Kris joined the Clubhouse of Lehigh County to get the support she needed. Kris always dreamt of going to college. Marriage and family came first, but that dream of going back to school was always on her mind.
15 years ago she set out to get a college degree. Then an obstacle to her success intervened: the challenge of mental illness. Kris had to postpone her dream as she focused on becoming well again. She went to outpatient and inpatient facilities to seek help. As part of her treatment, Kris joined Clubhouse of Lehigh County in 2005 to get the support she needed.
Like Kris, all Clubhouse members face the challenges of recovering from mental illness. The mission of the Clubhouse of Lehigh County, a program of Goodwill Keystone Area, is to offer persons with mental illness a safe and healing environment where each person is given the opportunity to explore their personal and vocational potential to its fullest, and to receive support in achieving their goals.
Kris began going to the Clubhouse a few days a week. As a Clubhouse member, she started in the services unit by cutting out coupons. As her recovery grew stronger, she worked with a group to produce the Clubhouse newsletter, took computer classes and participated in bowling, fishing and museum trips. On these trips, besides her new Clubhouse friends, her constant companion was her camera. Through her camera she began seeing her community, its gardens and its people in a different way.
The Clubhouse helped her to see herself in a different way. It rejuvenated her with a driving force to help others and give back. “Art is a big part of recovery for a lot of people,” Kris said. “Photography is my passion.” Some of her photographs have been chosen for a yearly calendar through Recovery Partnership’s Artists in Recovery Group.
Through her activities and participation in the Clubhouse, Kris gained confidence to pursue her dream again. She is now going back to college and is on track to fulfill her goal of receiving an associate’s degree in fine arts. She is turning her love of photography into a major by attending the Baum School of Art at Lehigh Carbon Community College.
With the encouragement of a photography professor, she is embarking on a new project. In class students were given an assignment to photograph “Something We Care About.” Kris chose something close to her heart and mind – mental illness. Kris chose to take black and white photographs of people dear to her – Clubhouse members. As her photography skills have developed, Kris has been asked to take photographs by private business owners, local musicians and to photograph weddings. She is also setting new goals.
She has now set her sights on her next goal – publishing a book of portraits of her friends at the Clubhouse of Lehigh County. The Clubhouse helped Kris focus on fulfilling her dreams and dreaming bigger.
For more information about Goodwill’s programs and services, contact Sue Soderberg
ssoderberg@yourgoodwill.org
717.394.0647
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