The Fresh Start Approach

The Fresh Start Approach was initiated in 2010 when it became clear to us that more integrated service delivery was necessary for the success of those battling chronic disorganization and hoarding. We developed a model of collaboration that includes two service menus so that clients and providers can each choose what will best meet their needs. These menus are provided below:

Fresh Start Client Menu:

  1. Free 30-minute consultation with a professional organizer to explore the options available to them

  2. In-home professional organizing services that can include planning, assistance with executive functions, de-cluttering, removal of donations, and organizing

  3. Individual psychotherapy that can include CBT and DBT interventions, EMDR, hypnotherapy, and other evidence-based interventions to treat hoarding, depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, and other behavioral health issues

  4. Family psychotherapy to help families work their way through a myriad of complex emotions so they can repair relationships or cooperatively move on

  5. Innovative ten week psychotherapy group we designed specifically to treat people with chronic disorganization or hoarding behaviors. Graduates of this group have access to monthly follow-up psychotherapy groups to maintain progress and continue to make changes

  6. Rise Above Your Stuff workbook to help clients make changes at their own pace on their own

Fresh Start Provider Menu:

  1. Three or Six hour in-person training on chronic disorganization, hoarding, and trauma. This training is tailored to meet the needs of your organization

  2. One or three hour webinar on chronic disorganization, hoarding, and trauma. This training is tailored to meet the needs of your organization

  3. Four hour DVD recording of a previous training for behavioral health professionals on Hoarding and Trauma

  4. Fresh Start Group Training Manual for the ten week Fresh Start group that provides step-by-step guide for therapists and counselors to run the group in their area. All the forms and group handouts are provided. Leader and attendee manuals can either be downloaded and assembled or shipped to you fully assembled for an additional fee

  5. Consultation via phone or Skype to help providers improve their outcomes with clients dealing with chronically disorganization or hoarding
     

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Karen Kruzan, LISW-S, CPO-CD

Ms. Kruzan has spent the past 30 years changing lives. She is the owner of K​2 Organizing, and provides individual therapy, group therapy, and professional organizing to people who are overwhelmed by clutter and disorganization. Ms. Kruzan has been published in the ICD’s Guide to Collaborating with Professional Organizers: For Related Professionals, presented across the country on hoarding, and produced a training video for those working with people who hoard. She was twice the featured organizer on TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive. Ms. Kruzan is a Hoarding and Chronic Disorganization Specialist, as well as a member of National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD), and National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

Speaking

Dr. Dennison and Ms. Kruzan are available for speaking, training and consulting. Both have appeared as speakers at NASW, NAPO, and other regional, national, and international venues. Customize your training or choose from previous topics:

Hoarding

Trauma

Compassion fatigue

chronic disorganization

ethics

supervision

time management





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Barbara Jo Dennison PhD, LISW-S

Dr. Dennison received her doctorate in psychology from California Southern University and her undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work from The Ohio State University. She is the owner of Dennison & Associates, Inc. a wellness firm in Powell, Ohio. She has served as a field instructor for Capital University and for The Ohio State University. She has over 30 years of professional experience working with families in crisis situations, and first responders after traumatic events. In the early 80’s she was trained in the trauma based technique of Critical Incident Stress Management. She is a certified EMDR therapist and hypnotherapist. In 2005, she wrote a white paper on the Treatments for Secondary Traumatic Stress and lectures on how to become resilient after traumatic events change life. In 2013 she recorded a professional training DVD on “The Many Faces of Hoarding and Trauma”. She was a featured psychotherapist on TLC’s Hoarding Buried Alive. Dr. Dennison is a professional member of: National Association of Social Workers, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing International Association, Institute for Hypnotherapy, Institute For Challenging Disorganization, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, National Association of Professional Women and a board member for The Powell Chamber of Commerce.She is a published author, has developed a greeting card line of gratitude cards, recorded a “Meditations of Gratitude” CD sold on Amazon.com. Four times per year, she provides a day retreat; teaching coping mechanisms to mitigate the effects of primary and secondary stress for helping profession

Hoarding Task Force of Columbus and Franklin County

Why have a hoarding task force?

​Hoarding is a complex problem that affects communities and often requires a coordinated, integrated response. People may gather newspapers, magazines, empty containers, old clothing, rotting foods, and animals. In some cases, there may be safety and sanitation concerns that may affect the greater community.

The large amounts of items that a person gathers may:
· cause a severe fire hazard
· block fire escapes from the house
· encourage insects or rodents in the neighborhood
· cause unhealthy living conditions in the neighborhood
· signal neglect of animals or people
· cause building code violations or structural damage
· cause sanitation or odor nuisances

Although hoarding is a community concern, it is also a personal and mental health issue. No one wants to force change, but sometimes it is unavoidable. The Hoarding Task Force wants to encourage people to reach out for help. Assessments are available to help people decide if help is needed and what might be the best approach.

​The Task Force is a collaboration between the following agencies and organizations:

· ADAMH

· Bio One

· Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA)

· City of Columbus Code Enforcement

· Columbus City Attorney

· Columbus Fire Department

· Columbus Housing

· Columbus Humane Society

· Columbus Police Department

· Columbus Public Health

· County Public Health

·Environmental Court

· Franklin County Veterans Services Commission

· K2 Organizing & Psychotherapy

· Lifecare Alliance

· Senior Options

· Southeast

· Veterans Administration