Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The Transformative Power of Storytelling: Healing Arts Curriculum

Publication Date

Spring 4-16-2024

Abstract

Through our research efforts as a Belmont University Honors Scholars Collaborative, our class has sought to better understand landmark studies on substance use disorder, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and the power of healing arts programming. By thoroughly educating ourselves on these issues, and then partnering with Healing Housing, a recovery treatment program for women coming out of substance use disorder and trauma, our class has established a foundation of both current, data-driven knowledge and also cross-community relationships. As we have continued to engage with the available research, our class agrees that the “addiction epidemic” demands the attention of all community members. In the last two semesters, we have seen first-hand the power of evidence based solutions at work–whether in the form of sober living housing, counseling services, community support, or arts programs. These solutions are multi-faceted and wide-ranging. During our time with the women at Healing Housing, we sought to offer events based on proven programming and based on the women’s expressed needs. Through surveys and in-person conversation, including dialogue with both staff and residents, we strove to maintain clear communication and build genuine relationships. This curriculum is a way for us to summarize many months of behind-the-scenes research and to highlight the positive outcomes of our partnership with Healing Housing. We hope that this content provides readers with organized, practical, (and fun!) reflections from the events we hosted, and by doing so, that our efforts inspire all kinds of community members to become recovery allies through healing arts. In fact, you may find it’s not our words that do the inspiring, but quotes and written responses from the very women we were lucky enough to learn alongside.

Faculty Advisor

Amy Hodges Hamilton

Document Type

Metadata Only

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