Member Stories

Nicole Halbert

Hello, my name is Nicole.  I am a new member of Genesis. I have only been a member for two months.  I have been in the Career Development Unit.  I will tell you a little about my past so you can know how far I have come in such a short time.  I was in a hard place in my life before coming to Genesis.  My illness started in high school, but was not diagnosed until the start of college.  No one knew that I had started using self-cutting to relieve the stress, but slowly I was doing it more often. One day, I broke down to my mom and told her everything.  That is when I started having more issues.  I found myself in and out of Marlborough hospital’s psych unit.  I finally had ended up at the Partial Program for the third time.  Then, one day, they handed a printout to me.  I flipped through the packet, and thought “what the heck is this?”  It was a pamphlet about Genesis Club.  I

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was very interested.  When they released me I promised that I would give this Genesis thing a try.  I came in for a tour, and I was blown away.  I fell in love with the place.  I went through the paper work and orientation.  Now, I come in everyday. So what makes Genesis so great for me?  I was isolating and had nothing to do.  However, now I can get up and face the day.  I love that I am finally appreciated by others.  I do not feel like an outcast when I am here.  I can be myself.  The staff has already helped me to look past the bad things in life.  When I get overly worried, the staff will help me though it.  Another benefit of Genesis is that I am receiving help around employment and education.  I have also made a lot of new friends.  I cannot say enough good things about the Clubhouse.

When I was released from the hospital I came on a tour and went through orientation.

I really like the clubhouse, it was comfortable and I found people I could relate to, people who have been in similar circumstances.  There was no judgment or pressure. Genesis Club helped me get a bus pass, and I got a bike which I ride just about everywhere.  I started taking care of myself again, eating healthier; I was able to lower my blood pressure.  I’m hoping to either go to school or get some extra training.  In the meantime, Genesis has helped me get a transitional job at the UMass Hospital; I’ll be working in the mailroom starting at the end of this month.  It feels good to have plans for the future again.  It feels good to want to try again. 

I’ve been a member of Genesis Club for a year now. Before I became a member here, I was hospitalized a number of times.  I was having problems with my health and could not get a proper diagnosis, which caused my depression to deepen.  I finally couldn’t take anymore and I tried to kill myself.  I was taken to the hospital and while there I met a fantastic group of people from Genesis Club.  Cheryl Nassir and Jane Rudy told me all about the clubhouse.  I started to feel a little hope, hope that perhaps Genesis Club could help me toward recovery.  I signed up for the peer support program, and after I was released from the hospital, Genesis called me each day.  It was nice to have someone call to see how I was doing, that daily support helped me gain enough strength to come on a tour of the clubhouse.  Jane gave me a tour through the whole clubhouse. She was very nice, and I signed up to start orientation.  I was nervous, but all the members and staff were so friendly and welcoming that I soon felt very comfortable here.

Unfortunately, my health issues continued and this kept me from completing my orientation.  I suffered with asthma and COPD, struggled with diabetes and I had to get a pacemaker.  Between my hospital stays, I continued to try to complete my orientation.  David Rocheleau, a staff member in the membership unit encouraged me to keep trying.  He continued to tell me that I would finish my orientation, and eventually, after five months, I did.  I chose him as my advisor.  Since I have completed my orientation, and become a member at Genesis, I have not needed to be hospitalized.

I joined the Genesis Club wellness program.  I go three times a week to the gym at Assumption College, and over the last year I have lost 70 lbs.  With everyone’s encouragement, I have changed the way I was eating and quit smoking; I haven’t had a cigarette in over 9 months.    I feel better, have more energy and was even able to dance at our recent holiday party, something I never could have done a year ago.  Every Tuesday I go to the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ meeting, which helps keep me on track. 

I’ve been able to return to work part time, working at a pet store.  On my free days, I come to Genesis Club and help the outreach team.  It feels good to help others, like I was helped, letting people who are in the hospital know there is hope.  I have even started thinking about going back to school. I still have a long way to go but being a part of the Genesis Club and having the supports here I know I can accomplish anything I want in life.  

Everyone has bad days.  You wake up to a flat tire, maybe you can’t find your keys, lose your wallet or purse…everyone has days like this.  This past year things got really bad for me, and I had a bunch of those days all bunched together.  I had gotten injured; shattered my heel.  I wasn’t able to work, and lost my job.  Without income I had to give up my car.  I was extremely worried that I was about to become homeless, and it was just too much for me, and I gave up.  A suicide attempt landed me in the hospital. While I was there I met with members and staff from Genesis Club.  They visit the hospital once a week, to let people know about the clubhouse and offer support to people, like myself, who have gotten too tired to keep trying.

One of the quickest and most intimate ways to get to know our program is through our members.  Their stories of struggle and triumph can be heard during our community outreach "Building Dreams" tours each month.  If you are interested in joining us for an in depth view of our agency please click here for more information.