About
Alma Center Mission & Vision
The Alma Center works to heal, transform and evolve the unresolved pain of trauma that fuels the continuation of cycles of violence, abuse and dysfunction in families and community. We work primarily with men at-risk or involved in the criminal justice system, with a particular focus on men who have a history of domestic violence.
Our vision is that healing-focused care becomes a leading approach for re-imagining the criminal justice system, particularly in regard to intervention and prevention of family violence, and moves the system toward more restorative and effective models.
Alma Center Staff, December 2017
Our Core Values
Create, nurture and sustain a healing, peaceful and positive environment at the Alma Center based in practicing (offering personal example) and teaching (motivating others to practice) transformation of oppression in all its forms (e.g., misogyny, sexism, racism, homophobia); healing from trauma; and recovering individual life purpose.
Work willingly, honestly and courageously on your own journey of healing and overcoming oppression to ensure that your personal issues/triggers do not interfere with your ability to be fully present, compassionate, sincere and appropriate in your interactions, mentoring/ teaching and expectations of the men.
Reentry Services Team, March 2018
Alma Center History
The Alma Center, Inc. launched in 2004 as an evidence-based trauma-informed alternative to prevailing punitive methods of working with domestic violence offenders. Founded by Terri Strodthoff, PhD, the organization continues to use an innovative healing approach that recognizes domestic violence is a cycle, a cycle that can be broken.
For 14 years, the agency has worked with more than 5,000 men through a pioneering healing-focused approach, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children. Alma Center’s community-based programming helps adult males with violent histories become caring fathers, partners, husband, and community advocates. A recent outcome study found that completion of AC’s core program, Men Ending Violence, is associated with an 86% decrease in repeat domestic violence offenses. In addition to measuring recidivism rates, we focus on the impact we have on individuals like James Cross, who was profiled by a local television station. Click to watch Part I and Part II.
Dr. Strodthoff, Shawn Smith and other staff are frequent presenters at local and national conferences on trauma-informed care. Our training component, the Alma Institute offers training in healing-focused care cultural humility, motivational interviewing, and emotional wellness.
If you support the mission and vision of the Alma Center and would like to get involved, please send us your resume and a cover letter stating what type of work you’re interested in and why this appeals to you. We may not be hiring at this particular time, but this work requires a special kind of fit, and we’d love to get connected with others who share similar passions and values. Please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] to start the conversation. Or, if you would simply like to volunteer to help, also write to [email protected].