Montrose Counseling Center

California's Decision to Uphold Prop 8 May Have Mental Health Impact
MCC Prop 8On May 26, the California Supreme Court upheld the ban on gay marriage that voters put into effect after the state-wide vote in November. The Court decided to continue to recognize the marriages of the same-sex couples who wed before the ban took place. Chris Kerr, MEd, LPC, Clinical Director at Montrose Counseling Center, recently discussed how the decision might effect the mental health of those who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender.

The passing of Proposition 8 resulted in a very public marginalization of same-sex couples. When communities of people are being told that they are not worthy of the same rights and privileges as the rest of society based on their sexual orientation, according to Kerr, it may have a harmful effect on the community members' mental health and well-being. Kerr says, "Any time a majority is able to impose its values and judgments on a minority, it will have an impact on self esteem, sense of safety and belonging for all members of the minority group."

Kerr says that, "It's even more devastating and stinging when these rights and privileges are taken away."

Montrose Counseling Center sees a number of people who are dealing with their own internalized homophobia. They struggle with self-hatred and fear because they have internalized negative messages they get from society. Kerr adds the fact that rights and full inclusion were up for debate can instill a sense of marginalization, a feeling that you're "less than," and a sense of not being valued or counted.

Kerr says that the decision is just "one more blow" to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender communities, "Unequal treatment and defeats such as this make members of the community feel like they are being targeted, and so they will carry their shoulders lower, waiting for the next time they will face discrimination, prejudice, and possibly harm."

MCC and SPRY Featured in Documentary about the History of Montrose, Airing on Houston PBS June 3 at 9 p.m.
Have you ever wondered how Montrose became the hub of GLBT activity in Houston? Did you know that actor Clark Gable and President Lyndon B. Johnson once lived in here? What changes have you witnessed in the neighborhood? If you have an interest in Montrose and its rich history, get ready to set your DVR!

MONTROSE, TEXAS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD will air on Houston PBS on June 3 at 9 p.m. The documentary chronicles the history of our beloved neighborhood and the changes it has undergone over the years. Included are local historical landmarks, analysis of local architecture, shifts in culture, and little known facts about the neighborhood. It features Montrose Counseling Center's programs, with an emphasis on SPRY, as playing a significant role in helping the community adapt to the changes it has undergone.

Narrated by Houston PBS's Ernie Manouse, this half-hour program features community leaders Suzanne Anderson, Marion E. Coleman, John Danielson, Ray Hill, Jimmy Carper, Brandon Wolf, Sue Lovell and Annise Parker, among others. Rare footage from The Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of GLBT History is bound to bring back fond memories.

In the Next Two Minutes, You May Help MCC Receive National Recognition
By simply clicking here and writing a review of your opinions of and experiences with Montrose Counseling Center, you may help MCC receive national recognition. Whether you are a donor, volunteer, client, or board member, we want to hear from you!

Throughout June, GreatNonprofits offers GLBTQ organizations across the country this free opportunity to gather reviews from their supporters. At the end of June, organizations with the most positive reviews will be featured on GreatNonprofits and Guidestar. Be sure to write your review some time this month! 2009 Pride Choice Awards Winners will be selected in different categories, by budget and region. Even nonprofit agencies who do not win will receive national exposure, since all collected reviews will be visible on the nonprofit profile on www.guidestar.org.

All individuals who participate have a chance to win fun prizes such as a stay at Kimpton Hotels, fair trade Alter Ego chocolates, and more!

For more information, visit GreatNonprofits' website or email Shari at shari.ilsen@greatnonprofits.org.

NEW! Support Group for Deaf
GLBT Individuals Begins
Thursday, June 4
GLBT Deaf GroupIf you identify as deaf and GLBT, this group is for you! Participants will meet to discuss topics determined by the group, and presenters may be brought in for specific topics. Leann Randolph, LBSW, will facilitate in American Sign Language, and interpreters also will be present. Randolph said of the group, "It's a great way for people who have too long been hidden in our community to come together to support one another."

Meetings will take place on the 2nd Floor of MCC at 401 Branard from 6:30 - 8 p.m. every other Thursday, beginning June 4. Participants may join at any time; however, the group is limited to 10 members. You need not be a client of Montrose Counseling Center to join. There is no fee to participate, although donations are always welcome.

Registration is requested, but not required. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x312 (voice) or 832.413.6192 (video phone).

Dance the Night Away at the HATCH Prom on Friday, June 12
The 17th Annual HATCH Prom, "Flashback to the 80s," will be held 7 p.m. - midnight on Friday, June 12, in the Community Room of the GLBT Cultural Center, on the 1st floor of MCC. The prom is free for GLBT and questioning youth, and their allies, ages 13-20. Many don't attend their own high school dances because they fear teasing and physical abuse.

A special invitation is extended to GLBT adults who may not have had the chance to attend their own high school prom dressed as they wished or with a same-sex date. Anyone 21 or older may attend for a $25 donation. If you are interested in sponsoring this event or have any questions, please contact 713.529.3590 or EMAIL.

NEW DATE! Coming Out Support Group Begins Thursday, June 18
The Coming Out Support Group is open to all persons who identify as GLBT or Questioning, whether you are years into the process of "coming out" or if you're considering taking the first step. Meetings will take place in the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st Floor of MCC at 401 Branard from 6 - 7:30 p.m. during an 8-week period that will last from June 18 - August 6. Participants may join at any time, and you need not be a client of Montrose Counseling Center to join. There is no fee to participate, although we will accept donations.

Each session will be composed of an educational presentation on a specific topic, followed by an open, confidential discussion of that topic. Topics include: Coming Out; Homophobia and Self-Loathing; Spirituality for GLBT persons; Gay History/Gay Pride; Coming Out to Others; Coming Out to Family; Coming Out in the Workplace; Healing the Hurt - Prejudice & Discrimination; Coming Out - A Lifelong Process; Healthy Relationships.

Registration is requested, but not required. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x394.

EVENTS ON THE HORIZON

Stop by MCC for the GLBT Community Garage Sale on Saturday, June 13
You're invited to participate in a community-wide garage sale on Saturday, June 13, from noon - 4 p.m. in the parking lot of Montrose Counseling Center at 401 Branard. Have something you'd like to sell? Community members are welcome to set up a table to raise money for a local organization or for themselves. Bring your own table or sell from your tailgate. There is no fee to participate. Please take whatever you don't sell with you when you leave. Looking for a rare treasure? Come by for some great bargains. Informational tours of MCC also will be available.

Raise Money for MCC's HIV/AIDS Programs at Billiards Tournament on Saturday - Sunday, June 20 - 21
The 13th Annual Houston Billiard Open will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 20 -21, at Slick Willie's Family Pool Hall, 1200 Westheimer. The tournament is open to all amateur players. Space is limited, so register today, $30 in advance/$35 at the door. The top 25 percent of the field will receive cash prizes. Raffle ticket sales and a percentage of entry fees will benefit MCC's HIV/AIDS programs. Visit event website for more information.

Support MCC at the Houston Pride Festival and Parade on
Saturday, June 27
The Houston Pride Festival will take place from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, in the heart of Montrose, south of Westheimer along Commonwealth and Yoakum. Come by to enjoy the entertainment and to celebrate your community and its service organizations. Be sure to stop by the Wellness Tent to visit MCC's exhibit. Later that evening, cheer for HATCH and MCC in the Pride Parade, which begins at 8:45 p.m.

Get Healthy with Your Community! Join the Montrose Community Meltdown Challenge, which Begins Monday, July 6
Do you envision a happier, healthier version of yourself? Of your community? Join the Montrose Community Meltdown Challenge, and learn to exercise effectively and lose weight safely. It's free, and everyone is invited! Every Monday for 12 weeks beginning July 6, participants will come together at 7 p.m. in the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st floor of MCC at 401 Branard. Meetings will be fun and inspirational, with motivational speakers, light exercises, and weight loss progress checks. As a component of the project, food donations will be collected for MCC's HIV case management clients and HATCH youth in need. Join as an individual or come with a team! For more information, visit project website.

Visit MCC for an Informational Tour, Scheduled at Your Convenience
You are an important supporter of Montrose Counseling Center; otherwise, you wouldn't have taken the time to read this newsletter. But are you aware of everything your support allows us to do? Do you know about our efforts to teach HATCH youth participants how to build healthy relationships? Our work with HIV-positive inmates? Can you name the four programs that make up our counseling services? Have you visited the new GLBT Cultural Center?

Let us thank you for your ongoing support by showing you all of the services you allow us to provide to Houston's GLBT and HIV communities. Email communitydev@montrosecounselingcenter.org or call 713.529.0037 x372 to schedule a behind-the-scenes tour.

Photo Gallery

Guests enjoy MONTROSE, TEXAS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD at the VIP Preview at Meteor on May 28. More than 80 donors, staff, board members, video participants, and guests attended the exclusive event.

Houston City Councilmember Sue Lovell , who participated in the video as a storyteller, speaks about her passion for The Montrose. Thanks to Jim Bailey of Sunset Productions for producing the documentary, along with Mike Snow and Mark Susman from Fast Cut Video & Post. The program airs on Houston PBS at 9 p.m. on June 3.

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For the last few years, HATCH has had an entry in the Art Car Parade. This year, the youth spent hours decorating the car with rainbow-colored puzzle pieces, each citing a form of discrimination, such as adultism, ageism, racism, ableism, sexism, antisemitism, and homophobia. On the hood of the car reads, "Don't Complete the Puzzle." Thanks to D.L. (Deb) Murphy, HATCH Youth Specialist, for enduring the hot outdoors and lending her car to the project.

SPRY Socials: Food, Entertainment, & Education
Are you 60 years or older and looking to build relationships with your peers? June SPRY Socials include a planning committee meeting, potluck, and movie screening.

For more information about upcoming SPRY Socials, click here.

Continuing Education Classes:
Cultural Sensitivity/Diversity on June 16
Montrose Counseling Center's Continuing Education classes will feature Cultural Sensitivity/Diversity on June 16 from 1 - 5 p.m.. Classes take place in the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st floor of MCC and are open to everyone. Continuing Education Units (CEU's) are available for LMSWs, LBSWs, LCDCs, and LPCs. The class is four hours long and costs $40 if prepaid. If not prepaid, there will be an additional $10 fee at the door.

For more information about these classes and how to register for them, click here. Please call MCC's Education Department at 713.529.0037 for additional information.

Honor Your Loved Ones By Sponsoring a Room in Their Honor
Sponsor a room in a loved one's name, and that person will forever be honored by becoming a part of our community's history. Rooms can be named for yourself, someone you love, or your favorite community group. Opportunities begin at $5,000. Call or 713.529.0037 x372 or EMAIL for more information.

Thanks 1,000,000!
Thank you to Ms. Gay Pride Houston, Sara Sjolander, Miss Gay Pride Houston, Regina Dane, and Daddy of Montrose Carlos Rivera for their shows, which raised money for our capital campaign and honored Stella Link SeVille by naming a MCC room after her.

Thanks also go out to Imperial Princess XXV Lillian Devereaux and Empress XVI Selena St. John and Arch Duchess for Life Alicia Dos Amantes of ERSICSS for raising money for HATCH at their Teddy Bear/Bear Auction and Cinco de Mayo celebrations. HATCH is a proud beneficiary of Reign XXV.

Special thanks are extended to Carl Han for the Love Party he threw, which raised much-needed funds for the upcoming HATCH prom.

Thanks also to Angelique Jewell, Emma Williams, and Katrina Deaton for making the video screening of Underneath a fundraiser for HATCH.

And finally, thank you to Jose Apodaca, Charles Armstrong, and Meteor staff for allowing us to hold our VIP preview of MONTROSE, TEXAS: TRANSFORMATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD/Donor Appreciation event.