Residency Therapy Program

Current Update: We're up to 17 participants in our Residency Therapy Program! That means we provide free trauma therapy to 17 women who are transitioning out of homelessness through our Residency Therapy Network. We have also passed 225 Sponsored Sessions to date! Continue below to learn more.

The Residency Trauma Therapy Program is designed for individuals who have successfully transitioned out of the foremost stage of homelessness (meaning participants have work and housing) that want to take the next steps to build a permanently sustainable lifestyle. We see mindset and mental health as the foundations of sustainable living, especially for those who have experienced significant hardship.

The Residency Therapy Program provides priority-access trauma therapy for women transitioning into permanent housing. Though we've always encouraged therapy for our program members, it has taken up to a year for our staff to gain access to a therapist in the past. Now we can connect program participants with a network of licensed third-party therapists immediately, and for free. Rather than acting as counselors ourselves, we're connecting participants to certified therapists in a uniquely expedient and supportive way.

Alongside our Therapy Program, we reached 10k hours of supportive employment, including employment of our staff member Nikki who has been working with us since 2016!

"Why are therapy and mindset important to me? This is the question. Can I go back six years to when I first started working for Povertees, now Residency? As I write this, April 18, 2022 will be my six-year work anniversary and I can’t believe it’s been that long. For years, I didn’t understand how much I needed therapy and how in a way I was avoiding it. Now, I believe therapy and mindset are important for me because they make me accountable for my well-being and help me deal with the hard feelings of the past. I have Tyler and Hughie to thank for being examples.”

-Nikki, Residency Staff & Therapy Program Member

Our program is so grateful to Residency for facilitating the process of bringing quality mental health services to families in our permanent supportive housing. It is a challenge finding therapists who can provide ongoing, quality treatment through public resources. This barrier is deeply connected to obstacles our clients navigate each day and exacerbates their trauma. In order for us to properly serve some of the most resilient individuals, we need partnerships that remove the bottlenecks that keep them from accessing tools for healing. Residency has thoughtfully identified a solution that strengthens collective pursuits towards a just society and enhances the leaders from historically disenfranchised communities.

-Noreen, Family Team Manager Imagine LA (Housing Partner of the Residency Mindset Therapy Program)

I like therapy. It's actually really therapeutic that I have an outlet to talk to someone and not feel like I am alone dealing with situations. I am usually anticipating the next meeting so I can tell her what's going on with me. A bonus is that she talks back and is concerned about my well-being. She tries to help me get out of states of depression by finding ways to do self-care and work on my goals. She's a lovely person all the way around.

My previous experience was that therapy didn't help me feel open and it felt pointless because I never received feedback. It didn't seem like they had any empathy. Bri cares a lot and even reached out when my dad passed away. She still called and let me know she was there if I needed to talk to her. Even though it is via video chat, she was willing to do therapy by phone because it's easier for me. In the past, therapists have cancelled because of it even though it's not easy for me to have the connection to do a video call. I've had back-to-back deaths in my family and she was there for that. She has offered to make a report about a situation happening in my family and I really appreciate that. She's concerned about me getting back up and making sure that I am not weighed down by trauma and depression.

-Shaquella, Residency Therapy Program



Life has been a journey for me, dealing with so many different things. I found myself down at times feeling hopeless and didn't know what emotions I was feeling. I decided to seek professional help and, like others, I was skeptical at first and indeed had a rocky start due to not keeping up with my appointments. But once I got the rhythm of my weekly appointments, I grew more of a dialogue with my therapist Bri, who has a sweet, honest soul who made me feel like I've known her forever. She provided a comfortable safe space that allowed me to just release. As we continue to build a rapport, I feel a sense of belonging, a sense of confidence and reassurance that I can keep going in life. Now I feel I'm growing internally and mentally. I highly recommend therapy to anyone who feels stuck or overwhelmed. It can be tough, but the growth of healing is worth it.

-Charnesia, Residency Therapy Program