HIR Wellness Institute

04/29/2026

HIR Wellness Institute R&R - Reflections & Resiliency

Welcome relatives we are so glad you are here to reflect and find some inner peace. Join us as we breathe, stretch, and share in the energy together.

As we continue to serve victims of crime with virtual services, we want to hear from you. Please take a few moments to complete our Community Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MHBZX57 to help inform how we can best serve our relatives.

Together we can identify the need and create social justice action around much needed services and resources to those who need it most.

04/28/2026

In recognition of Demin Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, HIR Wellness Institute's team of providers will be hosting a Mobile Mental Health Clinic at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee's Student Union for their Survivor Support & Wellness Fair on Wednesday, April 29th, from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM.

Our team will be providing real-time mental health and wellness support through social-emotional care, art therapy–informed practices, advocacy support, and evidence-based coping tools from our HIR Wellness Deck—meeting students where they are with free, accessible, and immediate support. We invite you to stop by our Mobile Mental Health Clinic to talk with a licensed or trained mental health provider and to ask us about our HIR Wellness Deck to learn more!

We are grateful to be in community and to contribute to such an impactful event!

Interested in bringing a Mobile Mental Health Clinic, Traveling Therapy Workshop, Mental Health Training, or Helpers & Healers Retreat to your space? Connect with Xavier Smart, Community Mental Health Director, at xsmart@hirwellness.org

Flyer from UWM Student Health and Wellness Center - Images from 2025 Survivor Support & Wellness Fair

04/28/2026

Our providers and interns from HIR Wellness Institute were honored to attend the Art Therapy Internship Fair at Mount Mary University!

We had the opportunity to connect with art therapy students exploring internship placements, share our lived experiences in community mental health, and highlight what it means to do this work in real time—on the ground, in community, and alongside those we serve.

We are especially excited about the possibility of welcoming a Mount Mary student into our 2026–2027 intern cohort as we continue to grow and invest in the next generation of helpers and healers.

A heartfelt thank you to Mount Mary University for their ongoing partnership and commitment to advancing community-based mental health care.

Interested in internship opportunities with us?
Contact Alexis Cheatham, Victims of Crime Program & Outreach Manager, at acheatham@hirwellness.org

04/28/2026

R&R Reflections & Resilience

04/28/2026

April is Occupational Therapy Month—a time to recognize the powerful impact Occupational Therapists have on individuals, families, and communities. This year’s theme, Enriching lives through meaningful engagement, reflects what we see every day: when people are supported in meaningful ways, mental health, connection, and overall well-being follow.

At our organization, we’re proud to uplift the innovative, community-centered work led by our Occupational Therapy doctoral students.

Since 2023, we’ve been honored to work alongside four Doctor of Occupational Therapy interns who have designed and led programs rooted in intention, care, and community—supporting relatives across the lifespan:

Emily Cabaltera, OTD, OTR/L, advanced emotional regulation strategies through our community-based mental health pop-ups.

Azeb Weldemariam, OTD, OTR/L, integrated movement, creativity, and intergenerational healing into youth programming.

Estela Rangel, OTD, OTR/L, created accessible, culturally grounded craft spaces for Elders, fostering connection and creativity.

Esmeralda Acosta, OTD, OTR/L, led a women’s wellness workshop centered on mental health empowerment and holistic wellbeing.

Each of these leaders brought forward innovative, community-engaged approaches that continue to shape how we show up in care.

We are deeply grateful for the leadership, innovation, and heart our Occupational Therapy students bring into this work—and we look forward to continuing to grow alongside future cohorts.

04/27/2026

We’re proud to share that Alexis Cheatham has been promoted to Victim of Crime Program & Outreach Manager.

Alexis brings a deep commitment to our mission and a presence that grounds and moves this work forward. She leads with heart, builds trust in community, and consistently shows up where it matters most.

In this role, Alexis will continue to advance access to comprehensive, healing-centered mental health care—strengthening how we support relatives and expanding pathways for connection, advocacy, and care.

Please join us in celebrating Alexis and the impact this next chapter will bring to our community!

04/25/2026

Our providers and interns from HIR Wellness Institute were honored to attend the Art Therapy Internship Fair at Mount Mary University!

We had the opportunity to connect with art therapy students exploring internship placements, share our lived experiences in community mental health, and highlight what it means to do this work in real time—on the ground, in community, and alongside those we serve.

We are especially excited about the possibility of welcoming a Mount Mary student into our 2026–2027 intern cohort as we continue to grow and invest in the next generation of helpers and healers.

A heartfelt thank you to Mount Mary University for their ongoing partnership and commitment to advancing community-based mental health care.

Interested in internship opportunities with us?
Contact Alexis Cheatham, Victims of Crime Program & Outreach Manager, at acheatham@hirwellness.org

04/25/2026

We were honored to have our President, CEO, and Founder, Lea S. Denny, Dr. h.c., serve as a guest lecturer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing.

Addressing more than 150 junior-level Bachelor of Science in Nursing students in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan, Lea Denny brought forward a bold, practice-driven lens on community-engaged, trauma-informed care—grounded in our Community Activated Medicine Framework™ and Mental Health Without Borders Approach™.

Together, we advanced the conversation on what it means to deliver mental health care that is responsive, relational, and rooted in community:

✨ Reframing trauma through a healing-informed, strengths-based lens
✨ Translating care into action through real-time “micro-doses” of clinical support
✨ Demonstrating how community mental health is operationalized at HIR Wellness Institute
✨ Confronting service gaps and care deserts through culturally grounded, accessible models

Lea was joined by our Mobile Mental Health Clinic team—Community Mental Health Director Xavier Smart and Sexual Assault Advocate and social work student Lexy Lunger—who led hands-on demonstrations of 30–90 second interventions designed for immediate impact. These “micro-doses of care” equip future clinicians with practical, in-the-moment tools to support regulation, reduce distress, and enhance connection. Students actively engaged in techniques such as Emotional Freedom Tapping, HeartMath, and Bubble Breathing—skills they can integrate directly into clinical settings.

We extend our deep appreciation to the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing and Dr. Jeneile Luebke for the opportunity to partner in preparing the next generation of nurses to lead with skill, presence, and purpose.

04/25/2026

We are grateful to the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety for convening this important town hall and creating space for a necessary, community-centered dialogue on sexual assault and violence.

In partnership, our team will be onsite with our Mobile Mental Health Clinic—offering immediate, trauma-responsive mental health support rooted in healing-centered engagement.

Our approach integrates peace-building practices, wellness and co-regulation strategies, and culturally responsive care to meet individuals where they are, in real time.

Through social-emotional support, screeners, survivor-centered advocacy, and evidence-based tools from the HIR Wellness Deck, attendees will have the opportunity to connect directly with our team of trained and licensed mental health providers and recieve immediate support.

Together, we aim to support individual healing while contributing to broader efforts to address community violence through connection, safety, and care.

We invite you to join us all for this critical conversation and to visit our Mobile Mental Health Clinic to engage with our mental health providers, access support, and be part of a collective pathway toward healing, action and safety.

🚨UPDATE: Due to power outage at the Washington Park Library branch, the town hall will be rescheduled🚨

We invite you to join in on the important discussion on SA in the Washington Park neighborhood.

The community town hall will take place Monday, April 27 at the Washington Park Library Branch (2121 N. Sherman Blvd.). Doors open at 6PM, with the discussion beginning at 6:15pm and ending at 7pm.

Come share your voice, connect with your neighbors, and help shape what is next for the community.

For additional resources, visit bit.ly/DVResources-MKE

04/24/2026

Dear relatives,

The HIR Wellness Institute will be closed today, Friday, April 24th, 2026, for our Organizational Care Days off! Our CEO and Founder, Lea S. Denny, created and implemented Organizational Care Days off in 2023 to intentionally invest in the well-being of our team members, recognizing the potential impact of the heartfelt work being done to serve relatives impacted by violence.

These days are a time for team members to recharge, reconnect, and intentionally slow things down to breathe in all that brings joy, rest, and belonging. If you are interested in victim advocacy or social and emotional support, please contact our CARES Warmline at (414) 748 2592. All calls and text messages will be returned within 1 business day after we return to our offices on Monday, April 27th, 2026.

In Community,
HIR Wellness Institute