We have featured the Haven – National Center for Women of the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD – NCR) in a previous post. This center is a residential care facility that provides temporary shelter, care, and protection to women who are victims of gender-based violence.
In this article, we will talk about another facility: INA Healing Center. The term “ina” means mother in Filipino; although in this case, the acronym INA also stands for “Inang Naulila sa Anak” (mothers who have lost their children). Keep on reading to learn more about this facility — its clients, programs, and services.
What is INA Healing Center?
INA Healing Center is a non-residential care facility that was established to provide psychosocial support to bereaved mothers and family members. It provides programs and services that seek to help them move from “a place of grief to a place of hope.”
First opened on December 16, 2006, the center serves as a place of support and therapy for bereaved mothers. It was inspired by the experience of Mrs. Gina de Venecia, who lost her youngest daughter, KC, as well as the experience of Mrs. Ali Sotto, whose son Miko died in a tragic accident. The two women, along with help from the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. (CSFI) and the Inang Naulila sa Anak (INA) Foundation, Inc. (IFI), established the center.
The following year, on February 15, 2007, INA Healing Center was formally turned over to the DSWD – NCR through the signing of the Deed of Donation and acceptance of Dr. Esperanza Cabral as the representative of DSWD, and Mrs. Gina de Venecia as President of the INA Foundation, Inc., together with the MOA signing with the DSWD.
Nowadays, INA Healing Center operates 8 hours a day, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, from Mondays to Fridays. It is located at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
Vision, Mission, and Goal
The vision of INA Healing Center is: “By 2021, to become an excellent provider of psychosocial interventions to bereaved mothers and other family members, and replicate its programs and services to other nearby provinces.”
Correspondingly, the center’s mission is to provide psychosocial support to bereaved mothers and other family members in a peaceful, supportive environment that is conducive for grief recovery.
The main goal of the center is to help process the feelings of grief and to restore the self-functioning of bereaved mothers and other family members who are in difficult circumstances over the loss of a loved one.
Target Clients
The target clients of INA Healing Center are people who are “in crisis over the loss of a daughter or son, a husband or a wife, a mother or a father, and are faced with deep depression or in a crisis situation.”
Located at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City, the center caters to cities and municipalities in Metro Manila and
neighboring provinces.
Programs and Services
INA Healing Center is comprised of two floors. It has a Conference Room, Prayer Room, Library, a “Pillow Room” (for counseling), and a Meditation Room where therapy sessions are held.
As mentioned earlier, the center provided psychosocial support to bereaved mothers and other family members. This includes the conduct of the following programs and services:
1. Grief Recovery Program (GRP)
Held in group therapy sessions composed of 10 individuals, this program is led by a trained psychologist and social workers. It involves seven sessions, following a specialized module designed to help process the feelings and experiences of the clients.
2. Psychological Evaluation
Using the Grief Assessment Scale (GAS) and the Recovery Indicator Index (RII), a licensed psychologist evaluates the client’s level of grief. If the client is found to be in need of further psychological assessment, other psychometric tools are used.
3. Counseling Services
Held a trained psychologist and social workers, counseling sessions are done with individuals or groups once a week, or depending on the availability of the client(s).
4. Livelihood Skills Development
Depending on the case, clients are provided with opportunities to acquire jobs or livelihood ventures.
5. Life Coaching and Mentoring
This is a follow-up service for clients who have completed the Grief Recovery Program, and have signified their intention to become Peer Support Mentors.
Peer Support Mentors are people who can provide psychosocial support to other bereaved clients. Since they have had similar experiences and gone through the program themselves, they can, in turn, help other people who are affected by the loss of their loved ones.
6. Wellness Program
This program includes a range of activities that are geared towards human development — enhancement of their self-image, understanding their potentials, and developing their skills and competencies. It includes activities such as positive self concept building, stress/crisis management, socialization, and spiritual enrichment.
Latest Updates
From 2011 to 2018, INA Healing Center conducted “grief therapy sessions” for 462 bereaved clients. Of these, majority or 456 are females (i.e. mothers, wives, grandmothers, sisters, daughters), whereas six are males (i.e. fathers, husbands, and grandfathers).
Over the years, aside from holding group therapy sessions, INA Healing Center also provides other services, such as capacity building, parenting education sessions, livelihood activities, and spiritual enrichment.
Video: Mrs. de Venecia Visits INA Healing Center
In December 2018, INA Healing Center celebrated its 12th Founding Anniversary. During the event, Mrs. Gina de Venecia paid a visit, as featured in this video:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Meanwhile, here are some commonly asked questions and answers about INA Healing Center:
1. What is INA Healing Center?
INA Healing Center is a non-residential care facility that is designed to provide psychosocial support to bereaved mothers and family members. It is located at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
2. What are its vision and mission?
The center is envisioned to become an excellent provider of psychosocial interventions to bereaved mothers and other family members. Its mission is to provide them with psychosocial support in a peaceful and supportive environment.
3. Who are its target clients?
INA Healing Center’s target clients are people who are “in crisis over the loss of a daughter or son, a husband or a wife, a mother or a father, and are faced with deep depression or in a crisis situation.”
4. What are its programs and services?
The center’s programs and services include: grief recovery program, psychological evaluation, counseling services, livelihood skills development, life coaching and mentoring, and wellness program.
5. How can I learn more about it?
You can learn more about INA Healing Center by getting in touch with its contact details, which are given below.
Contact Information: INA Healing Center
Address: DSWD Central Office, 4 Palma, Quezon City, 1126 Metro Manila
Telephone: 0961 603 1304
Email: ihc.foncr@dswd.gov.ph
Website: https://ncr.dswd.gov.ph/centers-and-institution/ina-healing-center-ihc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2006INAhealingcenter/
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
INA Healing Center was the first of its kind in the country, if not in the entire Southeast Asia. Indeed, it is a place where grieving parents, grandparents, and children can find the support they need, and eventually take steps towards inner healing and recovery.
Another noteworthy initiative of the DSWD are Women Friendly Spaces (WFS). What exactly are women-friendly spaces and why do we need them? Visit this link to read all about it!