Root For Each Other: A Branches Podcast

Domestic Violence prevention can sometimes seem like a far-fetched concept, no matter how much we dream of a world without violence. How do we eradicate a crime that is often unacknowledged, generational, and perpetrated behind closed doors? The answer is to be very creative and exceptionally smart, so we contacted one of the most brilliant and innovative advocates we know, Jessica Bender, of the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to talk about the future of DV prevention in West Virginia.Join us as we discuss the challenges and reward of prevention work and learn more about the Coalition's new project NVR in WV. For more info on the project, you can reach Jessica at jbender@wvcadv.org.  Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate.

This month's episode of Root for Each Other checks in with our friend Brandy, from @dancefitnesswithsandb, who has consistently partnered with her friends and community for the last 7 years to combine her passion for Zumba and her compassion for survivors of domestic violence!  Don't wait to learn more!  Check out the latest episode of Root for Each Other: A Branches Podcast wherever you stream your podcasts.Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate.

Legislative session is in full swing here in the Mountain State, and we are honored this month to bring you the story of Celena Roby Henry in celebration of her story of survival and the positive change she made for survivors in West Virginia. Public policy can often be confusing or even disheartening, and it can be daunting for both survivors and advocates to try and communicate needs to lawmakers. Join us as we talk to Celena about her journey of empowerment and what she sees as emerging needs for people experiencing domestic violence in our communities. Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate. 

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and, while we've talked about the evolution of this kind of victimization before, we had yet to delve into the specifics of how advocacy programs serve survivors of trafficking. Join us as we chat with friend and colleague, Katie Spriggs Brown, Executive Director of sister program, Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center. Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate.

Domestic Violence services are not often thought of in the realm of "homeless service providers," but it's actually one of the most important things we do, given fleeing abuse is federally-recognized as a leading cause for people to experience homelessness. In this episode, we're highlighting our place within the local homeless service collaborative, The Cabell-Wayne Continuum of Care, as we speak with Brittany Ochoa, the Executive Director of Harmony House and the C-W CoC. Join us as we talk barriers to services, the Housing First model, and how our work together strengthens the community.For more information on the Cabell-Wayne CoC, check out the website and follow the Continuum on Facebook!To reach Brittany, you can call (304)523-2764, ext. 101, or email her at Brittany.Ochoa@harmonyhousewv.comYou can learn more about the Housing First model in our previous episode, "Safe Housing for Survivors." Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate. 

It's officially spooky season! Here at Branches, we're united in our love for Halloween but somewhat divided on how spooky culture makes us feel. For some, it's a wondrous, magical time of our favorite decorations and nostalgic movies, while, for others, it can be just one more way the world seems scary. What do you think?Join us for a conversation about how to prioritize self-care during spooky season, whether that's diving head first into the holiday or changing up your emotional safety plan for yourself and the survivors in your life. Available wherever you stream your podcasts or at branchesdvs.org/podcasts.Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate. 

On a new episode of Root for Each Other, our advocates Sara and Emily are discussing the recent sentencing of convicted rapist, Danny Masterson, and the implications of both character reference letters of support submitted by famous friends of the actor and the powerful Victim Impact Statement read by his former partner at sentencing. As always, this is a difficult topic, so please take care of yourself as you listen and know that you can reach us for support 24/7 at 304.529.2382 and our local partner sexual assault agency, CONTACT Rape Crisis Center at 866.399.7273.Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Wayne, Mason, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in West Virginia. Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate. 

Join us for a look back at our Summertime Advocate Roundtable about BOUNDARIES: What are they? Are they always healthy? Are they a mass conspiracy created by the Wellness Industrial Complex...? Seriously, though, promoting healthy relationships is what we do best, besides, perhaps, having opinions. Check out our opinions on this topic and more on this episode of Root for Each Other: A Branches Podcast.Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Wayne, Mason, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in West Virginia.  Let's Be Friends!  On FacebookOn Instagram Sign up for our NewsletterOr Donate.   

Welcome back listeners! We're so honored to have our friend and colleague, Ripley Varela from the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence joining us for this episode to talk about the complex needs of non-cisgender survivors.   We cover everything from unique barriers they can face, to how trans-erasure can leave domestic violence victims without resources and services. If you'd like to learn more about this topic, we're also offering a FREE virtual training coming up on June 28th at 10am, co-presented by Ripley and Branches advocate, Sara Blevins O'Toole.  Register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gender-identity-domestic-violence-training-tickets-656153251037Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Wayne, Mason, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in West Virginia. Let's Be Friends! On FacebookOn InstagramSign up for our NewsletterOr Donate.

There's nothing our advocates love more than getting to sit behind this mic and share powerful stories from advocates doing incredible work across the state. Don't miss our latest Root for Each Other episode, out later this week, featuring the incredible Ashley Williams from the Upper Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Center. Ashley is both poignant and inspiring as she shares her experiences working with sexual assault victims and advocating for survivors of color.  We are so thankful for her taking the time to share with us, and the opportunity to share the episode with you!

In this episode, advocates, Shannon and Sara sit down with advocate, Christina Meade from Contact Rape Crisis Center to discuss the parallel between domestic violence services and sexual assault services.   In this episode, we found out that services can look very different---but still,  it is clear that the experience of trauma informs all of the work that we do.  

Advocates, Shannon & Sara, have an in depth conversation with the Cabell County Quick Response Team (QRT) about the intersections of domestic violence and substance use disorder. The QRT has been a revolutionary evidence-based strategyfor combatting substance use disorder in the Cabell County community--we take a few moments to talk about what really makes a difference in affecting healing and how our two fields overlap.This episode was partially prepared under a grant [21-VAW-011] from the Office for Violence Against Women OVW and JCS. Points of view or opinions expressed in this episode are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the State of West Virginia or of Justice & Community Services or OVW. 15JOVW-21-GG-00572-STOP

This very special episode talks about the real life experiences that led to the creation of Branches' newest training campaign, "Style It in Violet" which provides training for stylists and salon owners on how to recognize the signs of domestic violence as well as the services that are available if they do encounter someone experiencing it.  Advocates Emily & Sara talk about how a conversation with Oliva, a local soon-to-be stylist in our community came up with this idea to help every day folks advocate for victims of domestic violence.  

It's Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and we're tackling a difficult but important subject, Familial Trafficking, and its relevance to life in Appalachia. Join us for a conversation with Angie Seay, Coordinator of the Hoops Family Children's Hospital Child Advocacy Center as she enlightens us on the diligent work her organization is doing to make a safer community for children. 

Just as our survivors have unique and transformative stories to share--so too, do our advocates. This special series highlights a personal moment with an advocate as we chat with them about why they do this sometimes difficult work. To kick off this series, we're taking a moment to catch up with our Director of Client Services, Amber!  Amber has served in many roles at Branches and has a strong advocacy approach that focuses on housing first, being trauma-informed, and survivor centered interventions.   Today, we'll chat about why these things are so important to remember when working with survivors.  Finally, the "Why" Series was created to bring to the light the complexity and beauty of the relationship between advocate and survivor and to intimately connect our listeners with the healing, reconstructive power of advocacy.  We hope you enjoy! 

It's November, and we want to pause in a moment of gratitude for the people we serve. In this episode, you'll hear stories from advocates across our programming and service area about the privilege of advocacy and how survivors have impacted their lives and work. We're honored to witness their strength and resilience, and we hope these stories are enlightening about the realities of so many of our neighbors who have experienced violence. 

This domestic violence awareness month, we're challenging our beloved state motto, "Montani Semper Liberi," as many mountaineers are not free even in their own home or relationships. For this episode, we're honored to be joined by Joyce Yedlosky, one of two Team Coordinators at the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to talk about bystander intervention, both what it means and its role in the community's responsibility to end domestic violence. 

Join our advocates, Sara, Darian, & Suzie as we discuss how domestic violence affects our favorite furry companions and also how pets can make a difference in the road to freedom from abuse for survivors.  

As advocates, the question we get the most is, "What can we do to help our friends or family members that are experiencing domestic violence?"  If you've ever asked yourself this question, we invite you to join advocates Shannon and Amber as they discuss strategies for support.  You won't want to miss this episode! 

Branches advocates Sara & Ally join Sara Fincham the leader of the WV State Chapter of Free Mom Hugs  to discuss how adult mentors can make all the difference for LGBTQ+ youth, especially those who have the lived experience of losing familial support and care.