“Art is healing. Art can touch the viewer beyond what words can describe. Early in my own recovery, I stood frozen in front of a painting that spoke volumes to me when I still felt so broken.” - David Coté, Artist in Recovery
Art is a beautiful thing in more ways than one. It has healing powers that can truly improve our physical and mental health. In fact, we spoke with several people in addiction recovery who credit the power of art — in all manners of media — with helping them find solace in the chaotic storm that inevitably comes with finding sobriety.
As Jordan, a treatment specialist who also heads his facility’s art therapy program, noted, “I think what’s really amazing to see in the clients is the sense of joy that they find in the art therapy program — many of them have struggled with depression or anger issues or anything on that topic — and they find a way to healthily express that. Many times, clients find very new skills that they didn’t know they had, and they discover it in their own recovery, which I find amazing. It’s really beneficial as they move forward with their lives.”
Here are some of the praises sung by art therapy students on their recovery journeys.
Dillon
“Honestly, sobriety to me is everything,” Dillon, a recent graduate of an inpatient drug rehab program, told us. As rewarding as it is to be free from the unrelenting grip of drugs and alcohol, Dillon said his journey to get there wasn’t easy — especially because his struggle began when he was a tender 14 years old. “[I’ve been] sober for 75 days — it feels amazing. It’s the longest I’ve been sober since I was probably 14 years old, and coming to this specific rehab was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve learned more here in the past 75 days than I have in my entire life.”
He said that while he had never experimented with his creative side before coming to rehab, it was just what he needed to be able to set himself free — and find a healthy way to express himself the way he previously thought dangerous substances allowed him to. “There are not many things that I can remember enjoying doing before using drugs and alcohol. It helps me a lot,” he said. Even now, when he feels himself struggling, he picks up a paintbrush.
“I have my days,” he admitted. “I have ups and I have downs, and art class definitely helps those downs come back up.”
Josh
Josh found a less visual form of art to help him cope with the turmoil of recovery: music. Josh, who is nearly at the end of his rehabilitation stay, said he wakes up in eager anticipation of his music class. A seasoned musician, he rediscovered his passion when he was able to escape the drugs and alcohol that once controlled his life. “Instead of doing what I normally do on my usual day, I can get back into music,” he said. “I used to love music before I started doing drugs and pretty much canceled out the rest of my life.”
He told us that it was hard to put into words what music meant to him now that it has helped him heal. “You realize how much you love music after you haven’t listened to it for a while, and it makes me feel good to listen to music, sing along, and be goofy. I just have a really good time.” In fact, music kept him in his recovery program longer than he’d originally intended — a twist of fate for which he is forever grateful. “I’ve enjoyed coming here. I’ve actually stayed longer than I was originally supposed to because of it.”
While you certainly don’t have to be in addiction recovery to appreciate the wonder of visual and performance art, there is definitely something to be said for its power in helping people overcome what could only be called the worst of times. Art is a treasure, and those who create it are inspiring the world in ways they couldn’t have possibly imagined.
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Submitted by Constance Ray (www.recoverywell.org).
Art is a beautiful thing in more ways than one. It has healing powers that can truly improve our physical and mental health. In fact, we spoke with several people in addiction recovery who credit the power of art — in all manners of media — with helping them find solace in the chaotic storm that inevitably comes with finding sobriety.
As Jordan, a treatment specialist who also heads his facility’s art therapy program, noted, “I think what’s really amazing to see in the clients is the sense of joy that they find in the art therapy program — many of them have struggled with depression or anger issues or anything on that topic — and they find a way to healthily express that. Many times, clients find very new skills that they didn’t know they had, and they discover it in their own recovery, which I find amazing. It’s really beneficial as they move forward with their lives.”
Here are some of the praises sung by art therapy students on their recovery journeys.
Dillon
“Honestly, sobriety to me is everything,” Dillon, a recent graduate of an inpatient drug rehab program, told us. As rewarding as it is to be free from the unrelenting grip of drugs and alcohol, Dillon said his journey to get there wasn’t easy — especially because his struggle began when he was a tender 14 years old. “[I’ve been] sober for 75 days — it feels amazing. It’s the longest I’ve been sober since I was probably 14 years old, and coming to this specific rehab was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve learned more here in the past 75 days than I have in my entire life.”
He said that while he had never experimented with his creative side before coming to rehab, it was just what he needed to be able to set himself free — and find a healthy way to express himself the way he previously thought dangerous substances allowed him to. “There are not many things that I can remember enjoying doing before using drugs and alcohol. It helps me a lot,” he said. Even now, when he feels himself struggling, he picks up a paintbrush.
“I have my days,” he admitted. “I have ups and I have downs, and art class definitely helps those downs come back up.”
Josh
Josh found a less visual form of art to help him cope with the turmoil of recovery: music. Josh, who is nearly at the end of his rehabilitation stay, said he wakes up in eager anticipation of his music class. A seasoned musician, he rediscovered his passion when he was able to escape the drugs and alcohol that once controlled his life. “Instead of doing what I normally do on my usual day, I can get back into music,” he said. “I used to love music before I started doing drugs and pretty much canceled out the rest of my life.”
He told us that it was hard to put into words what music meant to him now that it has helped him heal. “You realize how much you love music after you haven’t listened to it for a while, and it makes me feel good to listen to music, sing along, and be goofy. I just have a really good time.” In fact, music kept him in his recovery program longer than he’d originally intended — a twist of fate for which he is forever grateful. “I’ve enjoyed coming here. I’ve actually stayed longer than I was originally supposed to because of it.”
While you certainly don’t have to be in addiction recovery to appreciate the wonder of visual and performance art, there is definitely something to be said for its power in helping people overcome what could only be called the worst of times. Art is a treasure, and those who create it are inspiring the world in ways they couldn’t have possibly imagined.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by Constance Ray (www.recoverywell.org).
