Hope’s Story
HOPE ENGLAND, FOUNDER & CEO
For those of us who witnessed the on-screen magic of Patch Adams we were in awe of the simple brilliance of Robin Williams, captivated as he used humor to heal amidst incredibly difficult personal experiences. This concept rooted itself in Hope, and years later, led to an unexpected journey. Her outstanding gifts, anti oppressive social justice worldview, deep-rooted empathy, and awareness of suffering have collided, unfolding into a powerful humor-based therapy program.
Meet Hope.
Hope holds a degree in Writing and Producing for Television and Sitcoms from Columbia College Chicago. In addition, she studied Education and Theater at The University of Tennessee, and is also a graduate and former employee of The Second City and The Second City Training Center.
Hope is a practicing psychotherapist and holds her Master’s in Clinical Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Trauma and Crisis Intervention with an emphasis on grief, loss, death, and dying. Hope completed her clinical hours at Riveredge Psychiatric Hospital where she worked with pediatrics and adolescents suffering from trauma and severe mental illness. Hope currently runs therapeutic process groups in addition to seeing individual clients at PsychSomatica.
Hope has extensive experience…
working with children in theatrical and improvisational camps, including The Nashville Children's Theater, Renaissance Center of the Arts, The Second City Training Center Kid's Camp, and Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for those suffering from terminal and chronic illness.
She has been volunteering and incorporating Humor for Hope in Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago.
Hope has also worked with adolescent victims of gun violence through Project FIRE. Project FIRE provides stipends, glass blowing instruction, group counseling, and arts management skills for youth who have experienced gun violence-related trauma.
Hope was a Trauma Intervention Specialist for Healing Hurt People Chicago. Where she provided psycho education, trauma informed care and intensive case management for youth and adolescent victims of traumatic injuries and gang related community violence that were admitted to the ICU and Trauma Unit at Cook County Stroger Hospital and Comer Children's Hospital at The University of Chicago.
Over the past few years, Hope has used her knowledge and talent to create a form of alternative inpatient therapy for trauma survivors as well as chronically and terminally ill children and patients. She believes our connection and humanity is our common thread, and that creating a safe space that fosters and promotes honesty, vulnerability, resiliency and laughter is pivotal in order to thrive.
