My Experience as an Extern at Transitions of PA

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Growing up, I always had a wonderful childhood.  My parents never fought, never hit us or did anything of that nature. Once I got into Middle School, I started to realize that not everyone was that lucky. I’ll never forget when a woman from Transitions came into my classroom and explained to us what had happened to her related to domestic violence and why she now does what she does working with Transitions. Domestic Violence (DV) and Sexual Assault (SA) are major things that happen in our world today and something that can be reduced or possibly stopped if there were more education and treatments for it. I am a student at McCann School of Business and Technology currently doing my externship with Transitions of PA. After being here, I have a better understanding of what DV and SA are and how to help the people who are going through it. During my time here I have gotten to sit in on 1-1 counseling sessions which have really been eye opening experiences for me. I never thought that it would be possible for someone to hurt someone that they “love” but I now know that it happens and that all these survivors want is to talk about it. I have realized that most survivors just want to talk about what happened to them, how they feel about it and how they feel about the person who did that to them. Here at Transitions, the staff and survivors set goals for what they want to get out of this program which is inspirational because they are doing all they can to get help, get better and get back on their own. With the help of their advocates, they look for jobs, housing, and come up with a safety plan. With this help, they are getting a second chance that they didn’t think that they would ever get again. Another great thing about Transitions is the fact that all services are free. With this hotline, anyone that is seeking help can call and find out what Transitions can do for them whether it be legal help, housing or counseling. Being able to have this experience has given me a greater appreciation for the ones that truly love me and a greater appreciation for Transitions of PA and the work that they do here on a daily basis. 
Written by: Krysta H.

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