What is Relational Poverty and how do we combat disconnectedness?

August is nearly halfway gone, can you believe it?! Back to school time is ramping up and we have lots going on at SARCC. First, a celebratory announcement! Please join […]

August is nearly halfway gone, can you believe it?! Back to school time is ramping up and we have lots going on at SARCC.

First, a celebratory announcement! Please join me in congratulating Clarissa Geary on her promotion to Director of Prevention & Outreach! Clarissa is taking over leadership and supervision for our entire prevention team. Her years of experience and expertise will serve her and the team well in this position.

Here are a few updates and our weekly blog post provided by one of our counselor advocates, Tatianna Garcia.

If there is one thing that I have learned since becoming a Counselor/Advocate, it is absolutely that connection, or a lack thereof, is at the center of every human experience. In fact, one of the first things I do with clients is identify their support system. If they lack one, we find out how to build one. The impression that modern society gives us is that we are the most connected to our fellow humans than we have ever been before. And in terms of exposure and knowledge access, that may be true. Would you believe me if I told you that we are also the most disconnected we have ever been? Crazy, right? To think that in a world where you can find anyone on the internet and connect with them across continents and oceans, yet we are the most isolated we have ever been?

In What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph. D., there’s a chapter titled Relational Hunger in the Modern World where the idea of relational poverty is discussed at length. So what is it? Relational poverty is the idea that not having meaningful support or connections to other humans can lead to many other issues that span across mental, physical, social, and economical well-being. Dr. Perry states: “Disconnection and loneliness in our society are playing a major role in the increased anxiety, sleep problems, substance use, and depression we’re seeing.” All of which we know can also affect non-mental facets of well-being. Disconnectedness keeps us in cycles of depression or feeling unhealed.

So what do we do about it? Luckily, over the last few years, and ESPECIALLY since the pandemic, Lebanon County has come together to better promote the opportunities for connection the exist within the county and also create more. Whether you are new to the area or have been here since the first-ever Lebanon Bologna Drop, there are so many ways to get connected. Don’t know if there is an opportunity for connection that suits you? Create your own. It doesn’t have to be an event with hundreds of people. Simply having a neighborhood dance party or gathering for a fun day of board games is all it takes to build protection against relational poverty. Go to lunch with Grandma and leave your phone in the car. Building one connection is the steppingstone to building more. Once you find the people who were meant to be in your circle, the game completely changes. There are various interest- or identity-based opportunities for connection. Here are just a few:

Big Brothers Big Sisters

746 Cumberland St, Suite F

Lebanon PA 17042

717-272-4443

Lebanon@capbigs.org

Lebanon County Youth Advisory Board

Contact Caitlin Lockard at clockard@sarccheals.org

Girl Club (Social group for adult women)

Join the Facebook group to stay up to date on all events/gatherings

Mornings Out!

Next event is August 6th at Funck’s in Palmyra @ 8:30am

RSVP by calling the Lebanon County Senior Community Center Program at 717-273-9262