Station Stories: October 2022

October 2022

Welcome to the Team

Introducing our new Clinical Director, Mary “Mimi” Walsh-Wehberg, LCPC, LCADAS!

As clinical director, Mimi is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the residential and community-based clinical programming and operations. She will identify growth opportunities and maintain an effective and successful client service program.

A Maryland native, Mimi brings decades of experience working in hospitals and intensive outpatient settings, treating individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition to an undergraduate degree at Loyola University Maryland and a graduate degree in Psychology from Indiana State University, Mimi has also earned certificate levels 1 and 2 in the treatment of trauma through the Ferentz Institute. She has spent the last 14 years at Kolmac Outpatient Recovery where she worked as a clinician, an embedded consultant in primary care, and most recently as the clinical director.

Time for a quick Q&A!

1. How did you make your way to The Baltimore Station (TBS)?

“I have been familiar with TBS for many years through several community organizations of which I am a member and became aware of the opportunity to work at TBS after being contacted by a recruiter.”

2. What is your favorite part of working at The Baltimore Station so far?

“I have enjoyed being encouraged by leadership to brainstorm and think outside the box when contemplating my role and making additions to the client treatment experience.”

3. What are you hoping to bring to The Baltimore Station?

“I am trauma-informed and have many years of experience working in both psychiatric and substance use treatment settings, so I am hoping to ensure that TBS is offering the most comprehensive treatment experience possible for men with substance use disorders and mental health concerns.”

Welcome to the team Mimi, we look forward to working with you!

Shoutout to The Bearded Villians

Family – Charity – Loyalty – Respect – Brotherhood

These are the five principles most important to The Bearded Villains, all of which align closely with our own values here at The Baltimore Station. Established in Los Angeles in 2014, this group of dedicated, bearded men started off supporting local communities and has grown to 165 chapters in 36 countries! We were honored this past month to meet a few of them through their lunch service at The Baltimore Station and then at their beard competition event held at Power Plant Live where they raised funds for our organization and one other.

Six members from the Baltimore chapter helped our kitchen cook and serve our men a brisket lunch with root vegetables. They met with the men to share life stories and experiences. Later that evening, all The Bearded Villains got together at Power Plant Live to reconnect and raise money for a good cause. We were happy to attend and see the variety of beards from business cut to creatively complex. Thank you so much to The Bearded Villains for all they have done for us and all they do for local communities around the world. For more information about their organization, please click here.

Annual Trip to Puh'Tok

In September, The Baltimore Station was fortunate enough to take a trip up to Monkton, MD for a few days away from the city hustle to enjoy peace brought by nature. The rustle of leaves, the smell of a campfire, the view of a crystal-clear pool...these were some of our favorite experiences on our annual trip to Camp Puh’Tok this year.

We realized as soon as we stepped off the bus that this was going to be one of the best trips we have had. The weather was absolutely perfect! Warm enough to enjoy one final dip in the pool but cool enough to cherish the warmth of the campfire at night. The men worked together to prepare each meal, from a pancake breakfast to a fish fry dinner, complete with s’mores, of course.

Everyone was able to find something they enjoyed about the trip. For some, it was relaxing and listening to birds and for others, playing baseball with the group was the highlight. In addition to the daytime activities like horseback riding, zip lining, and arrow shooting, we were graced with the musical talents of Dan and Claudia Zanes as they held a sing-along under the stars.

A huge thank you to our staff, the team at Camp Puh’Tok, and Dan and Claudia (organized by Our Joyful Noise Baltimore) for making this final summer trip the best it possibly could be!

A Celebration for Emotional Wellness Month

October is Emotional Wellness Month, a reminder to take time out of your day to relax and recharge your brain. Emotional wellbeing can have a huge effect on our psychological and physical health. It is important to take time for your emotional health because it allows us to make healthy choices in areas of our lives like relationships and goal setting. So, what is emotional wellness and how can we support it in our daily lives?

As defined by The National Institute of Health, emotional wellness is “the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times.” When faced with a challenge, emotional wellness allows you to see and reflect on that struggle and better find a solution instead of shutting down. It can be hard at times, but it is important to keep encouraging yourself through your struggles so you can keep a clear head to solve the problem.

So what can we do to promote emotional wellness?

Identify and express your emotions
Reduce or manage stress
Get quality sleep
Incorporate mindfulness activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises
Seek connection and support from others

For more information on achieving emotional wellness, check out The National Institute of Heath’s emotional wellness toolkit.

Thank You Our Lady of the Chesapeake

A huge thank you to Our Lady of the Chesapeake for their generous donation of blankets, sheets, and sneakers, three items that we always need. The congregation at Our Lady of the Chesapeake has been supporting The Baltimore Station since 2014 through financial and in-kind donations. They regularly send cards of encouragement to our men and hold special services throughout the year to honor our veterans.

Thank you, Our Lady of The Chesapeake, we truly appreciate your generosity and support!

If you are interested in collecting items for The Baltimore Station, please contact lfrazier@baltimorestation.org for an updated list of collection items or check out our Amazon Wishlist for single needs.

What's Coming Up?

Stars, Stripes & Chow Chili Cookoff

DATE: Saturday, November 5 | 1:00 - 4:30pm

LOCATION: Camden Yards

8th annual chili cook-off fundraiser supporting homeless veterans in our programs. Teams compete for People's Choice, Judge's Choice & Best Theme. Food, Fun, and secure parking for all ages are included!

chow2022.givesmart.com

RavensWalk

DATE: Sunday, November 20

LOCATION: Walkway leading from Oriole Park to M&T Bank Stadium, in between lots B and C

As part of the Raven’s Salute to Service, The Baltimore Station will have a booth set up on the Raven’s Walk. Stop by to learn more about us and spin our prize wheel!