Ministries The art of recovery
By PATRICIA LEFEVERE
Special Report Writer
The men who arrive at St.
Christophers Inn in Garrison, N.Y., -- more than 1,200 of them each year
-- have come because they are addicted to alcohol, drugs or both. They have --
in the words of step No. 1 of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous -- admitted
they were powerless over alcohol and/or drugs and that their lives had become
unmanageable.
Not all of St. Christophers guests make this admission at
the door, but all stay for up to 21 days -- during which time they get meals,
clothes, housing and counseling, and learn the 12 Steps. Fourteen full-time
counselors offer them a program that combines spiritual, physical and emotional
healing, leading many to a life of hope and recovery.
While some of the men have been homeless and most have hit rock
bottom after years of substance abuse, few upon arrival expect to replace the
drink or drugs in their hands with a paintbrush, crayons or clay. But at St.
Christophers -- operated by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement of
Graymoor -- art is part of the recovery agenda.
Most of these men dont verbalize well, many have been
abused as children, art therapist Kathryn Olsen told NCR . She
puts them into teams, helping to build cooperation and to overcome the years of
isolation and alienation many have experienced.
The men get their validation and approval from other
men, Olsen said, noting that teamwork helps to build self-esteem.
At first nearly all are resistant to her daily hour-long class,
believing that they have to know how to draw. But Olsen insists that she
doesnt want pretty art, that this is not a competition and
that no one may make fun of anothers work.
I dont get any inappropriate art, she said.
Often the men best express themselves by making collages from magazines,
newspapers and other materials. Let the pictures choose you, she
tells them.
Olsen, who counseled alcoholics for 23 years and has done art
therapy for seven, said she may see things in their art. While she
does not disclose her psychological interpretation to the men, she shares it
with the other counselors.
Often men who have been sexually abused in their youth are used to
the no talk rule. When you put these feelings into art
-- they may be rage, fear, hate, she said -- you can talk about
them.
Recently the men of St. Christophers Inn held an exhibit of
their art, which included paintings, sculptures, clay figures and even a church
crafted from egg cartons. One of the artworks titled Powerlessness
and sculpted by James K. and Fabio C., depicts a man in chains to his
addiction. Another statuette shows the inner horns of addiction.
More than 400 viewers saw the artworks, which were displayed
during a recent month-long exhibit, during which time the New York archdiocese
marked its first Recovery Sunday, Sept. 26, 1999.
The wonder is that we have waited so long to declare this
once-a-year Recovery Sunday, Cardinal John OConnor wrote to the
priests of the archdiocese. He noted that the disease of addiction affects not
only the addicted but devastates marriages, families and children. It
drains the resources of Catholic Charities. It clogs our courts, crowds our
prisons and
pains the whole Mystical Body of Christ.
The 90-year-old St. Christophers Inn, located 50 miles north
of New York City, is thought to be the oldest continuously open shelter in the
metropolitan area. About $1 million of its $2.6 million annual budget comes
from government sources, the rest from grants and private donations.
If we as a society are to reap the benefits of
detoxification, we need to help individuals address their addiction as a
disease with multiple components, said Atonement Friar Bernard Palka, the
inns executive director.
Palka greets each man who rings the inns door with open
arms. He refers those who seek further help with their addiction to the St.
Anthony Outpatient Clinic at the inn, where they may extend their stay up to 90
days.
Guests of the inn attend lectures, group therapy and 12-Step
meetings. They also receive individual counseling and medical attention. Some
work in the kitchen and library and as housekeepers and groundskeepers. Others
assist in the thrift store and flea market.
Following Recovery Sunday, the archdiocese inaugurated a toll-free
Recovery Line, staffed by professionals 24 hours daily. The line is averaging
five calls a day, said John Shima, coordinator of publications and publicity
for Catholic Charities.
Professionals take calls on any addiction, Shima said: gambling,
abusive relationships, sex and tobacco as well as drugs and drink. They refer
callers to psychiatric, medical and social services available in the
archdiocese, especially those nearest to them.
National Catholic Reporter, January 21,
2000
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