Relational possibilities for women leaving prison: renewed hope for inclusion and belonging

ABSTRACT

Women leaving prison are disadvantaged in many respects as they attempt to reintegrate into the community. In the absence of supportive relationships, women are more likely to experience exclusion and isolation which puts their chances of remaining in the community at risk. In this paper, we present findings of a phenomenological study that examined the nature of relationships within Stride Circles, social support networks for women returning to the community after incarceration. Findings capture the essences inherent in the journey of a Circle with respect to changes in Circle relationships when a woman enters community, the type of support provided during the transition phase, the ways in which Circle members learn to be a support network, and how Circles transform over time when women’s need for support diminishes. This study highlights the possibilities for inclusion and belonging that emerge when women leaving prison experience openness from members of the community and when women as well as community members are willing, and supported, to enter into mutual relationships.

KEYWORDS:

• Community
• mutuality
• relationships
• social support
• belonging
• women leaving prison

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the women who generously gave their time to share their perceptions and experiences with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Darla Fortune

Darla Fortune is an Assistant Professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. The inclusion of marginalized individuals, particularly within community leisure spaces and practices, is a central theme in her research. Darla strives to develop broader perspectives of inclusion while working to enhance experiences of belonging, particularly for individuals most at risk of being stigmatized and excluded.

Susan M. Arai

Susan M. Arai is a registered psychotherapist emphasizing trauma, stress, depression, and anxiety. She engages a feminist, relational, and anti-oppressive exploration of relationships, life’s challenges, personal transformation, and intersectional negotiations of difference related to gender, sexuality, race, and disability. Sue trained at the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (level II) and additionally trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and Psych-K. She is a practitioner of yoga and Buddhist meditation and Adjunct Professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo) and Health Sciences (Brock University). Research interests include mindfulness, trauma healing, therapeutic relationships, and inclusion.

Kimberly J. Lyons

Kimberly J. Lyons is a Therapeutic Recreation partner in care and has twelve years of co-operative, volunteer, professional, and research-based work experience engaging with people of all ages and abilities in a multitude of environments including long-term care, respite, palliative, outdoor and community based settings. Her interests include spiritual well-being and nature as a therapeutic partner. She currently works in communications as an advocate for people experiencing poverty and homelessness. As a promoter of therapeutic recreation and practice based research, Kimberly is invested in moving the profession from the medical model of healthcare into a more holistic, community based paradigm that addresses fundamental existential concerns such as purpose, meaning, sex, spirituality, pain, and death.