New Visions of Me: Finding Joy in Recovery With Women Who Are Homeless

Abstract

Shifting from a problem-based system of supports for those who are experiencing co-occurring substance and mental health disorders, there has been an increased need to explore the importance of fun, play, and pleasure's role in recovery. The following article describes an innovative intervention, New Visions of Me, with women in New Haven, Connecticut, who have experienced homelessness and dual disorders to find new ways of bringing pleasure, play, and joy into their lives. Particular attention is paid to lessons learned during the project. For 6 months, eight female clients of a New Haven homeless shelter worked with four peer mentors in recovery and nine staff members to develop the New Visions program, dedicated to creating opportunities for fun. Participants were asked to brainstorm a list of things they would do if they had unlimited time, money, and freedom in order to (1) try something new, (2) take care of themselves, (3) reconnect with the childlike parts of themselves, and (4) connect with other women in recovery. Joy, fun, and pleasure are often overlooked by people with dual disorders and their providers in the course of the difficult work of recovery, and particularly with women in recovery. While engaging in something fun may require new skills and be challenging at times, the benefits to individual clients and recovery communities is immeasurable, particularly when clients and staff collaborate on program development and implementation.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• homeless
• joy
• play
• recovery
• New Haven
• leisure
• substance abuse

The authors would like to thank the wonderful participants of the New Visions project, as well as Alison Cunningham, Lisbette De la Cruz, Tawanna Woolfolk, Jinnellys LaViera, the staff of the CLR, SAMHSA, and Commissioner Thomas Kirk of the Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.