Mental Health A Senior
Resume:
Rafael M. Goodman
**************@*****.***
July 31, 2025
To Whom it May Concern:
As a community leader, I have been trained in creating and facilitating workshops on various topics that are both intersectional and healing. For nine years, I served as the Project Organizer and Newsletter Editor-in-Chief for the Prison Literacy Project at SCI Graterford. I was also a Senior Facilitator and Committee member with the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) at SCI Graterford. During my time with AVP I facilitated 18 3-day workshops about cooperation, active listening, and working to resolve conflict creatively and nonviolently; and facilitated workshops training others from around the world to do the same.
I have over 10 years of experience developing and managing projects with the Restorative Justice Project (RJP), now called Circle Up at SCI Graterford in which I worked with members of the Haverford College community. As a Senior Member of the RJP Steering Committee, my responsibilities included community outreach, developing and facilitating workshops, training facilitators (both incarcerated and non-incarcerated), and working within the confines of prison rules and regulations and with a minimum budget.
I was also Secretary of the NAACP Youth Committee Graterford Chapter for 5 years. My efforts there were focused on working with SCI-Graterford's youths between 18-30. We developed and facilitated workshops in which we focused on an easier transition into meaningful prison life. For the last 12 years, my employment has been as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS). I am trained in Suicide Prevention, developing and teaching Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP), and most importantly Trauma Informed Approaches. I work with the incarcerated population who are struggling with acute mental health diagnoses. I have been able to use my training in compassionate listening and communication to help empower other men incarcerated in PADOC. Additionally, I am well versed in Microsoft Office and can type 80-100 words a minute. I am highly dedicated to putting my all into anything I do and am a fast and willing learner. I am interested in pursuing jobs that will allow me to serve my community in any of the ways I have already been for the last 2 decades. Your organization is exactly the kind of work that allows me to do so. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my qualifications and I look forward to speaking more about this position. I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely,
Rafael Goodman
Rafael M. Goodman
**************@*****.***
Organized/Leadership/Management/Mental
Health/Fitness/Nutrition/Motivated/Writer/Facilitator/Workshop Creator/Creative/Child Abuse Clearance
Education
Villanova University
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts, 3.87 GPA 2017
● Coursework includes: History & Sociology of American Education, Social Psychology, Philosophy of Social Venture, Public Speaking, and Class, Race, and Social Transformation Temple University School of Criminal Justice
Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program 2009
● Completed a weekly participatory course with outside students about the criminal justice system Professional Experience
Mural Arts Philadelphia
Rec Crew Member 2024-present
● Paint and install murals around the city on rec centers, inside schools, and many other public spaces.
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Certified Peer Specialist 2012-2024
● Work individually with incarcerated men who are experiencing acute mental health crises. .
● Run therapy groups on mental health topics including safe and healthy decision-making, emotional regulation, basic life skills, and more. Literacy Tutor 2004-2012
● Taught incarcerated students GED-level reading, writing, science, social studies, and math. Vocational Tutor 2006-2008
● Facilitated learning of basic carpentry principles, electronics, and warehousing.
● Taught computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite, touch typing, and automated accounting. K-Mart
Head Shipping and Receiving Manager 2000-2001
Burger King
Assistant Manager 1999-2001
Certifications
OSHA Certifications
● Mandated Forklift Training and Licensing 2014
● General Industry Safety and Health, Card #: 15-701******-**** Rafael M. Goodman
**************@*****.***
Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth
Basic Literacy Tutoring
● Re-certification 2011
● Initial certification 2003
National Occupational Competency Testing Institute Certifications
● Retail Trades and Business Information Processing 2008
● Advanced Accounting 2008
● Basic Accounting 2007
Volunteer Experience
Prison Literacy Project
Organizer & Editor in Chief for quarterly newsletter 2008-2017
● Scheduled one-on-one tutoring sessions for incarcerated people.
● Developed book clubs & creative writing workshops.
● Wrote articles, recruited other writers, edited all articles prior to publishing, edited & approved the final draft of each newsletter.
Alternatives to Violence Project
Facilitator & Committee Member 2010-2014
● Facilitated 18 3-day workshops about principles of cooperation, listening, communication, creative & nonviolent conflict resolution, and community building. Restorative Justice Project
Facilitator & Committee Member 2010-2014
● Facilitated 15 10-week basic, advanced, and topical Restorative Justice workshops.
● Developed new workshops, created the Restorative Justice manual.
● Received training in keeping circles and led trainings for new facilitators. Training & Professional Development
Wellness Recovery Action Plan Training 2019
● Develop recovery plans, including recognizing triggers, high-risk factors, & warning signs.
● Practice empowering people to develop individual strategies to move through recovery stages. Trauma-Informed Approach Training 2019
● Gained an understanding of my own trauma and how to empathize with the trauma of others in order to communicate more effectively with people dealing with trauma. Suicide Prevention Training 2015 & 2019
● Trained in detecting early suicide warning signs, with a specific focus on the first 24 hours following initial suicidal ideation.
Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) Training
AVP Senior Facilitator Apprenticeship & Induction 2013
● Facilitated two workshops to train other facilitators Compassionate Listening Training 2012
Rafael M. Goodman
**************@*****.***
● Facilitated 2 18-hour workshops teaching essential listening and communication skills
● Trained other facilitators in compassionate listening AVP Facilitator Training 2011
● Facilitated three basic advanced-level workshops Restorative Justice Project
Facilitator Training 2011
● Trained in conducting 10 week advanced and basic courses about Restorative Justice
● Course topics covered include victimization, accountability, empathy, labeling language, forgiveness, and leadership
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