In this issue, you can read about our featured Parent Group participant, Nicole and an article written by Jakob, a Young Adult Group participant - and more! Please share our link! Any donations directly support our space and groups. Thank you for reading!
THE UEF MAGAZINE
MAY 2024
ISSUE 2
WHERE PEOPLE FIND THEIR COMMUNITY
SHARING THE LINK TO OUR FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE IS ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED!
© 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNIVERSAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION; SCHOOL OF ORIGINAL THOUGHT ™
BOARD MEMBERS:
HOSSCA HARRISON REBECCA HARRISON TAMI URBANEK ANDREA MACDONALD TINA HERRING JASON HARRISON JOSEPH ARMEANIO BETHANY SNOW
CONTENTS
UNIVERSAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION 501 C 3 NONPROFIT
301 E PLATTE AVE COLORADO SPRINGS DOWNTOWN ON PLATTE AND WEBER
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WHO WE ARE 01 About the UEF
NICOLE 02-04 FEATURED GROUP PARTICIPANT
HEALING, A CHOICE TO REALLY LIVE
Guest author, Jakob, writes about the benefit of healing
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09 HEALTHY KIDS DAY
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH Article on mental health awareness month
GRADUATION!
UEF holds a table at the Southeast YMCA for Healthy Kids Day
Hayley graduates college!
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11-12
COS NONPROFIT COLLAB
INFO/CONTACT/DONATIONS
A support network for local Colorado Springs nonprofits - meets monthly
Who We Are
The Universal Education Foundation was founded in 1986, by Hossca and Rebecca Harrison. Years ago Hossca received a vision, after being in a coma, to establish a unique healing center, a healing center that would assist ones to heal outside of traditional thought and perceptions. Since 1986, the UEF has worked with children and their families to create a balance in the family unit. When balance does not exist, pain, anger and fear are the result. Multiply this with all members of a family, the environment becomes explosive. Change is inevitable; how you choose to change is not. If something is not working, it is time to make a different choice, to create a different experience in life. Now is the time to heal. Since 2021, the UEF has called Colorado Springs its forever home. In its current space, we provide free support to those seeking change, growth and community. Everyone needs a space in which they feel welcomed, valued and heard. We are a community that provides caring, compassion and connection. We always will. The board consists of eight people. Together and with the support of community volunteers, we create the space for many to interact and heal.
The UEF does not have any employees.
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Featured Group member
parents Supporting parents group
Nicole
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By Nicole Curtis
I was born into a family of addiction. My mother abused drugs and my father is an alcoholic. Due to these issues my brother and I both suffered through a lot of physical, emotional and mental abuse. My parent’s divorced when I was very young. There was a lot of back and forth and hatred between the two of them - where we were concerned. To me it felt like we were pawns in a game neither of them wanted to win; whoever could hurt the other the most wins. We lived with my mother until around the age of seven. She was detached as a parent, with no emotional connection. I don’t remember a time when she wasn’t physically abusive. From the age of seven my father had primary custody. The more he drank, the more violent he was - an everyday occurrence. He was very emotionally abusive as well. Nothing and nobody was ever good enough for him. Growing up, I did not learn the coping skills to deal with everyday life and very much lived in a fight or flight pattern. This led to an auto immune disorder in my early 20’s that went misdiagnosed until my early 30’s. I was misdiagnosed with everything from bipolar disorder to hypothyroidism among many other false diagnoses. Approximately 15 years ago I went to an endocrinologist who said I had Addison’s Disease and they could not help me, that one day I would just not wake up. Needless to say, I went home and cried. I did not want to die. I had an amazing husband and two wonderful children, 10 and 12 years old, at home I wanted to live for. From that moment on I chose to live. I overhauled my diet to mainly organic and non-GMO foods and took all natural supplements to help boost my endocrine system. I then started the really challenging work of healing the trauma and emotions that I never learned to deal with as a child.
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By Nicole Curtis
For the last 10 years I have been symptom free. I will sometimes have adrenal fatigue due to everyday life, however, I have coping skills in place to help work with this as it occurs. Today, my husband and I have been married for almost 28 years. My daughters have grown into amazing women and mothers themselves and we have two wonderful grandchildren who I dearly love. I have been utilizing different programs with the Universal Education Foundation for several years and I feel truly blessed to have found the support I have through them. I have been participating in the parent’s group for almost a year now. Our oldest daughter, 26, and granddaughter, four, moved in with us last March due to a separation. I was having a very difficult time after being an empty nester for the second time, having not only grown daughter move back in with us but our granddaughter as well. I realized quickly this was a tough road to navigate. Not knowing quite sure which roles I needed to play as well as trying to be supportive of both my daughter and granddaughter. They were going through probably what has been the toughest time in their lives, at least up until this point. Since being in the parent’s group, I have found the loving and amazing support that was needed, as well as the non-judgement when I didn’t handle situations at home as well as I could have. It is wonderful to be in the midst of such a diverse group so that I could gain perspectives of all and have some sort of an understanding of where my daughter is at in her journey as well. Parenthood is a wonderful, amazing, messy, challenging road to navigate and I am very blessed that I have the support of wonderful facilitators, Tami and Sharon, as well as all of the parents that have helped me navigate one of the most challenging times of parenthood.
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Jakob Gittings is an active participant in our young adult peer group. We asked him to write an article on why he sees healing as important. We asked him the question: “Why bother healing?” His article on the next page reflects his answer. Healing, a choice to really live
Jakcob
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BY JAKOB GITTINGS
Healing, a choice to really live All of life is a choice. Every choice is shaped by what we believe. How many actually know what they believe? How many ask what drives a choice or if a given thought is really true? These questions are the first steps on a journey. The journey is the process of healing. The aim of this process is to create a life that is true to ourselves and in order for this process to be fulfilled knowledge, steps are necessary. Within that knowledge are the forces that shape each of our unique realities. Once this is known, we are given a chance to ask if what we believe is actually true or false. Part of healing is the separation between illusion and truth and to let go of what doesn’t serve us...so something better may take its place. This must be done, not with anger or fear, but with the aim to forgive yesterday so today can know joy and tomorrow is created with joy. In every journey courage is needed. Healing is no exception to this. It needs the courage to look at yourself with an open heart and to accept whatever is seen. Most importantly, it requires the courage to make new choices. The choices that are true to your own heart aren’t always easy, but no matter the difficulty they are always worth it. They are worth it because of where they lead...which is being to the highest version of yourself. The version of self that may know fear but doesn’t let it shape life. It means becoming the individual you were always meant to be. The kind who is able to see that every moment is a gift. At every moment we are given the choice to merely endure life or to live it. By choosing to heal we are choosing to really live.
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BY TAMI URBANEK
graduation!
Hayley graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) in December 2023. The ceremony took place at the Broadmoor World Arena and some of us were able to attend.
We are so proud of Hayley! She has been a participant in our Young Adult Peer Group for several months and brings compassion and warmth every meeting.
Hayley is a first generation college graduate. She attended Pueblo Community College before transferring to UCCS. She earned her bachelor’s in Business Administration with a minor in accounting. She was also a part of the Latinx Student Union (LSU) and is a military spouse.
“Don’t be afraid to fail. It’s a natural part of the learning process. Use setbacks as opportunities to learn. Don’t let failure be the reason you quit.”
We are so happy for Hayley as she continues her adventure!
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BY TAMI URBANEK
Mental Health Awareness MOnth
May is mental health awareness month and mental health has always been a concern. The ongoing trend we’re seeing is that it’s discussed more openly than in the past, marking a positive shift. In several conversations with other nonprofit and community leaders, the current challenge is getting more people to leave their house outside of basic necessities and work. Many have remained attached to their comfort zone - even if pain exists. Yet, at the same time, I hear individuals state how much they miss in-person interaction and recognize the need to step away from technology more often - and reach out for support. One of the reasons, the UEF started peer-based support groups was to reach people who may be struggling with their mental health in some form. This can be a sense of loneliness to a medically diagnosed challenge and anything in between. In fact, the *Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that on average 16% of high school students reported being bullied (physically and electronically). These are only the ones who reported bullying. Between 7% and 9% were either harmed or threatened with a weapon and/or fearful of attending school for safety concerns. 42% reported feeling persistently sad and hopeless. It’s reported that 22% have contemplated suicide while 18% made a plan to complete. These numbers only reflect youth.
The CDC also reports that depression affects approximately 16 million adults each year.
Everyone needs support at various times in their lives. We have four (emotional) support groups. Discussions have included very sensitive topics and always with a great amount of compassion. Some of our group participants seek out individual therapy as well as our group support. Our goal is be a safe haven - a place where people can find out who they are and how THEY want to live - not simply going through the motions of life. To ensure we are prepared in the event of an emotional crisis, one or more facilitators are certified in A.S.I.S.T. (suicide prevention) and MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) in addition to many years of experience.
We help because we care and because we can.
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BY TAMI URBANEK
Healthy Kids day
On Saturday, April 20, 2024, the UEF held a table at the Healthy Kids Day at the Southeast Armed Services YMCA in Colorado Springs. Many families came through with children eager to collect ink stamps on their cards and choose from different free items! Many local organizations participated and it was a hit!
We always appreciate the opportunity to get in the community and share what the UEF is about and how we like to be of support.
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Colorado springs nonprofit collaborative; we are the change
Networking and Support
The Colorado Springs Collaborative; We Are The Change creates the space for nonprofits to provide information, resources and encouragement for each other. We (all of us) are here to build a strong community within the local nonprofit sector. Once per month we meet in the morning or afternoon (rotates each month) to discuss ideas, strategies, challenges and a group-chosen topic. After each meeting a follow-up summary/meeting notes is sent to everyone in the group. In between meetings, we share ideas, events and information to support each other's organization and its mission.
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INFORMATION AND CONTACT
Teen Peer Group - For teens (high school age) Tuesdays 4pm-5pm - snacks and water provided
Young Adult Peer Group - For young adults (ages 18-29) Tuesdays 5:30pm - 7pm - snacks and water provided
School of Original Thought - peers 30s/40s Group - 2nd and 4th Thursday 5:30pm-7pm - water/coffee/tea provided
Parents Supporting Parents Group - 1st and 3rd Thursday 5:30pm-7pm - water/coffee/tea provided
Clothing Giveaways - several times per year, we host a free clothing shopping experience in our large downstairs room. Come browse and select clean/donated clothing and take home with you! Follow our social media for event dates.
Venue Space - contact us if you’d like to inquire about renting our space as a venue.
First Friday Art Walk - on select first Fridays of the month, come browse beautiful art, visit with the artist, have a snack and a beverage.
Facebook : facebook.com/TheUniversalEducationFoundation Instagram : @universaleducationfoundation TikTok : @universaledfound
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www.universaleducationfoundation.org
All donations are tax-deductible. Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated and support the space and groups.
Contact Tami at Tami@universaleducationfoundation.org for more information on groups and events.
For venue space, contact Andrea at andrea.macdonald@honcha.org
*Centers for Disease Control (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary- Trends_Report2023_508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/depression-anxiety.html
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