Emily Holden found solace through art when she was working through her addiction recovery journey a few years ago.
Holden says it allowed her to clear her mental and emotional inventory.
“Art always made me feel safe, and I utilized it to help me cope with all that stress and all those problems that push you,” Holden said. “I just found such a release and I was able to get emotions out that I couldn’t express.”
After realizing the many ways art helped her battle addiction, Holden started the Art in Recovery-Recreational Group in July to offer that same outlet to other Londoners in different stages of recovery. They meet at Victoria Park on the 14th of every month.
Members draw temporary tattoos, paint on mini canvases and make jewelry depending on each month’s theme. But the recreational group’s secondary goal is to create a sense of community.
“We’re trying to give people that place to just be — somewhere they can be comfortable, be safe, stress free and have community,” said Holden.
“They’re getting enjoyment in ways that might come across as minimal to others, but to these people, it’s impacting them in a big way.”
‘It can happen to anyone’
The group, which is not a rehabilitation program, has led members to connect with each other through their shared experiences in a space without judgment and shame, said Holden, who is also studying to be an addiction support worker.
“Addiction has impacted my life in many ways through my own experience, as well as the loss of many of my friends and the effects on my family members in ways that’s indescribable.”
The art sessions aren’t only limited to individuals with lived experiences. They’re also for those who want to learn how to better support their loved ones — which is what drew Holden’s classmate, Julie Frick, to them.
Although Frick hasn’t experienced addiction herself, it has impacted many people close to her.
“It’s something that’s been around my life for a long time with family members who substance abuse, whether it be alcoholism or drugs, all sorts of things,” Frick said. “I started understanding how it affects them and how I can help them overcome some of it just by pointing them in the right direction.”
Studying the inner workings of substance abuse has allowed her to be a better shoulder for her loved ones to lean on, with hopes of someday starting her own recovery clinic, she said.
Both Holden and Frick believe it’s important to destigmatize addiction and recovery because it’s something that can happen to anyone, regardless of their age or where they come from, Holden said.
“I think a lot of people think that an addict is someone who has been on the street for years, but they’re not necessarily the only ones who need help,” Frick added.
“There are functional people that need as much help as they do, and I think a lot of those people aren’t even aware themselves that it’s an issue, but it’s affecting their lives and they don’t understand how or why it’s affecting their lives.”
Holden is also working on finding an indoor venue in the coming months to ensure the art in recovery activities can continue during the winter months.
