Throughout October, a life-size representation of Mary Martha Diggs will be displayed in the MCC lobby. By sharing her story, we hope to bring awareness tothe important issue of domestic abuse/violence, which ruins many lives. Mary Martha Diggs was murdered in San Antonio, Texas on June 17, 2005. She was shot and killed by her friend Judith Glory Riten, 64, at a pool party. According to police, Mary and Judith were lovers. Witnesses told the police that the motive for the shooting was jealousy. There were at least 44 witnesses who saw the shooting and pointed to Riten as the shooter. Mary Martha Diggs was 74 years old.

The GLBT community is not immune from domestic violence. In fact, one in four same-sex relationships include some form of domestic abuse. In transgender relationships, the statistic is even more staggering; one in two relationships involve abuse.

When we think about domestic abuse, we often focus on physical violence, butphysical abuse rarely occurs independently from other forms of abuse. The other types may be just as damaging and are even more common. Abusers often work slowly to break someone's spirit before physical abuse occurs. Have you or someone you know ever been the victim of any of the following types of abuse?

Verbal abuse: Using words to belittle, shame, or threaten someone into doing what the abuser wants
Emotional abuse: Using rejection, isolation, or exploitation to lower the self-esteem of someone to make him/her more susceptible to doing what the abuser wants
Financial abuse: Removing someone's ability to work and/or restricting his/her access to money
Spiritual abuse: Not allowing someone to practice his/her faith in the manner that he/she chooses and/or using one's faith as a means to set up roles in the relationship
Sexual abuse: Forcing someone to perform sexual acts, by coercion or forcible rape

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call Montrose Counseling Center at 713.529.0037 to speak to an advocate who will discuss your options and help you put together a safety plan when you're ready to leave. You may qualify for a variety of services, including emergency shelter, hospital and police accompaniment, legal advocacy, case management, counseling, and support groups.

If you need to leave your current situation right away, please get to a safe location away from the abuser and call the Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston at 713.529.3211. Help is available 24 hours a day. Please know that you are not at fault, and you have the right to live free from abuse. We can help!

Remember You Are Not Alone.
GLBT Relationship Wellness Support Group
This confidential therapy group is for GLBT individuals who have experienced or are experiencing domestic violence. Topics of discussion will include: dynamics and nature of domestic violence; feelings of shame, guilt, and anger; re-establishing connections and gaining support from others; giving and receiving validation and encouragement; learning to let go; etc. Meetings are Tuesday evenings. The group is for clients of MCC. If you're not already a client, please call 713.529.0037 to set up an intake appointment. For more information, please contact Staff Therapist Sue Long, LCSW, at 713.529.0037 x325.

How Can You Help Us End Domestic Violence in Our Community?
Anti-Violence Program Specialist Allison Vogt, LBSW believes that the best way to end domestic violence in the GLBT community is to bring it out of the shadows and to end the apathy that can surround this topic. Vogt says, "Domestic abuse is never okay. It does not have to occur in your relationship or your friend's relationship." The more the problem is hidden, pushed aside, and/or treated as normal, the stronger the hold it will have. Vogt encourages everyone to tell abusers that we will not stand for this behavior in our community!

Please help us promote domestic abuse awareness and support its survivors in the following ways:

• Wear a purple ribbon in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and explain its significance. Ribbons are available near the reception window on the 2nd floor of Montrose Counseling Center at 401 Branard.

• Friend Montrose Counseling Center on Facebook, display this image on your Facebook page, and encourage your friends to do the same.

• Donate your old cell phones. Through our partnership with 911cellphonebank.org, your old cell phone may be turned into an emergency law enforcement phone, which we supply to clients in need through our Anti-Violence Program. We will accept working and non-working cell phones at the receptionist desk on the 2nd floor of Montrose Counseling Center at 401 Branard. If you leave your contact information, you will be mailed a receipt for your donation.

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October 12 will mark eleven years since the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, because he was gay. Matthew Shepard's death shed a light on the discrimination and abuse that GLBT individuals sometimes face and brought international attention to the issue of hate crime legislation.

If you feel that you have been the victim of a hate crime, Montrose Counseling Center offers support and advocacy services to individuals who have suffered abuse or violence stemming from discrimination motivated by racial, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation, disability, or gender bias. Individual and group therapy is available, and you may qualify for grant funding. You don't have to go through this alone. Please call 713.529.0037 to set up an intake appointment.

Help is available 24-hours a day by Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston at 713.529.3211. If you need us, we're here for you.

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GLBT youth, ages 13-20, and GLBT seniors, ages 60 and older, are invited to make use of the David Bohnett Cyber Center Mondays from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 2 - 4 p.m., in addition to during HATCH and SPRY meetings. The Cyber Center consists of state-of-the-art computers and color laser printer. Cyber Center shifts are staffed by volunteers, who can assist participants as needed.

Cyber Center users do not need to be clients of MCC or participants in SPRY or HATCH. GLBT youth and seniors are welcome to drop by during Cyber Center hours. The Cyber Center is located in Room 101 of the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st floor of MCC at 401 Branard. For more information, please call 713.800.0872.

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If you're interested in hearing about how our services help improve lives, please join us at The Secret's Out in the evening of Thursday, October 22, to find out why we have been called the "best kept secret" in Houston's GLBT communities. Doors will open for a reception at 6 p.m., and the one-hour educational program and light dinner will begin promptly at 7 p.m. There is no fee to attend, but we do hope to inspire you to make a contribution so that our work can continue. Guests must Rsvp by Friday, October 9. For more information or to Rsvp, please call 713.800.0872 or email us.

Detailed information about our programs also is available through behind-the-scenes tours, Mondays at 6 p.m. through November. Find out the variety of services we offer and see where the services are provided. Highlights include: our HIV prevention suite, case management workroom, counseling offices, Cyber Center, HATCH room, and the community space in the GLBT Cultural Center on our 1st floor. Rsvp to 713.800.0872, email us or feel free drop by and check in with our receptionist on the 2nd floor.

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If you haven't already, please visit the newly designed Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston website. One of its components is a GLBT Resource Directory of GLBT-dedicated and GLBT-affirming service providers in the Houston area and Southeast Texas region.Organizations are listed in thefollowing categories:

• Arts/Cultural
• Community/Events
• Education/Advocacy
• Health Care
• HIV/AIDS Support
• Mental Health/Substance Abuse
• Religious/Spiritual
• Senior Support
• Social/Recreational
• Support Services
• Youth Support
  

Help us grow the directory! If you are the representative of a GLBT-affirming agency, please add/update your organization's listing by clicking here.

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October 6 - 10, La Strada will offer a special menu of their best dishes for Montrose Counseling Center supporters. Dinner options are a bargain at $35 and include: soup or salad, three entrée options, and two desserts to choose from. Water, tea, and coffee are also included. Stop by after 5 p.m. and order off this special menu, and 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Montrose Counseling Center.

La Strada is located at 322 Westheimer. For more information, please call 713.523.1014.

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Join us at www.walkinginthedeepend.com for an online book launch party on Friday, October 9! Buy the book, donate a portion of the proceeds to Montrose Counseling Center, gain access to free downloads, and enter for a chance to win prizes. Kirkus Discoveries calls the memoir, "Genuinely uplifting and inspiring."

• When Susan Parker felt like a poster child for dealing with America's social issues: depression, bulimia, family genetics that seemed set for self-destruction, an evangelical religion instead of therapy, and same-sex attraction, she stood on the brink of hopelessness.
• When you try your best to fit the mold of what your family, church, and community want, expect, and demand, and you just can't... what will you discover in the core of your being that will save you? What Susan found will help us all.
• When compelling characters in her life try to deal with catastrophe as best they can, and their efforts are disastrously inadequate, triumph might be the last thing anyone could hope for, and for Susan it very nearly was... Join her as she finally comes to understand the nature of personal miracles.

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On October 11, 1988, Dr. Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary organized the first National Coming Out Day in conjunction with the Second National March on Washington for GLBT Rights. Celebrate this year's National Coming Out Day by attending Pride Houston's annual Houston Coming Out! Celebration on Saturday, October 10, from 4 - 7 p.m. at a private residence in the Heights. Click here for directions. Montrose Counseling Center is a beneficiary.

The Coming Out Party is a great way to meet new friends, reminisce with old acquaintances, share coming out stories, and enjoy refreshments. Get ready to bid in the special "Art Exxxhibition" auction that will feature beautiful art pieces and gorgeous men.

For more information, visit event website. Tickets are $25 and are available online or at the door. There is a limit of 300 tickets for this event. Buy yours today!

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The Legend of Yin and Yang is an innovative musical extravaganza featuring YATE Acrobats and Martial Arts performers direct from China in a dynamic joint production with Houston's WYLDSTYLE Hip Hop Dance Company. A heartfelt story of conflict, cooperation, and love, this bilingual production incorporates Mandarin and English dialogue and original songs into a wide variety of theatrical styles: American Broadway, Hip Hop dance, Chinese Acrobatics, and Martial Arts. It all adds up to an enchanting evening of song, dance, and athletic exhibition that can be enjoyed by the whole family.


Performances will take place on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Morris Cultural Arts Center at Houston Baptist University at 7502 Fondren Rd. Tickets cost $38 or $48 ($28 for students). Enter the promotional code 5DONATE39 when you purchase your tickets, and $5 of every ticket will be donated to HATCH. The earlier you book, the better seat you'll get. Buy your tickets to support HATCH today!

For more information, please call 281.239.8888 or email worldwidestage@gmail.com.

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Support groups are an important part of many individuals' therapeutic process. Group therapy may be  meaningful because it may lessen feelings of isolation, allows group members to share and hear common experiences, and confirms that you are not alone in how you feel or what you've experienced. Clinical Director Chris Kerr, M.Ed., LPC, says, "People in support groups are often pleasantly surprised to find that they can help someone else. That can be healing too."

If you would like to join any of these new groups, please call 713.529.0037 for more information. Some groups are open to all participants, and others are reserved for MCC clients and require intake appointments.

NEW Dates & Times!
Deaf GLBT Support Group
This confidential support group is for all persons who identify as deaf and GLBT. Topics of discussion will be determined by the members of the group, and you may share and participate as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Meetings will be held Mondays from 4 - 5:30 p.m. during an 8-week period from October 5 - November 23. There is no fee to attend, and you do not need to be a client of MCC to participate. Registration is requested, but not required. The group is facilitated by Leann Randolph, LBSW, who is hearing and uses American Sign Language. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x312 (voice) or 832.413.6192 (video phone).

Transgender Support Group
This confidential support group is for individuals who identify as transgender. People in all stages of transition are welcome, whether you have not started, are in the process, or finished a long time ago. Topics of discussion will include: transgender indentities and identity formation; transphobia; coming out; gender affirmation; accessing competent health care; dating & sexuality; living authentically; etc. Meetings will be held Mondays from 6:15 - 8 p.m. during a 12-week period from October 5 - December 21. There is no fee to attend, and you do not need to be a client of MCC to participate. Registration is requested, but not required. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x703.

NEW Dates & Times!
Women's  Sexual Assault Survivors Support Group
This confidential therapy group is for women who have experienced sexual assault, either as children or as adults. Topics of discussion will be determined by the members of the group, and you may share and participate as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Meetings are Mondays from 6:30 - 8 p.m. The group is for clients of MCC. If you're not already a client, please call 713.529.0037 to set up an intake appointment. For more information, please contact Staff Therapist Dian Nelson-Turnier, LMSW, at 713.529.0037 x369.

HIV Support Group
Whether you are newly diagnosed, a long-time survivor, or somewhere in between, this confidential therapy group is available for all GLBT individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS. Meetings are Wednesdays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. The group is for clients of MCC. If you're not already a client, please call 713.529.0037 to set up an intake appointment. For more information, please contact Staff Therapist Susan Romanelli, LCSW, at 713.529.0037 x317.

SPRY Grief Group
This confidential support group is for GLBT seniors, ages 60 or older, who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. Participants may share and participate as much or as little as they feel comfortable. Meetings are Wednesdays from 12:30 - 2 p.m. The group is for SPRY participants. If you're not already in SPRY, please call 713.529.0037 x367 or x356 to set up a SPRY intake. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x367 or x356.

Coming Out Support Group,
starting October 22
This confidential support group is open to all persons who identify as GLBT, whether they are years into the process of "coming out" or if they have not yet begun. Topics of discussion will include: homophobia and self-loathing; coming out in the workplace; gay history/gay pride; coming out to family; spirituality; healthing relationships; etc. Meetings will be held Thursdays from 6 - 7:30 p.m. during an 8-week period from October 22 - December 17. There will be no meeting on Thanksgiving, November 26. There is no fee to attend, and you do not need to be a client of MCC to participate. Registration is requested, but not required. For more information, please call 713.529.0037 x394.

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"Fire It Up" on October 17
Join us for Illumination Project's "Fire It Up" performance, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, at Tony's Corner Pocket at 817 W Dallas. The show is open to all performers. All money raised will be used to send people living with AIDS to the upcoming Illuminations Project performance, where local artists, dancers, and musicians will perform pieces that raise HIV/AIDS awareness.

Illuminations Project on November 11
In honor of World AIDS Day and in remembrance of everyone our community has lost to AIDS, this annual event brings AIDS awareness and raises much-needed funds for local HIV/AIDS service providers. The beneficiaries this year are Montrose Counseling Center and the Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender History, Inc. For information about purchasing tickets, sponsoring the event, or placing an ad in its program, click here.

Red Carpet Happy Hour on November 12
Platinum One Properties will raise money for Montrose Counseling Center at their Red Carpet Happy Hour event on Thursday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Meteor at 2306 Genesee St. There is no fee to attend, and drink specials will be available until 9 p.m. Enjoy the photographers as you walk the red carpet! All proceeds from the raffle and donations made at the event will benefit MCC. For more information, please call 281.991.1692.

Brunch for HATCH on November 21
All are invited to Carl Han's 4th Annual A Brunch in November on Saturday, November 21, from 12:30 - 3 p.m. in the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st floor of MCC at 401 Branard. This year's theme is Mardi Gras, and the menu includes delicious, authentic New Orleans cuisine, including gumbo, sausage red beans and rice, and bread pudding. $10 at the door. Every penny will be donated to HATCH. Please Rsvp by Friday, November 13, to info@carlsjourney.com, if you can attend.

ERSICSS Raises Funds for HATCH at Weekly Shows
Under the reign of Emperor and Empress XXV Matt and Marcia Mink Anne Gill, the Empire of the Royal Sovereign Imperial Court of the Single Star, Inc. (ERSICSS) raises funds for HATCH as one of Coronation XXVI’s charities. Please help HATCH by supporting them at these upcoming events, which include:

• Postal Auction Show on Friday, October 9
• Double Nickel Women's Show on Saturday, October 17
  
• Murder Mystery Night on Saturday, October 24

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On September 19, ERSICSS generously opened their Fire & Ice Ball early for HATCH and threw the youth a special party full of games, entertainment, and food. Pictured: Carlos Rivera leads casino-style games, and the HATCH youth participate in the entertainment.

On September 27, reigning Mr. Black America Kyle Ean Haggerty gave Youth Specialist Deb Murphy a Black America Pageantry Award for "Outstanding Service and Commitment to the GLBT Community."

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Are you 60 years or older? Do you want to stay active with a supportive network of your peers? Please join us at Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years (SPRY)'s upcoming movie screening of Brokeback Mountain, which will be held on Thursday, October 8, at 2 p.m. in Room 101 of the GLBT Cultural Center on the 1st floor of MCC at 401 Branard.

For more information about SPRY, visit the SPRY website, watch this video, or call 713.529.0037.

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Looking for a venue for an upcoming commitment ceremony, movie screening, meeting, or event? The GLBT Cultural Center has available, affordable space. Individual spaces are available to rent and can accommodate groups of up to 268 people.  Lease-able office space is available for nonprofit groups, but spaces are going quickly. If you would like more information, please click here, call 713.800.0872, or email us.

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We sincerely appreciate Melissa Flories and Sara Sjolander for making their Labor Day party a benefit for HATCH participants and case management clients in need. Many, many hygiene supplies, food items, and school supplies were collected. Thank you to the generous guests who attended the party!

Thank you to Mr. Black America, Kyle Ean Haggerty, for recognizing the important work Youth Specialist Deb Murphy does for our community's youth by presenting her with a Black America Pageantry Award. Thank you also for speaking to the youth at a recent HATCH meeting.

Huge thanks go out to ERSICSS for their continued support of HATCH through Coronation XXVI's charities. HATCH had a blast at the youth portion of the Fire & Ice Ball. What a wonderful event! Thank you to everyone who worked to make it so special and to those who attended. Thank you also for choosing HATCH as the direct beneficiary of this year's Fire & Ice Ball.

We also extend our sincerest thanks to the following individuals, who hosted recent ERSICSS shows:

• Lillian Devereaux at the Broken Parts Club Show
• Falcon at the Oh S#@! show
• Everyone who organized Ronnie and Jackie's Birthday Show
• Crystal Rae Lee Love at the Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better Show
• Those who organized Scott Kenyon's 50th Birthday Bash
• Organizers of the Lee Love Family Reunion

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