This internship has been quite a roller coaster for me. I interned at Haven House, located in Hammond, Indiana. Haven House is an emergency shelter and provider of services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. One of their purposes was to speak for the women who are silenced by society. My experience at Haven House was enjoyable and challenging at the same time. There were plenty of pressuring moments where I was confused and some situations were harder than the others. I learned so much from the staff, my supervisors, fellow interns, and even the clients. Haven House will always mean something to me, personally. My family’s background is dysfunctional. My father abused my mother for about 22 years. I was extremely close to…show more content… What I had to do was say, “Haven House. How can I help you?” and the caller would respond. We did have to do screenings on the callers who were seeking shelter. My supervisor informed me, when I began the internship, that the crisis line was the heartbeat of Haven House. The crisis line was the only reason the government had placed a home at that location. The second activity I undertook was being assigned a client. In total, I had 3 clients. I had to introduce myself to them and inform them that I would be the one they need to come to inform me of anything. After they inform me of how they are doing and what they have done so far, I will inform the case worker advocate and my supervisor. It helped the agency and employees keep a better track of the clients’ progress. The third activity I undertook was assisting with donations. I helped the house manager carry donation boxes inside and we went through them. We counted how many items were in the boxes and sorted it out according to category. Afterwards, she took me to the basement and showed me what items belong where. I was amazed at how many toys, soaps, diapers, blankets, and etcetera, are donated every month. Donations are vital to Haven House. It saves money and helps the clients meet their needs adequately. The fourth activity I undertook was representing Haven House at a Latino Fair in Washing Irving Elementary School, located in…show more content… I learned that I can never allow a client to afflict me. As a woman, I am going to be sensitive and in touch with my feelings. However, when it comes to making professional and ethical decisions, I must have that touch exterior. Another lesson I learned was to not get attached to anyone. Clients are simply clients. In the beginning weeks of the internship, I grew fond a mother and her 3-year-old daughter. The daughter reminded me of my 3-year-old brother. After reviewing the mother’s screening, I became sympathetic towards them. When the mother’s exit date approached, I became worried for the daughter. I knew what it was like to be so young and witness domestic violence, so I was concerned about what would happen to the client’s daughter. I spoke to my supervisor and she told me that the client is the only one who can control her life and it is up to the client to change for the
