GOLD2023

DE-Cruit Inc

Treating trauma through Shakespeare and Science

NEW YORK, NY   |  www.decruit.org

Mission

DE-CRUIT is an interdisciplinary, trauma-informed program designed to help military veterans overcome the obstacles of transitioning from military service back into their communities.

Ruling year info

2017

Founder

Stephan Wolfert

Co Principal Officer

Alisha Ali Ph.D.

Main address

64 Bleecker Street 162

NEW YORK, NY 10012 USA

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EIN

82-1087937

NTEE code info

Theater (A65)

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (E01)

Citizen Participation (W24)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

DeCruit

DE-CRUIT uses routinized techniques derived from principles of classical actor training (e.g., experiential analysis, symbolic representation, spoken verse) to transform military camaraderie into camaraderie among treatment group members to communalize the process of healing from the trauma of war. The DE-CRUIT model combines these techniques with treatment elements from two state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) (which focuses on re-construal of traumatic events and accompanying reactions to enhance an individual’s sense of mastery and safety); and Narrative Therapy (which involves the externalization of previously-internalized narratives and a re-examination of habitual reactions to trauma-based triggers). This integrative model is comprised of three major components, each of which is an extension of existing evidence-based treatment principles that are readily adapted for use with military veterans. These components are as follows:

Unit Cohesion: Unit cohesion is a bond that is formed among members of a military unit. Because this sense of cohesion becomes so engrained in soldiers, returning veterans often feel untethered upon returning to civilian life when their unit members are no longer alongside them. The DE-CRUIT program adopts the notion of military cohesion as a mechanism to foster bonding among group members and creates a sense of connection grounded in the participating veterans’ shared expression of trauma and in their shared goal of adopting the routines of the DE-CRUIT method. These routines include daily breathing exercises, practice in finding and using one’s voice, and accessing the symbolic expression of trauma through dramatic verse. Working together to master the recitation of dramatic verse – a skill that is foreign and often intimidating to most of the veterans in the group – reflects the therapeutic notion of feeling “safe, but not too safe”, a key technique in trauma therapy that fosters support, but also challenges clients to take measured risks.

Communalization of Trauma: Both CPT and narrative therapy include techniques that encourage trauma survivors to relate their stories of trauma. The DE-CRUIT program expands these techniques into a multi- session group process that encompasses progressive phases of narration and sharing. The sharing element finds its foundation in psychiatrist Jonathan Shay’s emphasis on the communalization of trauma as essential in fostering veterans’ reintegration into civilian life. In the DE-CRUIT program, veterans describe and share their first-hand experiences of trauma in the form of a first-person trauma monologue. The method of narration begins by introducing clients to the Shakespearian monologue. The choice of Shakespeare’s work as a therapeutic catalyst for traumatized veterans is specific and deliberate: Among the characters in Shakespeare’s plays are numerous veterans who astutely describe their military trauma through heightened verse that is at once linguistically distinct from the veteran’s own language and experientially close to the veteran’s own traumas. After engaging in a line-by-line experiential analysis of some of Shakespeare’s veterans’ monologues, veterans write their own personal trauma monologues. They then relinquish their monologues to their fellow group members, and each member learns, rehearses, and ultimately performs one of their co-member’s monologues, thereby creating a communal narration of trauma.

Therapeutic Embodiment: A key element in the DE-CRUIT program is a focus on rhythm, embodiment, and breath in the reading, reciting and performing of dramatic verse. This focus is derived in part from scientifically supported relaxation and breathing techniques used in psychotherapy for trauma. Recent research on the neurological effects of relaxation techniques has found significant positive outcomes from the use of these techniques in veterans and in other traumatized populations. The DE-CRUIT program utilizes these techniques and integrates them into a structure that mimics the routines and rituals of military training while also subverting those routines into patterns of emotional self-awareness as opposed to violence- oriented patterns of aggression. The veterans work together on fully inhabiting the spoken verse in passages and monologues, progressively immersing themselves in the patterns of breathing, movement, and rhythm that are required to master the execution of the various texts.

Population(s) Served
Veterans
Families

Where we work

Awards

Aaron Stein Award 2020

American Group Psychotherapy Association’s (AGPA)

Affiliations & memberships

Trauma Research Foundation Therapeutic Alliance member 2022

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome

Financials

DE-Cruit Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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DE-Cruit Inc

Board of directors
as of 01/20/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mr Jason Cleveland

CEO Lab79 Technologies, former CEO Asylum Research

Stephan Patrick Wolfert

DE-CRUIT

Ashley Garrett

DE-CRUIT

Alisha Ali

NYU ACTS LAB

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/20/2023

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person with a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Asian/Asian American
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/20/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.