Open Hearts works to instill hope in struggling families

Open Hearts Family Wellness (Open Hearts), an outpatient center that focuses on family well-being, works to instill hope in struggling families and youth.

“Open Hearts is devoted to community health, community well-being. And we achieve that through the power of hope, through helping families, partnering with families in their journey,” Socorro Dominguez, chief innovation officer, said. “And what that means is walking with them every step of the way, listening to them, addressing their concerns and empowering them so that they can own their own life and have greater happiness and quality of life.”

The organization provides service on site and in families’ homes, including wellness coaching, substance abuse services and outpatient therapy services. Treatment is driven by a holistic approach, tackling all areas of life in order to improve wellness and provide hope for the future.

Rebecca Duffy, director of clinical and family wellness, said helping a client with an issue is never a quick-fix because it is important to look at the client’s life as a whole to truly assist them in emotional health and mental wellness.

Duffy said when a client is asked what they need help with, “we take that information and we create a holistic treatment plan. So, it’s not just ‘your son or daughter needs help with A, B or C’ it’s ‘how do we help the whole family? How do we help you with community, in-home, with relatives, with support, natural support?’”

Duffy said the holistic approach includes educating clients about nutrition, coping, yoga, community resources, schools and more.

Dominguez explained that Open Hearts views the entire community as its partner in helping clients achieve wellness, and the organization’s services have a strong focus on helping clients thrive in their communities.

“We want to help people in the communities where they live because their communities are really where they need to thrive to be successful,” Dominguez said.

Open Hearts’ holistic approach helps the families and youth they work with learn how to approach situations, thrive and prepare for the future on their own.

“We’re here to teach families and kids,” said Arjelia ‘Argie’ Gomez, president and chief executive officer. “Give them the tool box and let them put what they need in their tool box.”

In order to serve clients to the best of its ability, Open Hearts focuses on internal well-being as well.

“We do believe that the better the employee is, the better we’ll be for our clients,” Duffy said. “So, we promote wellness, we provide some funding for employee wellness and just kind of take care of each other.”

Open Hearts employees who need to decompress can utilize an on-site meditation room to “breathe, relax, refocus and reenergize,” as explained by Gomez.

In addition to meditation rooms on site, the organization offers “wellness dollars” to employees.

Open Hearts will be honored for its commitment and service to struggling families at the We Are Arizona event on February 9th. For more information, visit www.wearearizona.org/.