It’s not uncommon for women in recovery at Healing Housing to attend a dance or musical performance — art therapy is part of the treatment. However, this weekend the performance and accompanying score will be especially powerful, as it is based directly on their own experiences with addiction.
The Franklin and Nashville-based recovery housing and treatment nonprofit is set to present Where We Meet this weekend at Oz Arts. The production is produced by social justice-minded aerial silks company FALL Productions with an original score from musician Jon Epcar. In addition, artist Omari Booker will showcase a selection of his paintings at the event.
“I think that a lot of times the stigma of our disease is it's a very ugly disease,” says Healing Housing executive director Tracey Levine. “There's something really powerful about using the body — which in addiction gets really beat up — to tell our story in a beautiful way.”
Healing Housing, which hosts 30 women at a time for a yearlong treatment program, is always full, Levine says. Born out of a prison ministry, the organization offers mental and physical health services to women in transition who would otherwise be unemployed and unhoused. As much as 90 percent of the staff has completed the program.
“This piece was never intended to be purely a fundraiser,” Levine says. "This is an art piece that we want to invite audience members to, to have an emotional and visual experience that helps us who live with this disease better explain and hopefully connect people to the mission of what we do.”
She continues, “It's kind of a love letter to the residents and the women that we house because I know they will be incredibly moved by seeing their story in this beautiful artful way.”
During the first nine weeks, Healing Housing residents focus on treatment, and the staff connects them with clothing, groceries, a psychiatric evaluation, and dental, vision and physical health care.
After the nine weeks of healing-focused work, they begin employment with the help of vocational training and community connections. Healing Housing then charges a small fee, and aside money to give back when they complete the program. Healing Housing also began offering outpatient programming in the past year with help from Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council funds.
“I hope it will really help to destigmatize addiction,” Levine says of Where We Meet. “I hope that people seeing it brought to life in this art form will emote a lot of emotion, reflection, connection, empathy. I hope that audiences can really see how the arts and social services can come together in pursuit of a shared purpose, and that we all strive to do better in collaborating with one another.”