This past November marked the first anniversary of Ruth Place. This first-of-its-kind model community recovery program addresses chronic and complex trauma rooted in sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, incest, and sexual trafficking.  Located in South Scottsdale on the campus of Scottsdale United Methodist Church, Ruth Place’s unique curriculum was created by program director Camea Peca, PhD, MSc of the Arizona Trauma Institute, who has grown the program tenfold over the past 12 months.   

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Ruth Place’s unique approach emphasizes wellness instead of the pathology of trauma symptoms. The structured program is designed to help survivors recognize that trauma is an injury, not an illness, and symptoms such as anxiety and depression are the body’s natural and predictable responses to trauma.  Program participants learn self-regulation skills that allow them to heal, and to lean into their aspirations rather than just get through each day.

“Our bedrock belief is that survivors are not broken, and their symptoms are not evidence of brokenness,” shared Dr. Peca. “We know that anxiety and depression are natural and predictable neurobiological responses to traumatic stress, and they can be overcome. One year out, we are seeing this happen for real on a weekly basis.  “Survivors” are becoming “Thrivers,” and I am so proud.”  

Ruth Place was founded in the Valley by the National Council for Jewish Women Arizona after Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and then Deputy Secretary of State Allie Bones recognized the need for a program to address the gap in trauma services for sexual violence survivors. They approached NCJW AZ President Civia Tamarkin with the concept, as the organization has long been recognized and responded to Arizona’s community needs for decades.  NCJW AZ’s past projects have included establishing Jewish Family and Children’s Services, the Child Crisis Center, and the state’s Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program.

“Ruth is Hebrew for a compassionate friend, which is why the name Ruth Place was chosen,” said Tamarkin. “At the one-year mark, our most ambitious project has truly made a meaningful difference in so many lives and empowered people to move forward and grow beyond their trauma. Ruth Place, our bold and innovative sexual assault trauma recovery and healing center, is here to stay.”    

“Congratulations to Ruth Place and NCJW AZ on one year of operations!”  said Gallego in a note to the Ruth Place team. “Thank you for providing a beautiful, healing environment where survivors rediscover their life ambitions and are supported to pursue them.”

Ruth Place is not a medical program and thus is not covered by health insurance. Each of the three eight-week programs costs $600 per person, but no one is ever turned away for lack of money.  It operates on a sliding scale, and donations and sponsorships cover the costs for participants who cannot afford it.