Spanish Speakers Needed for Prison Psychoeducation Program at Lompoc Penitentiary
Join the Effort: Facilitate Healing at Lompoc Penitentiary
Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Lizzie Rodriguez and Mary Watkins have launched Houses of Healing, a transformative psychoeducation program at Lompoc Penitentiary. We are currently seeking a compassionate, Spanish-speaking individual—whether a student, volunteer, faculty member, or alumnus—who is interested in learning how to facilitate this impactful program. Even one dedicated person can make a world of difference!
Why Your Help Matters
Last year, the demand for Houses of Healing among Spanish-speaking men was overwhelming. While we managed to work with a small group using a translator, this approach isn’t sustainable for larger groups. The good news? The program sparked significant interest, and now we have many eager participants—but no Spanish-speaking facilitator to guide them.
An Opportunity to Make a Difference
This is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience supporting incarcerated men, many of whom face the added fear of deportation upon release. As a facilitator, you’ll play a vital role in their journey of healing and self-discovery. Plus, you’ll receive full mentorship and guidance throughout the process.
The Houses of Healing Program is a powerful 13-session social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum explicitly created for incarcerated individuals. The centerpiece of the program is the book, Houses of Healing: A Prisoners Guide to Inner Power and Freedom, designed to offer skillful guidance and equip participants with the tools to:
- Learn emotion regulation, stress-management techniques, and mindfulness meditation
- Acquire cognitive-behavioral skills to reframe challenging situations and alter life-long patterns of violence and addiction
- Acknowledge, work with, and heal childhood trauma
- Transform anger, resentment, and unhealthy guilt and shame
- Explore and heal grief
- Acknowledge the impact of crime, build victim awareness, and take responsibility for offending behavior
- Work with and adopt forgiveness as a practical strategy
Program Details
- Houses of Healing is a 13-week course.
- Sessions are held once a week for 1.5–2 hours.
- Flexibility is built in—you can skip a week if you’re out of town.
If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact and gain invaluable training, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can bring hope and healing to those who need it most.
Who does the Houses of Healing help?
Houses of Healing is specifically written to address the emotional, social, behavioral, and spiritual growth and development of those involved in the criminal justice system. The Houses of Healing Program offers a transformative approach to helping individuals create lives of purpose and dignity whether they remain inside the prison walls or return to the community.
If you are interested in joining the effort please email Mary Watkins at watkinsmarym@gmail.com
