Medford, August 24, 2022 — When patrons enter the new Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library, they will find a space in the library that is not typical for libraries. Due to a generous and visionary gift from the Foundation Trust, the library has a specially furnished counseling room that is available for one-on-one counseling sessions, interviews, or private meetings.
The idea for including this among the small study and meeting rooms of the new library came from The Executive Director of the Foundation Trust, Dr. Joseph Spinazzola, an internationally-recognized expert in the area of complex trauma. “The counseling room at the Medford Library provides a unique opportunity for community providers to meet their clients ‘where they are’ in a private, accessible space. Our hope is that this dedicated room will provide a welcoming and healing respite, and we are grateful to the Medford Public Library for integrating the idea into their beautiful new space.”
The room, which is furnished with a sofa and comfortable chairs, provides quiet and calm for multiple purposes. The City of Medford has also identified this space as a potential location for some of its community outreach programs and ESL tutoring. The space can be reserved for blocks of time through the library Information Desk.
"We are pleased to have this special space in the library,” says library director Barbara
Kerr, “Our goal in designing this new building was to provide spaces for many different uses and this room will be a great asset."
Community members and local mental health professionals are invited to visit the library’s counseling room during an upcoming event on September 29th at 7:00pm on Turning the Tide: Parenting in the Wake of Past Trauma. Dr. Jana Pressley and Kaitlyn Wilson, LICSW, will explore how becoming a parent or caregiver to a child may introduce unique challenges for adults who are living with the painful effects of their own upbringing. This community event, part of the 2022 Foundation Trust Speaker Series, will offer suggestions to support parents and other caregivers in building self-awareness and self-compassion as they navigate their parenting journeys.
The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP through the library calendar: https://medfordlibrary.org/event/turning-the-tide-parenting-in-the-wake-of-trauma/
The Foundation Trust is a private operating foundation serving small to medium-sized New England nonprofits to better serve high-risk populations and elevate underrepresented communities. Learn more at www.foundationtrust.org.