About Us

Empowering Families in Crisis

Founded in 1994, Summit International, our parent organization, was awarded our 501(c)3 status. In 2007, LYDIA, Inc. became a goal. In 2015, LYDIA, Inc. became a reality through Summit International.
In New Mexico, we are Summit International dba LYDIA, Inc.

Support at LYDIA

LYDIA, Inc. is empowering families in crisis through non-medical case management, life skills classes, and our Suits You business closet.

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Our Board

Dr. Michael F. Commini. Founding member. Executive Director: Summit International.

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Our Staff

image of emma snows Emma Shows, Director. MA-HS. BS. BA. Founder and creator of LYDIA, Inc. Ms. Shows specializes in marriage and family relationships. Her heart is focused on strengthening community ties and building support between personal and city-wide community.

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Our Staff

Jennifer Hoffer. Compliance officer. Author.

FAQs

What does a case manager do?

A case manager coordinates services and supports to help you live successfully in the community. Your case manager helps you set goals for your life and arranges benefits and services. Depending on your situation, a case manager may also help with practical needs such as grocery shopping, budgeting, taking care of yourself or getting along with family and friends. A case manager helps you complete paperwork, maintains a database – or a file – of services you receive through community organizations, important dates (such as your review with Income Support), and important people (other case managers in organizations from which you are receiving services). (NAMI.org)

Case managers should deliver as much of the “help” or service as possible, rather than making referrals to multiple formal services.

1) Natural community resources are the primary partners (eg, landlords, employers, teachers, art clubs, etc).

2) Work is in the community.

3) Both individual and team case management works.

4) Case managers have primary responsibility for a person’s services.

5) Case managers can be para-professionals. Supervisors should be experienced and fully credentialed.

6) Caseload size should be small enough to allow for a relative high frequency of contact (no more than 20:1).

7) Case management service should be time-unlimited, if necessary.

8) People need access to familiar persons 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

9) Case managers should foster choice. (health.gov.au)

What are career services?

With career services, your case manager, life coach, career coach or mentor will help you assess your strengths, your educational needs, your goals, and what area of employment best suits your needs. Your career services manager will help you find employment with LYDIA, through one of our partner programs, or even help you write and tweak your resume.

What is life coaching – and why do I need it?

According to an article published on askmen.com, “A life coach is more of a partnership than anything else. It is a support system with one goal in mind: improving your quality of life.” A life coach is a cheerleader, an encourager, a compass, and a team player. The life coach will cheer the client on to make necessary changes, overcome hurdles, and continue moving forward. The life coach will encourage the client when stressed, overwhelmed, discouraged and feeling hopeless. The life coach will remind the client what the goals are and help the client stay on track on achieving those goals. The life coach will work with the client to set goals and develop a plan for the client to meet goals, set new goals, and continue forward. Life coaches are held to the strictest confidentiality, not discussing or sharing client information outside the coach and coach supervisor, unless otherwise directed by a court of law.

There are many differing opinions on what a life coach is; but as a whole, society can agree on one specific “not”. A life coach is not a counselor, nor is s/he licensed to counsel. (Though to clarify, some licensed counselors DO become coaches. Richard Nongard stresses the importance of keeping the counseling and coaching relationships separate.)

Doctor Catherine Weber (licensed clinical psychologist), said that a coach’s role is “coming alongside an individual to help them discover new ways of achieving life goals” while encouraging his/her personal creativity. It is a “drawing out” what the individual already knows but keeps locked away inside. It can be locked away due to that self-limiting fear or it can be locked away because one doesn’t know how to reach it.

A life coach keeps the client focused on a future-forward path, providing a solution-focused or action-focused perception of the individual’s current and desired path (or life choice, or personal issue). A life coach comes alongside the client and helps them realize their dreams, hopes, and even their fears – realizing their dreams and hopes by setting goals and realistic expectations on how to achieve them while also helping them overcome their self-limiting fears. Goal setting and staying focused is done through many ways, primarily that of holding the client accountable, providing homework and assessments, and checking in with the client.

What kind of training is required to become a certified credentialed life coach? Several agencies or businesses claim to provide the appropriate training necessary. And there is not any one governing board or credentialing agency; though the International Coach Federation has worked hard and with thousands of coaches to create a good standing, even providing a code of ethics to which credentialed coaches are held.

Just as licensed counselors are to maintain a high standard and abide by a code of ethics, life coaches need to set high standards for themselves and maintain their own personal integrity. Just as counselors are to hold themselves accountable, so must also the life coach. Just as a counselor must be trustworthy, so must a life coach. And just as a counselor is to continue learning and growing, so must a life coach. This will prove the trustworthiness, the value, and the integrity of the life coach.

***Disclaimer***

Ms. Shows is a certified life coach (not a licensed counselor) undergoing further training through the American Association of Christian Counselor’s coach training program and a certified meditation and self-hypnosis instructor through the International Certification Board of Clinical Hypnotherapists. This article is a summary and review of her understanding of the materials presented.

What is Suits You?

LYDIA provides a free business apparel closet through which clients will receive one complete business suit including a jacket, slacks, button-up or blouse, shoes, briefcase or purse, belt, and accessories (such as a tie pin, cufflinks, broach, and/or handkerchief). A client may opt to choose 3 shirts and 1-2 pairs of slacks in lieu of the accessories.

What classes and workshops do you offer? Is there a fee?

Currently, we do not charge for our classes and workshops. A donation may be made to cover expenses such as materials and supplies.

Classes or workshops we offer include but are not limited to: life skills classes: basic cooking instruction (reading a recipe and following directions while practicing safety in the kitchen), personal management, and coping techniques for stress in day-to-day life.

Connections – Networking: How does it work?

Your case manager and/or career services manager will help you find and make connections for employment opportunities. Your case manager will work with you to build or strengthen a good support system within your community, including your social sphere of friends, family, church or clubs.

Where are you located and can anyone get help?

We are located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s a great place to come visit.

Currently, our life coaching services are available long-distance via telephone, Skype, FaceTime, or Google+.

Media is available for download or purchase.

Call or email info@lydiainc.org to discuss workshops or classes in your area.

How can you charge for the services you offer?

We’re a non-profit, offering free services such as: Suits You, case management, and classes and workshops. The only service we charge for is life coaching. We believe that clients who make a financial investment in their families and futures see a stronger outcome and experience success at a greater rate than someone who doesn’t make that same investment.

But I can’t afford to pay your prices.

Call us anyway. We’ll be able to come to an agreement or help you with a referral for other services.

Do you accept donations?

Yes. Gently used or new clothing, hangers, costume jewelry, shoes, and other accessories may be dropped off by calling 505-913-7160 to schedule an appointment.

Questions are the root of all answers.
Don’t Be Shy!