Community Impact
Healing doesn't happen in isolation.
The work doesn't stop at the therapy room door. Some of the most meaningful change happens in barbershops, school cafeterias, community centers, and rooms full of men and boys learning, often for the first time that their feelings have a name and a place to go.
Historical
Men Healing
TherapyForUsByUs was previously connected to MenHealing (menhealing.org), a national organization led by Jim Struve dedicated to supporting male survivors of sexual abuse and trauma through community, retreats, and clinical resources, including the Weekends of Recovery retreat model. Through this network, TherapyForUsByUs engaged with a broader community of clinicians specializing in trauma-informed care for men, including participation in clinical study groups and professional gatherings focused on sexual abuse recovery and the transformative role of healing centered practice.
In Partnership with Empower the Village
Men's Healing Circle
In ongoing partnership with Empower the Village (ETV), a community based organization serving families through its Village Empowerment Network, TherapyForUsByUs facilitates the Men's Community Healing Circle a recurring group space for men to process stress, emotion, and relationships in community with one another.
Sessions have covered topics identified directly by participants through post cohort surveys, including emotional awareness (using tools like the emotions wheel), stress management, and relationship dynamics. The program has run across multiple cohorts, with ongoing collaboration between TherapyForUsByUs and ETV's program team to refine format, topics, and accessibility including a shift toward more focused, shorter series aligned with Mental Health Awareness Month (May) and Men's Mental Health Month (June).
Beyond facilitating the Circle, TherapyForUsByUs serves as a trusted clinical resource within the ETV community fielding referral and resource questions for families navigating challenges like housing instability, and helping connect them to appropriate support.
District 13 · My Brother's Keeper
Empowerment Collective
"Created as part of District 13's My Brother's Keeper initiative, the Empowerment Collective is a mentorship program providing a structured space for boys to explore identity, develop emotional regulation skills, build leadership capacity, and engage in community-building activities.
One of the program's signature assignments asks students to identify their own identities and recognize their connections to others — then research historically Black figures whose identities align with their own, fostering representation and cultural pride. Through reflection sheets, identity charts, and peer discussion, students build self-awareness alongside community.
The Empowerment Collective has been recognized and funded through the NYC DOE's Identity-Based Club Funding initiative for its strong mission and consistent impact."
Leader In Me Framework
Lighthouse Team
Derived from the Leader In Me framework, the Lighthouse team brings together students from across grades to lead initiatives that shape their own school community. Highlights include: a community-driven sock donation initiative for a neighborhood nursing center; a clothing & shoe drive; the NYC Refashion Drive promoting sustainability, recycling, and environmental awareness; an anti-violence rally where students designed and distributed flyers throughout the neighborhood generating community food donations; and lunch-time advocacy where students collaborated with school services to advocate for an improved lunch experience.
Classroom Wellness
Yoga & Mindfulness Initiative
Crowdfunded through DonorsChoose, this initiative brought yoga mats and meditation tools into PS3 classrooms. What started as a grounding tool for one student navigating significant behavioral challenges has grown into a school-wide practice — classroom teachers were trained in basic yoga techniques as part of their Tier 1 intervention toolkit, with five-minute movement breaks between transitions supporting focus, regulation, and a more positive classroom environment.