Name: Madeleine Annette Pattis
Title: Senior Case Manager, Marjorie Kovler Center – Survivors of Torture Program
Favorite Color: Bright cranberry red
Favorite Food: Pâté en Croûte (A French pastry loaf filled with meat with savory jelly on top. Absolutely delicious and almost impossible to find in the states)
What is your secret talent or favorite thing about yourself? I love music and have been in singing groups most of my life!
How did you get into this work? I first entered the field during my time in college, when I interned and volunteered with refugee resettlement agencies in Chicago and Philadelphia. I developed a passion for working with new arrivals to the United States. My own family has a history of immigration and I am binational myself (American and French), so I felt drawn to working with new arrivals. I started work at Kovler with survivors of torture specifically because I have a passion for forging trusting relationships which is an ethos of healing at the Kovler Center.
Why is this work important to the community and those we serve? This work provides safety to survivors of torture living in Chicago. At the Kovler Center, we work in a supporting environment of caring professionals to welcome new arrivals and connect them with services at Kovler or partner organizations, be it mental health access, primary care, legal advocacy, state benefit programs, and food access just to name a few. Torture often times breaks down social connections between survivors and others in the community. At Kovler, our team’s holistic approach to support and safety creates opportunities for healing and integration.
Was there a moment where you knew you were in the right job? Every interaction I have with participants tells me I am in the right job. When, in non-covid times, I sit with a new participant in the Kovler library, starting our relationship with a conversation and cup of coffee. When a client wins their asylum and calls to share the news, both of us crying from joy on the phone. And also during the difficult times, when applications take too long and waiting is painful. In every instance I am honored to accompany participants through the difficult process of healing and building a life in the United States.
What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is relationship building with participants starting from the first screening. For some participants, we are the first non-adversarial entity they interact with in the United States. We affirm their right to apply for asylum in the U.S. and their right to mental health and physical health access. Previously, participants may have only interacted with detention centers or border patrols agents. I love creating a space in the case management office where participants are empowered to express themselves fully, as there is an energy of safety, compassion, and empathy.
How can others get involved in your work? Kovler at its’ core runs because of an extensive volunteer network. There are so many ways to get involved. If you speak another language, you can interpret during psychiatry or therapy sessions! If you are legal or mental health professional, you can volunteer your services for a Kovler client! Advocate for the rights of asylum seekers in the United States, and an end to torture worldwide. Please reach out if you would like to be involved. We would love to welcome you into our community.
How will you practice self-care or preserve your mental health during the holidays? Any tips for our readers? This holiday season is a new challenge for many of us, but we can be flexible and change our expectations. We can enjoy celebrating with others in different ways. The Kovler community is a source of support for the participants and the employees alike. Family and friends are also an essential community. We are finding ways to celebrate safely. In addition, I like to be practical, so I try to keep a tool-kit of self-care activities for whenever I am feeling low or overwhelmed. Of course there is always exercise, yoga, or reading a good book. But specifically during this pandemic, I have really loved paint by numbers! There are a lot of intricate versions you can order online that come with the paint, canvas, and brush. All you need! So many of us are doing remote work, so this gives my eyes away from a screen and focused on a goal. I play an audiobook or podcast while painting, which allows me to ground myself for hours. Try it out!
