Our Mission: To care for anyone experiencing the impact 
of a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one.
The Fourth of July means a lot of different things...a time to be grateful to those who sacrificed their freedom so that I might have mine.  A time to honor those who gave their lives as the ultimate price in the name of freedom.  A time to remember those who were scarred- both physically and mentally - while fighting for that freedom.  On behalf of Hospice of Santa Barbara, a heartfelt thanks to our active, reserve and veteran military and their families.

 

Happy Independence Day!

 

What is EMDR?
Our brains and nervous systems are intended to handle stress and trauma - to a point. When our system is overwhelmed by a trauma, it goes into overload. The result is that the anxiety of these traumatic events stays "locked" in our nervous system causing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
 

PTSD can develop after a major traumatic event, either emotional or physical. This disorder is characterized by flashbacks and nightmares, and is commonly found in returning military personnel and in people who have experienced natural disasters, witnessed serious accidents and injury or been victims of crimes - any situation in which they have experienced intense fear, a sense of helplessness and horror.

 
It is estimated that about ten percent of the U.S. population has or has had symptoms of PTSD. It affects people of all ages who have experienced a trauma. Some people can recover from a traumatic event with brief therapy and the support of loved ones. But for others, it persists, often for years.

 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a powerful psychotherapy technique which has been successful in helping people who suffer from trauma, anxiety, panic, disturbing memories or post traumatic stress disorder. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, right/left eye movement, or tactile stimulation, which repeatedly activates the opposite sides of the brain, releasing emotional experiences that are "trapped" in the nervous system.  This assists the neurophysiological system, the basis of the mind/body connection, to free itself of blockages and reconnect itself.
 

As troubling images and feelings are processed by the brain via eye-movement patterns of EMDR, clients come to a place of being able to remember the trauma without being flooded by images and sensations. 
 

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) was one of the first agencies in our community to incorporate EMDR into its grief counseling services.  Counselors specially trained and certified in the use of EMDR are using it with their clients with great effectiveness. Clients often report feeling comforted and relieved in a way that "talk therapy" alone is unable to do.  While we still find it essential to employ the art of deep listening and being a witness to our clients' grief journey, EMDR has become an essential tool in bringing hope and healing to the grief process. 

 

How EMDR helped me.
On September 30, 2013, I received a phone call from my Dad. "Jennifer, the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia just called me.  Kathy has been missing from her resort bungalow for seven days and no one can find her," he said.   I was in shock and confused, "Kathy, our Kathy, as in my sister?"  Dad hesitated and then replied, "Yes."

 

Early the next morning my mother called. Her tone was faint as she said, "You need to sit down." She paused, there was an eerie silence. I panicked with anticipation, "Kathy's dead isn't she?"  I could feel my mom's pain through phone, "Yes.....she is."  Suddenly my mind went numb and my body became limp as searing heat penetrated my heart.   I screamed in disbelief, "Why God, why did this have to happen to her?" Life stopped at that moment and hell on earth began for my family.

 

We soon learned from the embassy that Kathy was brutally murdered while vacationing on a beautiful island in Cambodia...  
Upcoming Art Reception

"With the coming of the Nazis, a sense of malaise pervaded our lives. Children threw stones at us, calling us names. Jewish people began to disappear," says Margaret Singer about her childhood in Frankfurt, Germany.  Margaret, her sister Paula and younger brother Sidney fled to America.  And so began her decades long career painting.  "All the years that I've been painting, I paint the same subjects... the people walking, marching and faces that haunt me," said Singer.

On August 12th, Hospice of Santa Barbara is pleased to host an opening reception for this amazing painter and poet.   Please come for a rare chance to view her art and hear how her life experiences shaped her art.

 
The reception will be August 12th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.  Hor d'oeuvres and wine provided.

 

Upcoming Events
July 16th 
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Community Five Wishes Workshop
The Alliance for Living and Dying Well offers free community workshops to facilitate end-of-life discussion and assistance in completing advanced health care directives. Workshops are offered the third Thursday of each month at HSB.
To register, please call

805-845-5314.

August 12th
5:30 - 7:00
Opening Art Reception featuring Margaret Singer
Leigh Block Gallery, Hospice of Santa Barbara

Ongoing Support Groups
New Corporate Sponsor!
 

"We're excited to have NS Ceramics join us as a corporate sponsor," said Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO David Selberg.  "Since 1994 they have been a Santa Barbara institution with a long standing commitment to quality and customer service."

 

NS Ceramic has been committed to providing exceptional service and an unparalleled tile selection to California's discerning design community. NS Ceramic is the premiere tile source for architects, interior designers, building contractors and homeowners for nearly two decades and has grown into the community's most respected resource for authentic Spanish Revival, Italian, Arts and Crafts and mosaic tiles. Nola Shepard Stucky, founder and CEO of NS Ceramic, Inc., is a fourth generation native of Santa Barbara and has a profound love for the area and history. Her extensive knowledge of architectural styles, aesthetics, and materials allows her to personally select and offer the highest quality ceramic, stone, metal, and glass tiles for the increasingly diverse architecture of Santa Barbara and its surrounding areas. Their team specializes in assisting clients with custom tile design, design layout, tile selection, and budget. They recognize the challenges of specifying the correct material for your project and are available to assist with design and application. With NS Ceramic's knowledge, service, and selection, your vision will be transformed into reality.

 

NS Ceramic has been awarded the Santa Barbara Beautiful 2009 Commercial Building (Canary Hotel), 2013 Historic Revitalization (SB Courthouse Bisno Schall Clock Gallery), and 2014 President's Award (Alma Del Pueblo).    

 

 


Contact Us
Hospice of Santa Barbara
2050 Alameda Padre Serra
Ste. 100
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Phone: (805) 563-8820
Fax: (805) 563-8821

Email: info@hospiceofsb.org

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Nelson Hayashida,
new Spiritual Care Counselor at 

Hospice of Santa Barbara

Hospice of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce Nelson Hayashida as their new Spiritual Care Counselor. Nelson brings with him an array of spiritual care experience including chaplaincy, counseling, teaching and advising, and experience working with spiritual care within a global and cross-cultural context. 

To read more about Nelson, click here.