SAN ANTONIO — Since 2003 the San Antonio Clubhouse has been a lifeline for people living with mental illnesses.
- Clubhouse to open new location in Highland Park
- New location will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Group has helped thousands of people
Thousands of people have found help and now the Clubhouse is expanding its reach.
"I was very depressed, I would sleep all day, watch TV all day, Facebook, social media,” said Cierra Nicol.
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Since this past January, Cierra Nicol has been a member of the San Antonio Clubhouse. She says it has helped her gain her life back.
Photo of San Antonio Clubhouse’s Highland Park location (Spectrum News)
"It just changed how I viewed my life and it helped me become my old self again,” she said.
That's why she and a lot of other members are excited to see a second location open.
The Clubhouse is working with Baptist Temple Church to make the new spot in Highland Park happen.
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It will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays during the day.
"San Antonio is a big city and we have a presence on Frederickburg and 410 which is a much larger facility. We have anywhere between 50 and 70 people that come a day. Some of our members commute up to four hours a day to and from the Clubhouse,” said Executive Director Mark Stoeltje.
Photo of San Antonio Clubhouse’s Highland Park location (Spectrum News)
Services are free and last year alone the non-profit had more than 2,000 members. They learn life and job skills, wellness, and have access to resources and healthy food.
"So there are about two-thirds of people who are living with a diagnosable mental illness who don't seek treatment and a large part of that is because of stigma,” Stoeltje said.
According to Clubhouse research, 91 percent of people reported a reduced need for psychiatric intervention and 84 percent reported fewer run-ins with law enforcement.
"If I didn't have the Clubhouse, I would probably end up in jail,” Nicol said.
Instead of jail, Nicol is thriving and now has a Clubhouse leadership role helping other people.
"Everyone here is like my family and I couldn't be more happy than to call them my family,” she said.