Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP) Program Concludes Friday, October 1, 2021

VIPCare Executive Director, The Rev. Douglas M. Thorpe, along with The Rev. Roosevelt Brown, chief of Chaplain Service at the Hampton VAMC, CO-lead program on Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy

ACPE Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP) Training Program is a multi-disciplinary, inter-spiritual, multi-racial community of persons gathered for education, connection, and formation in the work of spiritually integrated psychotherapy. It serves licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals (i.e. counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, pastoral counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, addiction specialists, and more), as well as graduate students in any of those disciplines, who seek to explore the ways of spirituality, religion, and the search for meaning influence their own lives and the lives of their clients.

The word psychotherapy means ‘care of the soul’ (from the Greek psyche + therapeia). While the history of psychotherapy includes theorists and practitioners with a bias against spirituality and religion, there have always been those who found effective ways to include spiritual wisdom in psychotherapeutic work.

The ACPE SIP curriculum draws upon diverse spiritual traditions and psychological research to provide practical, usable resources to help therapists integrate spirituality into their work. The program consists of 10, 3-hour courses, offered for continuing education credit.

For additional information, contact VIPCare Executive Director Douglas M. Thorpe at dthorpe@vipcare.org

Current program dates:

Friday and Saturday, September 17 & 18

Friday and Saturday, September 24 & 25

Friday, October 1

cost is $750 per person and limited scholarships are available

VIPCare Executive Director Douglas M. Thorpe Leads Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy Training

Help Others In Need of Counseling: Make a Gift to VIPCare Today

The Amazing Praise donation drive is on! To make a gift to VIPCare for counseling support for clients in need, please visit VIPCare's online donation site below:

https://www.givelify.com/.../virginia.../donation/amount

Your gift supports VIPCare's Counseling Aid Fund, which offers clients in need pro bono and sliding scale counseling (affordable, accessible, and unlimited). Please join us in offering hope and healing to others.

Questions? Please contact Nadja Gutowski in the Development Office at (804) 282-8332 ext. 212 or at development@vipcare.org

Thank you for your support of VIPCare!

VIPCare Counseling Centers Re-Open: VIPCare Center at Chester Baptist

"Today our Satellite Counseling Center at Chester Baptist Church is reopening," stated Dr. Donald Denton, D.Min., VIPCare Counselor and Director of Education.

Dr. Denton has provided counseling at Chester Baptist since 1986; VIPCare's Chester Baptist counseling outreach began on July 1, 1971. Today, VIPCare is happy to partner with Pastor Nate Travis to continue this service of providing needed counseling support to the community.

Counseling appointments take place in Chester Baptist's Administrative wing; to make an appointment please contact VIPCare at (804) 282-8332 or contact Dr. Denton directly at ddenton@vipcare.org

NOTE: Dr. Denton will see clients at Chester Baptist two Thursday afternoons a month to start.

VIPCare’s Center at Chester Baptist closed in Spring 2020 when access to the church was restricted in order to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

PHOTOS: Chester Baptist Church, Senior Pastor Nate Travis, VIPCare Counselor Donald. D. Denton