Page Title

Nirvana Now!

CeCe

Norwood

, MA

CeCe Norwood’s career dates back to 1981 when she obtained her Bachelors
Degree in Criminal Justice. In 1982 she earned her Masters of Arts
Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has used her degree in a variety of
nonprofit and for profit positions working with individuals who have
disabilities which impacts upon quality of life and/or ability to work. Ms.
Norwood operated her own rehabilitation case management firm, C.A.N.
Rehabilitation Consultants, in 1989 through 2001. Her firm contracted with
business and industry to develop disability management programs and as
partners in workers’ compensation programs. Businesses she has worked with
include Pepsi Cola, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Social Security
Administration, Super Valu Foods, Franciscan Health Care System of
Cincinnati, Hobart, and Biggs Super Stores.

In 1985 she began her college level teaching career. Ms. Norwood has
taught a variety of humanities and business courses including sociology,
psychology, business ethics, business communications, group dynamics and
problem solving, and effective public speaking.

In 1989 Ms. Norwood began directly working on child welfare type issues
when she established the African American Women’s Coalition. The primary
purpose of the organization was to conduct crucial research on the African
American woman’s experiences with incest and child sexual abuse. The name
of the organization was changed in 1999 to Nirvana Now! to reflect the
inner struggle of survivors and the consistent message received from
individuals that inner peace was elusive in their lives. In addition to
research projects, the breath of services offered by the organization has
expanded to included facilitation of survivor support groups, publication of
articles, and in 2008 publication of Ms. Norwood's book There IS
Happiness After Incest And Child Sexual Abuse.

1992, Ms. Norwood became an adoptive parent and has since learned the
intricacies of the child welfare system. She has an intimate understanding of
foster care and adoption issues for adults as well as the children. Ms.
Norwood and her daughter have been involved with Children’s Services
recruitment activities of minority foster and adoptive parents as well as
presenters at requested events.

Ms. Norwood completed the 36-hour counselor certification course offered
by the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association while working as a Counselor
in a domestic violence shelter for women and children. This work allowed her
to utilize her counseling and workshop facilitation skills and better
understand the devastating effects of domestic violence on women and
children. Also, in this position she was a member of the Sexual Assault
Response Team (SART).

Ms. Norwood is a certified trainer for the Institute for Human Services
where she trains caregivers and professionals on a variety of child welfare
issues. She has been certified by the Institute for Human Services to teach
the pre-service training for foster and adoptive parents since 2000.
Additionally, Ms. Norwood is certified to teach IHS standardized
curriculums, one of which Ms. Norwood was a co-writer (Single But Never
Alone...Single Parent Adoptions). She has developed several other
workshops for professionals, foster, kinship, and adoptive parents within her
expertise. She is also a certified trainer of "Bridges Out of Poverty and
Getting By In a Just Gettin' By World" curriculums.

On May 12, 2004, Ms. Norwood’s article “Incest and Child Sexual Abuse
ARE Alive and Well In The Black Community” was published in The
Sojourner’s Truth Newspaper. The Toledo Journal republished this article
in April of 2006. Also in 2006, The Sojourner’s Truth Newspaper
published Ms. Norwood’s article “Child Abuse and Black Folks. “ Moreover,
Ms. Norwood was chosen to speak on incest and child sexual abuse in the
African American community at the Center For Disease Control and U.S.
Department of Justice 3rd National Sexual Violence Prevention Conference
in Los Angeles, California on May 27, 2004 before a national audience of
researchers, advocates, and practitioners. On May 11, 2005 Ms. Norwood
was requested to present her workshop “Parenting Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual,
Transgender, and Questioning Youth at the National Foster Parent
Association Conference in Orange County, California. .In 2005, she co-
presented her workshop “Diagnosis vs. Disabilities” at the Michigan Head
Start Conference. She has also presented at several statewide foster and
adoption conferences.

Ms. Norwood consults with Lucas County Children Services Independent
Living Program in their endeavored to enhance their caregiver, staff, and
youth training programs. In 2008 she participated in a ground breaking
research project with Ohio State University evaluating opinions and needs
of independent youth in Lucas County, the result of which will be published
later 2008.

In 2008 CeCe received the Lucas County CASA 2008 Rising Star Award
which recognizes CASAs with up to two years of volunteer service for their
contribution to the lives of abused and neglected children.

Ms. Norwood is dedicated to assisting parents, and caregivers develop the
skill level necessary to parent abused and neglected children involved with
the child welfare system. She is also excited about working with
professionals to develop the understanding and skill level necessary to work
with families and children who have multiple needs and who may be of a
different racial or cultural group and/or socioeconomic status.

Ms. Norwood is equally dedicated to assisting survivors of incest and child
sexual abuse receive the assistance they need the claim the happiness they
deserve in their lives.

Choosing Inner Peace For You

FOUNDER BIOGRAPHY