为纪念

玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯

2月. 1948年至2018年7月7日

We know that many of you were touched by Mariah’s Life of Love, for everyone and everything. We want to make certain that our entire SJI Community knows about 玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯...亲爱的朋友和SJI顾问委员会的成员.

As a leader in the world of clinical social work and an innovative organizational builder and administrator, 玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯(2月2日. (1948年7月2日至2018年7月7日)改变了许多人的生活. 这样做的时候, Mariah laid the foundation of a visionary treatment approach upon which others could build.

职业生涯突出

玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯，M.S.S., L.C.S.W., B.C.D., had a long and inspirational career as a clinical social worker practitioner and trainer. Mariah was committed to the belief that how to address emotional trauma in order to live fruitfully was so important that it should not be reserved exclusively for professionals. She knew that her theory of practice needed to be shared with the general population. 有了这个意图, 1974年，玛丽亚成立了巴克斯县研究所, to provide a model of psychotherapy that was not illness based, 而是把每个客户都看成是她所说的, “有机体的智慧”.” This perspective and practice were grounded in the understanding that the client had the inherent capacity to know more about what she or he needed by way of help and support. 玛丽亚称之为“基于需求”的心理治疗模式. 在玛丽亚看来, 她的客户没有遇到问题, they were simply reaching for ways to fulfill their needs for good health and for the capacity to live fully.

In 1981, 玛丽亚被诊断患有肌萎缩性侧索硬化症(ALS)。, 通常被称为卢伽雷氏症. ALS是一种致命的, neuro-degenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways to the brain and spinal cord. At that time three prominent neurologists gave her a 10 percent chance of surviving two years. 然而，玛丽亚战胜了困难. Very fortunately it was this approach in working with others to focus on “有机体的智慧”” that carried Mariah herself forward, 在接下来的37年里，生活充实，工作稳定.

In 1985, Mariah developed what became her signature model Arrive Already Loved™, 建立一个的方法 self-relationship that is supportive and compassionate as a source of sustenance during personal and interpersonal challenges.

In 2006, recognizing the need for more inclusiveness in the area of 个人成长, 玛丽亚成立了玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯基金会, 一个提供免费生活技能培训的非营利组织, 个人成长, 教育, 以及心理治疗咨询项目和研讨会. The Foundation’s original mission remains: “To provide free programs that offer concrete tools for inner growth and healing to underserved communities.” Central to the Foundation’s programs is resiliency - adapting well in the face of adversity through an understanding of and reliance on your own strengths and abilities. So as Mariah always said, wherever we go, we are “arriving already loved."

基金会也相信合作的力量. It has partnered with many organizations bringing programs to a broad and diverse audience. These collaborations included: Center For Non-Violence and Social Justice, 路德宗DC会议, 肌肉萎缩症协会, 反击组织, 营的追梦人, 好悲伤, 关怀护理渐冻症, 利哈伊谷医院烧伤中心, 和宾夕法尼亚州立大学. 在伯克斯县和布林茅尔学院.

Mariah was a member of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work and the National Association of Social Workers and attained the title of Board Certified Diplomate Social Worker. 2008年，她出版了她的书， 一个受伤的治疗者的故事:创造治疗的确切时刻, the first manual of Gestalt Therapy for mental health clinicians and non-clinicians alike.

In 2017, 玛丽亚发表了鼓舞人心的演讲, 到达已爱™, to 1,200人参加TEDx演讲, 在阿斯伯里公园, NJ. Mariah’s tenacity and courage to go forward continuously with strength and determination even within the debilitating confines of ALS actually transformed that disease into a provocative catalyst for her own wisdom. 玛丽亚·芬顿·格拉迪斯 will long be remembered as a true trailblazer, a woman with foresight who lived every moment reflecting the amazing capacity of the human spirit.

重大成就及奖项

Mariah was named Social Worker of the Year in Pennsylvania in 2001, and received an Advocacy Award from Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association for her work as a lobbyist to Congress in D.C. 我代表病人和他们的家人. In 2001, Mariah was also the keynote speaker at the Curt Schilling ALS Annual Benefit Dinner.

In 2006, Mariah received the International Stevie Award For Women In Business for Lifetime Achievement. In 2007, she presented a lecture and a workshop at the Mind-Body-Spirit Expo in Pennsylvania, 关于同情和宽恕的价值. 同年, Mariah presented a symposium on “The Value of Hope” to the staff of the National ALS Association in Los Angeles, Ca.

2008年10月, Mariah conducted a free workshop for women at Miraval Spa in Tucson, 亚利桑那州, 题为“拥抱健康”,来庆祝乳腺癌宣传月. 也是在2008年, she was awarded the prestigious Living Legacy Award by the Women’s International Center in San Diego, CA., celebrating the accomplishments and positive and lasting contributions of women. Former recipients of the award include Maya Angelou and Mother Teresa. In 2009, Mariah was named one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business by Governor Edward Rendell and five Pennsylvania business journals.

在她的专业工作中, Mariah was known as one who shared her knowledge and love openly on a community level as well. In 2015, Mariah was the keynote speaker for the 8th Annual Delaware Valley 肌肉萎缩症协会’s Muscle Summit. In 2016, she was honored as one of the 100 Distinguished Alums of the 社会工作与社会研究研究生院 100th Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia. 在她2018年去世的几天前, she was awarded the 157th Legislative District’s Extraordinary Woman Award, 由宾夕法尼亚州代表提出, 沃伦的奋斗.