WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:01.735 I'm J.R. Jamison. 2 00:00:01.735 --> 00:00:05.071 Today on the Facing Project, we'll take a deep dive into recovery: 3 00:00:05.505 --> 00:00:06.339 A word I thought 4 00:00:06.339 --> 00:00:10.310 I knew what it meant, like mainly recovery from drug or alcohol abuse, 5 00:00:10.610 --> 00:00:14.447 until I had the opportunity to collaborate with today's guest on a new book 6 00:00:14.447 --> 00:00:18.785 that's been released by The Facing Project Press, “Facing Recovery,” 7 00:00:19.152 --> 00:00:23.523 a collection of 17 first person narratives that captures the wide spectrum 8 00:00:23.757 --> 00:00:28.661 of what recovery actually is, and that it's not just tied to addiction. 9 00:00:29.396 --> 00:00:30.430 I'll be joined by Dr. 10 00:00:30.430 --> 00:00:32.432 Kathryn Ludwig, assistant teaching 11 00:00:32.432 --> 00:00:36.302 professor of English at Ball State University, and two of her students 12 00:00:36.302 --> 00:00:39.973 who worked on the book project, Bridgett Nesbitt and Hayden Gorham. 13 00:00:40.206 --> 00:00:43.643 And later in the show, I'll sit down with Abby Gluvna, a program manager 14 00:00:43.643 --> 00:00:47.180 for Recovery Cafe Muncie, the partner in the project that supports 15 00:00:47.180 --> 00:00:51.384 the development of mind, body and spirit for those desiring recovery 16 00:00:51.618 --> 00:00:55.188 by creating a community committed to love and inclusion. 17 00:00:55.622 --> 00:00:59.526 Recovery Cafe Muncie is a chapter of the National Recovery Cafe Network. 18 00:01:00.093 --> 00:01:03.063 I'll also share four stories from individuals featured in the book 19 00:01:03.096 --> 00:01:06.866 who have experienced the path to recovery in diverse and vulnerable 20 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:08.468 and hopeful ways. 21 00:01:08.468 --> 00:01:10.703 Stay with us. 22 00:01:10.703 --> 00:01:16.910 [Theme music] Jamison: You're listening to The Facing Project with J.R. 23 00:01:16.910 --> 00:01:20.513 Jamison, and today we'll explore the diverse definition of recovery 24 00:01:20.713 --> 00:01:25.952 through the lens of a recent book project, “Facing Recovery,” a collection of 17 25 00:01:25.952 --> 00:01:30.557 first person narratives that captures the wide spectrum of what recovery means. 26 00:01:30.857 --> 00:01:34.594 And, contrary to popular belief, it's not just tied to addiction. 27 00:01:35.261 --> 00:01:38.298 I'll sit down with four individuals involved in producing the work, 28 00:01:38.565 --> 00:01:41.868 and we'll hear four stories from individuals featured in the book 29 00:01:42.102 --> 00:01:47.073 who've experienced the path to recovery in diverse and vulnerable and hopeful ways. 30 00:01:47.740 --> 00:01:50.710 Due to some sensitive content expressed in the stories, 31 00:01:50.710 --> 00:01:53.713 listener discretion is advised. 32 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:57.117 I want to welcome to the show three of my guest for today, Dr. 33 00:01:57.117 --> 00:02:00.420 Kathryn Ludwig, Assistant Teaching Professor of English at Ball State 34 00:02:00.420 --> 00:02:04.424 University and editor of Facing Recovery, and two student 35 00:02:04.424 --> 00:02:08.027 writers on the book project, Bridgett Nesbitt and Hayden Gorham. 36 00:02:08.161 --> 00:02:10.630 Thank you for joining me on The Facing Project. Ludwig: Thank you. 37 00:02:10.630 --> 00:02:12.899 Great to be here. Jamison: I'm thrilled to have you here. 38 00:02:12.899 --> 00:02:15.735 Kathryn, I actually want to start with you. 39 00:02:15.735 --> 00:02:19.205 Tell me more about your work with recovery and why, 40 00:02:19.205 --> 00:02:22.208 as an educator, this was an important story to tell. 41 00:02:22.642 --> 00:02:26.079 My work with recovery has really been about learning. 42 00:02:26.079 --> 00:02:27.914 I'm actually, because I'm an English 43 00:02:27.914 --> 00:02:31.584 professor focused on teaching, writing and teaching literature. 44 00:02:31.885 --> 00:02:35.522 So this is an immersive first year composition class, 45 00:02:35.522 --> 00:02:40.026 which is one of three sections; we wanted to take the learning 46 00:02:40.293 --> 00:02:43.429 that students do in first year composition beyond the classroom. 47 00:02:43.630 --> 00:02:47.834 And so it was a matter of finding a community partner that we felt 48 00:02:47.934 --> 00:02:51.437 we could contribute to their mission and that they could be good 49 00:02:51.437 --> 00:02:52.405 learning partners for us. 50 00:02:52.405 --> 00:02:54.607 Recovery Cafe has absolutely been that. 51 00:02:55.842 --> 00:02:56.976 So when 52 00:02:56.976 --> 00:03:00.780 I settled on Recovery Cafe, we, we proposed projects, 53 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:05.585 and some of that is described in the book, and we had great conversations. 54 00:03:05.585 --> 00:03:08.922 And those conversations we felt were so impactful 55 00:03:08.922 --> 00:03:11.958 for us, students, myself. 56 00:03:12.292 --> 00:03:15.962 And we wanted to find a way to bring the connection 57 00:03:15.962 --> 00:03:18.965 that we experienced to people in the community. 58 00:03:19.265 --> 00:03:22.735 I'm a big believer that stories are really important 59 00:03:22.735 --> 00:03:25.905 tools for changing minds and changing attitudes. And, 60 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:30.410 the Facing Project was a great tool for doing that. 61 00:03:30.410 --> 00:03:33.413 I'm also curious to know, 62 00:03:34.214 --> 00:03:37.650 from what I gather in past conversations we've had, 63 00:03:37.917 --> 00:03:41.754 you've done other storytelling or writing projects. 64 00:03:42.789 --> 00:03:44.591 How has this been different? 65 00:03:44.591 --> 00:03:46.659 This one has been easier 66 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:49.996 because of the structure that the Facing Project provided. 67 00:03:50.663 --> 00:03:55.868 We've tried to set up conversations in the community in a few places. 68 00:03:55.868 --> 00:03:57.370 Our previous community partner 69 00:03:57.370 --> 00:04:01.307 was YWCA Central Indiana, and they were also wonderful partners. 70 00:04:01.674 --> 00:04:06.412 And we hosted a sort of one on one conversation opportunity 71 00:04:06.779 --> 00:04:09.983 for people whose stories are frequently misunderstood, 72 00:04:10.183 --> 00:04:15.121 and for the community to come in and sit down, hear their story and ask questions. 73 00:04:15.688 --> 00:04:21.928 The Facing Project allows those conversations to be captured, right? 74 00:04:21.928 --> 00:04:25.832 The students got to not only hear the stories for themselves, 75 00:04:25.832 --> 00:04:27.300 but they get to share them, 76 00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:31.471 and they have an opportunity to think about, how do we listen well? 77 00:04:31.471 --> 00:04:34.774 How, how can I convey 78 00:04:34.774 --> 00:04:38.177 the experience of being with this person in the writing? So, 79 00:04:39.212 --> 00:04:40.680 in the way, 80 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:45.451 in the sense that there is a structure, it was easier, but I think it also offered 81 00:04:45.451 --> 00:04:49.922 some unique opportunities for students to learn about storytelling. 82 00:04:50.923 --> 00:04:54.661 Bridget and Hayden, as writers, you were tasked with getting to know 83 00:04:54.661 --> 00:04:55.561 your storytellers 84 00:04:55.561 --> 00:04:59.198 and working with them to craft these first person narratives on the page. 85 00:04:59.632 --> 00:05:02.368 Describe what the process was like for both of you. 86 00:05:02.368 --> 00:05:04.604 How'd it go? 87 00:05:04.604 --> 00:05:07.607 It was definitely something that I had to 88 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:13.279 be willing to learn a lot of, a lot of everything from, I think. 89 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.916 I, you know, you go into this space and you're not really knowing what to expect. 90 00:05:17.317 --> 00:05:19.986 We all have our, I think, like, preconceived 91 00:05:19.986 --> 00:05:23.089 ideas on, like, what recovery or addiction even can be. 92 00:05:24.624 --> 00:05:27.827 And, and so I walked in especially, like, not really knowing 93 00:05:27.827 --> 00:05:31.364 just where I'd be, where I'd end up with the entire thing. 94 00:05:31.864 --> 00:05:35.401 But I would say a lot of it was just listening, 95 00:05:35.401 --> 00:05:40.773 and a lot of it, honestly- the stories, the, 96 00:05:40.773 --> 00:05:45.611 the way they spoke to each other, the way, the staff and, like, 97 00:05:45.678 --> 00:05:49.382 and the members interacted, just, like, paying attention and 98 00:05:50.550 --> 00:05:53.419 taking in as much as you could of, like, the environment that they had built 99 00:05:53.419 --> 00:05:53.986 for themselves. 100 00:05:53.986 --> 00:05:57.156 And also, like, what they had come from, 101 00:05:57.156 --> 00:06:00.159 whether it was, like, just family or, or, 102 00:06:00.159 --> 00:06:03.930 you know, a whole lifetime of, of hardship. 103 00:06:03.930 --> 00:06:05.631 It was, 104 00:06:05.631 --> 00:06:08.634 yeah, definitely, a learning experience, if nothing else. 105 00:06:08.634 --> 00:06:12.705 And, and something that I, yeah, I had a really amazing time with. 106 00:06:14.073 --> 00:06:16.142 I also had a really amazing time. 107 00:06:16.142 --> 00:06:17.944 I actually learned how to listen. 108 00:06:17.944 --> 00:06:21.147 Like, I learned that I wasn't fully listening 109 00:06:21.147 --> 00:06:24.117 to my full potential before this. Jamison: Interesting. 110 00:06:24.117 --> 00:06:27.120 So, I've gathered so much from that. 111 00:06:27.553 --> 00:06:32.792 And my partner, Nate, I feel like we've, we were able to bond really well 112 00:06:33.092 --> 00:06:36.729 over the course of this project, and I've learned a lot, 113 00:06:36.729 --> 00:06:40.700 and not just from him, but from a lot of the other members as well. 114 00:06:40.700 --> 00:06:44.837 Like Hayden said, just from observing, you can implement 115 00:06:44.837 --> 00:06:47.840 some of the things that you see into your own life. 116 00:06:48.341 --> 00:06:51.344 And it's just been a really amazing experience all around. 117 00:06:51.711 --> 00:06:55.148 I'm curious too to know, as writers, 118 00:06:55.148 --> 00:06:58.184 what did you learn about yourself as a writer? 119 00:07:00.520 --> 00:07:02.321 That it takes me a while. 120 00:07:02.321 --> 00:07:06.793 [Laughter] It was a really weird project to write, 121 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.363 if I'm being honest, because I've never had a write like that, like, 122 00:07:10.730 --> 00:07:13.466 somebody else's story but in their own words 123 00:07:13.466 --> 00:07:15.234 and how they would sound. 124 00:07:15.234 --> 00:07:18.070 So that was kind of hard, to be honest, 125 00:07:18.070 --> 00:07:21.541 but it was really cool once I was able to piece it all together 126 00:07:22.041 --> 00:07:25.511 and just read it back and I'm like, wow, that really does sound like him. 127 00:07:26.512 --> 00:07:27.046 It did. 128 00:07:27.046 --> 00:07:29.982 Bridget's partner Nate commented on that. 129 00:07:29.982 --> 00:07:34.086 He said he felt like it was what he would say, and I think that was 130 00:07:34.086 --> 00:07:37.890 a real triumph of that because, you know, these conversations are really long, 131 00:07:38.324 --> 00:07:40.960 and then they're edited down into a thousand word piece. 132 00:07:40.960 --> 00:07:43.796 So Bridget did a great job with that. Jamison: Yes. Yeah. 133 00:07:43.796 --> 00:07:44.530 How about you? 134 00:07:44.530 --> 00:07:45.264 Oh, man. 135 00:07:45.264 --> 00:07:47.333 I would say I learned that I really love 136 00:07:47.333 --> 00:07:49.268 being in control of, like, what I'm talking about. 137 00:07:49.268 --> 00:07:52.405 And if it's not my own story that I can, you know, 138 00:07:53.840 --> 00:07:56.509 tweak however I want, I'm a little bit more frustrated. 139 00:07:56.509 --> 00:07:59.812 So it was definitely a lot of, like, putting myself on the backburner 140 00:07:59.812 --> 00:08:02.148 and having to be like, okay, Hayden, let's maybe 141 00:08:02.148 --> 00:08:05.618 make sure we have their life on the, you know, on the front lines here. 142 00:08:05.618 --> 00:08:09.856 But, I yeah, it was, it was a lot of, 143 00:08:11.257 --> 00:08:13.292 once I was able to like, 144 00:08:13.292 --> 00:08:16.462 take myself out of, like, the cen- like, front and center, 145 00:08:16.462 --> 00:08:19.465 I guess, in my own brain, it was, it was like, okay, this is a lot more. 146 00:08:19.765 --> 00:08:22.935 You do feel the person's, like, life story, I guess, as you're 147 00:08:23.503 --> 00:08:26.205 trying to recount it. 148 00:08:26.205 --> 00:08:29.475 And we'll hear some of the stories from the project 149 00:08:29.475 --> 00:08:30.243 here in a moment. 150 00:08:30.243 --> 00:08:33.980 But Katheryn, you had shared with me that one of the storytellers 151 00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:37.283 read his story to the larger group at the cafe. 152 00:08:37.416 --> 00:08:40.520 And there it was a vulnerable moment, but also one where he felt 153 00:08:40.520 --> 00:08:44.123 quite proud of what he and his writer had accomplished together. 154 00:08:44.457 --> 00:08:45.958 Could you talk more about that? 155 00:08:45.958 --> 00:08:46.425 Oh, yeah. 156 00:08:46.425 --> 00:08:51.797 Well, this is Gary, and he is a senior leader who- He's just the kind of person 157 00:08:51.797 --> 00:08:55.668 that you're drawn to, is very charismatic and very open and generous. 158 00:08:55.668 --> 00:08:59.238 And so we've enjoyed his bravery 159 00:08:59.338 --> 00:09:02.341 in sharing difficult things about his life 160 00:09:02.575 --> 00:09:07.146 in our interactions, and to see him then stand up in front of the whole community 161 00:09:07.413 --> 00:09:11.551 and share all the details that his listening partner 162 00:09:11.817 --> 00:09:16.889 and I had, had been privy to, it was really an honor that he chose 163 00:09:16.889 --> 00:09:20.993 to do that, using the story that his storytelling partner 164 00:09:21.127 --> 00:09:22.929 had helped to craft for him. 165 00:09:22.929 --> 00:09:26.332 And it was, for me, made me feel that 166 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:29.402 not only is it 167 00:09:29.402 --> 00:09:34.140 exciting and joyful to be in conversation, but like, it's a real responsibility. 168 00:09:34.507 --> 00:09:37.944 And to find that he felt that story was a great way 169 00:09:37.944 --> 00:09:39.245 to, to do his spotlight, 170 00:09:39.245 --> 00:09:42.248 which is something that folks do pretty regularly, they talk about their 171 00:09:42.348 --> 00:09:46.185 recovery story to, you know, sort of help other people connect. 172 00:09:46.552 --> 00:09:47.453 Yeah. 173 00:09:47.453 --> 00:09:50.923 The fact that he chose our story was really exciting and such an honor. 174 00:09:51.023 --> 00:09:56.495 So those spotlight moments, are those ever taken out into the community, 175 00:09:56.495 --> 00:10:00.866 and would this be an opportunity for all storytellers to kind of have 176 00:10:00.866 --> 00:10:05.905 a framing of their story to share with others about the road to recovery? 177 00:10:06.272 --> 00:10:07.006 Absolutely. 178 00:10:07.006 --> 00:10:10.009 I mean, I really hope the stories do just that, that they 179 00:10:10.443 --> 00:10:14.347 make their way into the community to complicate 180 00:10:14.347 --> 00:10:18.351 some understandings of, first of all, what recovery is, but also what 181 00:10:18.351 --> 00:10:22.655 people experience that bring them to the need for recovery. 182 00:10:23.022 --> 00:10:25.992 They, they did stream Gary's 183 00:10:26.092 --> 00:10:28.861 spotlight on their Facebook page. 184 00:10:28.861 --> 00:10:34.667 So they definitely try to put out content in ways that members feel comfortable 185 00:10:34.667 --> 00:10:38.371 with to help people connect with what's going on at the cafe. 186 00:10:39.105 --> 00:10:42.508 But I'm hoping the stories can serve that purpose a little bit. 187 00:10:42.575 --> 00:10:43.376 Yeah. 188 00:10:43.376 --> 00:10:46.278 So much of the work of the Facing Project and the work 189 00:10:46.278 --> 00:10:50.082 that you all did to produce these stories with the storytellers 190 00:10:50.249 --> 00:10:53.452 is about empathy, which we haven't talked about quite yet. 191 00:10:53.853 --> 00:10:57.390 I'm curious to know from the students, how did this process 192 00:10:58.157 --> 00:11:00.660 make you more or less sympathetic? 193 00:11:00.660 --> 00:11:01.027 Oh, man. 194 00:11:01.027 --> 00:11:06.165 [Laughter] I, I hate to sound like a, 195 00:11:06.332 --> 00:11:10.603 like a broken record, but it really is just like hearing what they had to say. 196 00:11:10.603 --> 00:11:13.706 I actually went through two different partners, 197 00:11:13.706 --> 00:11:16.709 Chris and T.J., throughout our process. 198 00:11:16.742 --> 00:11:21.514 And listening to T.J.’s story, his experience with grief, 199 00:11:21.514 --> 00:11:26.852 and, and his life story, it was really like, I mean, 200 00:11:26.886 --> 00:11:31.157 it doesn't matter whether you can connect or, like, relate on a personal level. 201 00:11:31.157 --> 00:11:34.393 It's just the emotion that you hear, like, and 202 00:11:35.061 --> 00:11:38.064 the weight that you feel, like, with every single word. 203 00:11:38.197 --> 00:11:40.132 It's, yeah. 204 00:11:40.132 --> 00:11:43.269 And not just T.J.’s story, but Chris’ as well. 205 00:11:43.269 --> 00:11:46.472 The way he spoke with his, his family and how they were impacted 206 00:11:46.472 --> 00:11:51.610 by his situation, like, it's like, what could you do if not feel for them? 207 00:11:51.610 --> 00:11:56.082 And, and and want to, I don't know, help people understand that 208 00:11:56.082 --> 00:11:58.384 like, yeah, you don't have the right idea about what they go through. 209 00:11:58.384 --> 00:12:00.753 You don't, you can even begin to, to understand. 210 00:12:02.488 --> 00:12:03.189 Yeah, definitely 211 00:12:03.189 --> 00:12:06.192 walked away with a lot more empathy than I had before. 212 00:12:06.258 --> 00:12:10.096 I've always been a very empathetic person, but just hearing 213 00:12:10.096 --> 00:12:14.834 what they had to say, and my partner actually broke down a couple times 214 00:12:14.834 --> 00:12:18.437 while he was talking, and that made me want to cry with him. 215 00:12:18.938 --> 00:12:23.976 And it was just, it was very, a very, very emotional process, 216 00:12:24.276 --> 00:12:27.980 just going through all the traumas that they've had to endure. 217 00:12:28.447 --> 00:12:31.784 But, you know, we got a very rewarding product in the end. 218 00:12:32.051 --> 00:12:36.288 And the voices are so strong in the stories; I've read all of them. 219 00:12:36.589 --> 00:12:41.160 And it is like the person is speaking directly to you. 220 00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:44.029 So great job all around on that. 221 00:12:44.029 --> 00:12:45.765 How is this process impacted 222 00:12:45.765 --> 00:12:49.502 everyone involved, from project organizers including you, 223 00:12:49.502 --> 00:12:53.572 Katheryn, and folks at the cafe, but also writers and storytellers? 224 00:12:54.573 --> 00:12:56.308 For me personally, 225 00:12:56.308 --> 00:13:00.880 interacting with folks who are willing and in many cases eager 226 00:13:00.880 --> 00:13:04.917 to share their stories and their hard stories was kind of mind 227 00:13:04.917 --> 00:13:09.755 blowing, because I think that we tend to want to hide 228 00:13:09.755 --> 00:13:14.193 the things about ourselves in our lives that aren’t pleasing or edifying for us, 229 00:13:15.427 --> 00:13:19.298 and the the, I don't know, bravery seems like such a patronizing word, 230 00:13:19.298 --> 00:13:22.968 but there's really no other word to apply to someone 231 00:13:23.202 --> 00:13:29.141 sitting in front of you and acknowledging every shortcoming or every failing, 232 00:13:29.408 --> 00:13:32.478 because that's part of the process of getting to recovery. 233 00:13:33.045 --> 00:13:36.048 It makes me think, if I were as candid with the world about, 234 00:13:36.148 --> 00:13:40.152 you know, my own life, what, you know, what- How would that change me? 235 00:13:40.152 --> 00:13:44.623 And I think it's, for me personally, interacting with the people telling their 236 00:13:44.623 --> 00:13:51.096 stories has made me want to really be forthcoming about my experiences. 237 00:13:51.096 --> 00:13:52.464 Because people connect, right? 238 00:13:52.464 --> 00:13:55.467 It's, it means a lot to hear someone else's story. 239 00:13:55.868 --> 00:13:56.235 Yeah. 240 00:13:56.235 --> 00:14:00.039 It kind of made me realize that I don't have to hide all those little, 241 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:03.542 like, bad parts of my life. 242 00:14:03.542 --> 00:14:07.012 And it was really amazing 243 00:14:07.012 --> 00:14:10.716 to see how the Recovery Cafe was such an open and honest space. 244 00:14:11.083 --> 00:14:13.152 Like, I've never seen that before. 245 00:14:13.152 --> 00:14:17.790 And that in itself made me emotional as well. But 246 00:14:18.724 --> 00:14:19.391 yeah, I guess 247 00:14:19.391 --> 00:14:22.394 it's just made me a more open person. 248 00:14:23.229 --> 00:14:25.030 In the same way that, that Bridget and Dr. 249 00:14:25.030 --> 00:14:28.500 Ludwig kind of mentioned, I, both the community and the desire 250 00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:31.637 to be more forthcoming, but like, with myself, I think. 251 00:14:31.637 --> 00:14:35.107 And and and understanding that I don't really need to- 252 00:14:35.908 --> 00:14:39.144 I can admit to myself like where my shortcomings are 253 00:14:39.144 --> 00:14:42.147 without really having to, like, let it take over my life, 254 00:14:42.481 --> 00:14:45.451 and at the same time, like, I really, really do want to be able 255 00:14:45.451 --> 00:14:49.989 to create a space like the Recovery Cafe, where people can like, I don't know, 256 00:14:51.190 --> 00:14:52.324 just the community. 257 00:14:52.324 --> 00:14:55.828 That's that's what people need and that's what stood out more than anything. 258 00:14:55.961 --> 00:14:59.365 Yeah, I really, really appreciate being able to witness that. 259 00:15:00.633 --> 00:15:02.067 Kathryn, as an educator, 260 00:15:02.067 --> 00:15:06.005 what's your biggest hope for those who read Facing Recovery? 261 00:15:06.672 --> 00:15:07.473 Well, 262 00:15:07.473 --> 00:15:11.243 I hope that the story is really capture the voices, which you said they do, 263 00:15:11.243 --> 00:15:11.977 so I'm delighted. 264 00:15:11.977 --> 00:15:15.881 Because, you know, the people we talked to 265 00:15:15.881 --> 00:15:19.952 deserve to have their stories told well, and those stories matter. 266 00:15:19.952 --> 00:15:21.420 We want to do justice to them. 267 00:15:21.420 --> 00:15:25.157 But I also hope people experience some fraction of the connection 268 00:15:25.157 --> 00:15:29.395 that we're trying to describe that we felt, that, you know, 269 00:15:30.729 --> 00:15:33.532 thinking about big issues 270 00:15:33.532 --> 00:15:36.535 that we think of in terms of issues and not in terms of people, 271 00:15:36.769 --> 00:15:39.371 that they will begin to think of those in terms 272 00:15:39.371 --> 00:15:42.374 of people, right, to humanize 273 00:15:42.408 --> 00:15:46.979 backstories that you can't even imagine, and, and maybe have that impact 274 00:15:47.546 --> 00:15:51.317 the decisions they make about our community, and really 275 00:15:51.317 --> 00:15:55.587 just apply that deep understanding of these important issues 276 00:15:55.921 --> 00:15:58.991 to their actions, to their willingness 277 00:15:58.991 --> 00:16:02.428 to cross boundaries and have conversations and learn more. 278 00:16:02.628 --> 00:16:06.598 Almost like this would be the impetus for, you know, more engagement. 279 00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:08.100 That's the hope. 280 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:10.602 And I think you all you all did it. 281 00:16:10.602 --> 00:16:12.271 So great job. 282 00:16:12.271 --> 00:16:15.874 Dr Kathryn Ludwig, assistant teaching professor of English at Ball State 283 00:16:15.874 --> 00:16:19.144 University and editor of Facing Recovery, and two 284 00:16:19.144 --> 00:16:22.514 student writers on the book project, Bridget Nesbitt and Hayden Gorham. 285 00:16:22.748 --> 00:16:25.484 Thank you so much for joining me today on the Facing Project. 286 00:16:25.484 --> 00:16:27.753 Thanks so much. Gorham & Nesbitt: Thank you so much for having us. 287 00:16:27.753 --> 00:16:31.557 Facing Recovery is out now everywhere books are borrowed and sold. 288 00:16:31.657 --> 00:16:33.959 Up next we'll hear four stories from the project. 289 00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:34.593 Stay with us. 290 00:16:36.228 --> 00:16:37.830 Roses Over Rocks. 291 00:16:37.830 --> 00:16:40.466 Nate's story told to Bridgett Nesbitt, 292 00:16:40.466 --> 00:16:43.268 performed by Carl Frost. 293 00:16:43.268 --> 00:16:46.271 One thing my son's mom told me that I've held on to is, 294 00:16:46.805 --> 00:16:49.808 “A rose given gets you a lot further than a rock thrown.” 295 00:16:50.709 --> 00:16:54.246 It reminds me that to receive respect, I must give respect. 296 00:16:55.114 --> 00:16:58.650 It's a reminder to stay calm and collected when talking to people. 297 00:16:59.685 --> 00:17:01.854 That's hard for me sometimes 298 00:17:01.854 --> 00:17:04.857 because dope has made me aggressive. 299 00:17:04.957 --> 00:17:07.893 My main motivator to get and stay clean has always been 300 00:17:07.893 --> 00:17:10.896 the family I created, especially my son. 301 00:17:11.697 --> 00:17:14.433 If it weren't for them, I wouldn't care as much. 302 00:17:14.433 --> 00:17:17.102 I got to do it for them, because in my own childhood, 303 00:17:17.102 --> 00:17:19.872 I never had a dad or much of a family at all. 304 00:17:19.872 --> 00:17:22.674 It's important to me that my kids do get that. 305 00:17:22.674 --> 00:17:26.545 I know I haven't been the perfect dad, but I've worked a lot on myself 306 00:17:26.578 --> 00:17:29.815 even to be here today, so that I can give them my best. 307 00:17:31.884 --> 00:17:34.386 Dope really messed my life up. 308 00:17:34.386 --> 00:17:36.321 I lost everything because of it. 309 00:17:36.321 --> 00:17:37.022 I had it all. 310 00:17:37.022 --> 00:17:39.925 A nice car and a beautiful house, a family. 311 00:17:39.925 --> 00:17:43.028 A single decision six years ago made that all vanish. 312 00:17:44.563 --> 00:17:47.633 I didn't know when I went to my best friend's house to be consoled 313 00:17:47.633 --> 00:17:50.636 after a bad fight with my ex that he was going to have dope there. 314 00:17:51.537 --> 00:17:55.574 I’d always been kind of a person to say that nothing can make me addicted to it. 315 00:17:56.442 --> 00:17:59.445 I could quit anything at any time, 316 00:18:00.446 --> 00:18:03.248 until I touched that s---. 317 00:18:03.248 --> 00:18:06.251 After my very first hit, I was hooked. 318 00:18:07.719 --> 00:18:09.822 I was strung out for three days after that. 319 00:18:09.822 --> 00:18:12.357 It was crazy because I'd only ever used weed before. 320 00:18:12.357 --> 00:18:15.594 And even crazier that this happened after I had gone to prison. 321 00:18:16.128 --> 00:18:18.630 My whole life changed that night. 322 00:18:18.630 --> 00:18:20.566 All I cared about was getting another hit. 323 00:18:20.566 --> 00:18:24.336 I mean, I even quit my job so I could spend all my time looking for it. 324 00:18:24.736 --> 00:18:25.671 It was a disease. 325 00:18:25.671 --> 00:18:28.307 And for three years, that's all I did. 326 00:18:28.307 --> 00:18:30.709 I can't believe I let it kick my ass like that. 327 00:18:32.544 --> 00:18:33.078 I started to 328 00:18:33.078 --> 00:18:36.081 believe there was no way in hell I could ever get off it. 329 00:18:36.348 --> 00:18:39.685 It finally got to the point where it was messing with my mind 330 00:18:39.685 --> 00:18:42.254 and making me very aggressive. 331 00:18:42.254 --> 00:18:44.356 I don't like being like that. 332 00:18:44.356 --> 00:18:45.757 I don't like that side of me. 333 00:18:45.757 --> 00:18:49.895 I like to be cool, calm, collected and respect everybody. 334 00:18:51.063 --> 00:18:55.200 But if I find someone who's disrespectful, I'm very ready to fight. 335 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:57.002 I shouldn't be like that, though. 336 00:18:57.002 --> 00:19:00.372 I'm learning to have a conversation instead of instantly snapping, 337 00:19:01.073 --> 00:19:04.743 because what's disrespectful to me might not be disrespectful to you. 338 00:19:06.178 --> 00:19:09.181 It has taken everything in me to get to where I am now. 339 00:19:09.781 --> 00:19:12.751 I'd eventually move out of the city to get away from the drugs. 340 00:19:12.751 --> 00:19:15.754 I moved from Anderson to Muncie in 2022, 341 00:19:15.988 --> 00:19:18.157 and when I first got here, I still smoked meth. 342 00:19:19.358 --> 00:19:20.058 That was until 343 00:19:20.058 --> 00:19:23.061 June 17th when I was arrested. 344 00:19:23.929 --> 00:19:26.999 My wife called me when I was in jail and said if I continued using, 345 00:19:26.999 --> 00:19:31.069 she was done, and I never touched that s--- again. 346 00:19:32.571 --> 00:19:35.574 Family has always been what brings me back to myself. 347 00:19:36.008 --> 00:19:38.777 Before the drugs, when I was in jail in 2012, 348 00:19:38.777 --> 00:19:42.681 I was on the phone with my son one day, and he said, “Daddy, 349 00:19:42.681 --> 00:19:45.684 when are you going to come home and play with me?” 350 00:19:46.185 --> 00:19:49.188 And made me start crying and help me straighten up. 351 00:19:49.254 --> 00:19:51.623 From that day forward, I never got another write 352 00:19:51.623 --> 00:19:54.660 up, never received any conduct or anything like that. 353 00:19:54.760 --> 00:19:57.663 I was straight to get home. 354 00:19:57.663 --> 00:20:01.500 If I could do it for them back then, I can do it for them now. 355 00:20:02.267 --> 00:20:04.503 I just need to remember that motivation. 356 00:20:06.572 --> 00:20:07.272 Since June 357 00:20:07.272 --> 00:20:10.709 17th, 2022, I've been straightin’ out my life for them. 358 00:20:11.243 --> 00:20:14.246 It's been hard, but it's what they deserve. 359 00:20:14.346 --> 00:20:18.116 I started going to the Recovery Cafe about six months ago and I love it there. 360 00:20:18.550 --> 00:20:20.919 It's such an uplifting and motivating place. 361 00:20:20.919 --> 00:20:24.723 Seriously, you can't go there in a bad mood and leave still in a bad mood. 362 00:20:25.791 --> 00:20:29.194 I was a companion here, but I was just made a team leader. 363 00:20:30.095 --> 00:20:32.698 Going to the Recovery Cafe has helped me in my own recovery. 364 00:20:32.698 --> 00:20:35.767 Being able to hear about other people's lives and learn from others 365 00:20:35.767 --> 00:20:38.770 mistakes steered me in the way I needed to go. 366 00:20:39.771 --> 00:20:41.273 So yeah, I've been working really hard 367 00:20:41.273 --> 00:20:44.276 to get myself back right for my family's sake. 368 00:20:44.810 --> 00:20:48.113 I realized that once I set my mind to it, I know I can do it. 369 00:20:48.347 --> 00:20:51.350 That's the main thing, is setting my mind to do it. 370 00:20:51.650 --> 00:20:54.820 I'm proving to myself that I can actually do this. 371 00:20:56.321 --> 00:20:59.324 Since getting sober, I feel a lot better. 372 00:20:59.591 --> 00:21:03.629 I'm more at ease, I guess you could say; I don't feel so uptight and aggressive. 373 00:21:03.996 --> 00:21:06.765 And don't get me wrong, getting sober didn't cure it, but 374 00:21:06.765 --> 00:21:09.901 it has eased it up because I'm not on drugs anymore. 375 00:21:10.435 --> 00:21:12.604 I also realized I was never a bad person. 376 00:21:12.604 --> 00:21:15.607 The dope just made me a bad person. 377 00:21:15.607 --> 00:21:18.076 But that was because of the drug. 378 00:21:18.076 --> 00:21:20.545 It wasn't me. 379 00:21:20.545 --> 00:21:22.648 I believe everything in life happens for a reason, 380 00:21:22.648 --> 00:21:25.784 and if you're a good person, you will eventually get good things. 381 00:21:27.085 --> 00:21:29.988 I'm now seeing the good things life has to offer, 382 00:21:29.988 --> 00:21:34.126 which has proven to me that I really am a good person. 383 00:21:34.126 --> 00:21:39.231 [Hopeful acoustic music] 384 00:21:51.443 --> 00:21:54.413 A Warrior Heart and a Friendly Smile. 385 00:21:54.413 --> 00:21:58.884 Cat’s story as told to Joey Philpott, performed by Katy Lynn Wolfe. 386 00:22:00.652 --> 00:22:01.253 My full 387 00:22:01.253 --> 00:22:04.323 name is Melody Catherine Meyer, but everyone calls me Cat. 388 00:22:05.190 --> 00:22:08.193 I think what people notice about me is that I'm usually pretty happy and 389 00:22:08.193 --> 00:22:12.664 excited with a smile on my face, no matter if it's early morning or late at night. 390 00:22:13.632 --> 00:22:16.635 But there's a lot more to my story than most people would guess. 391 00:22:18.236 --> 00:22:21.840 Back in 2019, just before the pandemic hit, I moved 392 00:22:21.840 --> 00:22:25.711 from Toledo to Indianapolis and things started going really wrong for me. 393 00:22:26.611 --> 00:22:29.581 I met someone at a shelter who became my roommate. 394 00:22:29.881 --> 00:22:32.017 The first year living together was fine. 395 00:22:32.017 --> 00:22:36.121 I mean, we argued sometimes like roommates too, but I didn't think much of it. 396 00:22:37.456 --> 00:22:40.459 But then toward the end of that year, everything changed. 397 00:22:41.393 --> 00:22:43.862 She began physically beating me, mentally 398 00:22:43.862 --> 00:22:47.299 and emotionally, abusing me, calling me names and everything you can think of. 399 00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:51.002 One time she beat me so badly that the whole left 400 00:22:51.002 --> 00:22:53.638 side of my face was swollen up. 401 00:22:53.638 --> 00:22:55.674 I couldn't even go to work. 402 00:22:55.674 --> 00:22:57.743 She threatened that if I told anyone, 403 00:22:57.743 --> 00:23:01.646 my parents, people at work, or anyone at church, she'd find me 404 00:23:01.646 --> 00:23:04.649 wherever I was and put me six feet under the ground. 405 00:23:06.418 --> 00:23:08.954 I was too afraid to tell anyone for a long time, 406 00:23:08.954 --> 00:23:11.957 but finally I couldn't take it anymore. 407 00:23:12.290 --> 00:23:15.060 I told my mom and dad what was happening. 408 00:23:15.060 --> 00:23:18.163 They freaked out and took me straight to the police station to file a report. 409 00:23:18.663 --> 00:23:21.233 But the police weren't much help. 410 00:23:21.233 --> 00:23:25.036 They said since she was just my roommate and not family or a romantic partner, 411 00:23:25.070 --> 00:23:27.773 they didn't even consider it domestic violence. 412 00:23:27.773 --> 00:23:31.143 I was like, seriously, how is this not domestic violence? 413 00:23:32.878 --> 00:23:35.213 All they told me was to file a protection order 414 00:23:35.213 --> 00:23:38.216 and said I could press charges if I wanted to. 415 00:23:38.383 --> 00:23:41.086 I filed that protection order against her and her cousin, 416 00:23:41.086 --> 00:23:44.089 who would watch as she beat me. 417 00:23:44.122 --> 00:23:45.690 I found out later that my roommate 418 00:23:45.690 --> 00:23:48.693 had been in jail 3 or 4 times for the same thing. 419 00:23:49.594 --> 00:23:52.464 When I moved out, my parents tried to take me to a shelter, 420 00:23:52.464 --> 00:23:55.467 but it was the same place where I met my roommate. 421 00:23:55.467 --> 00:23:58.470 She was threatening me, so I knew I couldn't stay there. 422 00:23:59.104 --> 00:24:02.107 That's when I decided to disappear. 423 00:24:03.408 --> 00:24:03.909 I ended up 424 00:24:03.909 --> 00:24:06.912 living under a bridge for three months. 425 00:24:07.112 --> 00:24:09.114 It was complete terror. 426 00:24:09.114 --> 00:24:12.284 There was a homeless community and cops would drive by all the time. 427 00:24:13.018 --> 00:24:16.321 Every night I had to find a quiet, safe place to pitch my tent, 428 00:24:16.321 --> 00:24:19.291 then pack everything up in the morning so nobody would steal my stuff. 429 00:24:20.125 --> 00:24:23.428 Just trying to find somewhere clean to wash up and something to 430 00:24:23.428 --> 00:24:24.996 eat every day was a struggle. 431 00:24:26.131 --> 00:24:28.600 One day my stepdad’s cousin found me living under 432 00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:31.603 that bridge and brought me to their house for the night. 433 00:24:31.603 --> 00:24:34.573 I knew I needed to do something. 434 00:24:34.573 --> 00:24:39.344 Finally, on August 22nd, 2021, I called 211. 435 00:24:40.045 --> 00:24:43.048 That's the resource number for anyone dealing with homelessness. 436 00:24:43.582 --> 00:24:46.251 I told them I was in a domestic situation and needed 437 00:24:46.251 --> 00:24:49.254 to get out of Indianapolis, because I was scared for my life. 438 00:24:50.188 --> 00:24:53.892 They directed me to the YWCA in Muncie, where there was an opening. 439 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.963 I packed up two weeks worth of stuff, which was all they allowed, 440 00:24:58.029 --> 00:25:00.999 and my cousin drove me to Muncie. 441 00:25:00.999 --> 00:25:04.069 For the first week, I stayed in their emergency overnight program. 442 00:25:04.903 --> 00:25:09.040 Then I met with my case manager and got moved into their 45 day program. 443 00:25:09.674 --> 00:25:13.845 For the first time in a while, I had my own room with a bed and TV. 444 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:16.948 At the Y, I met a young lady 445 00:25:16.948 --> 00:25:19.951 who was coming to the Recovery Cafe, which is just down the street. 446 00:25:20.986 --> 00:25:22.988 I started going all the time. 447 00:25:22.988 --> 00:25:26.625 I became a full member and then I went through all the different programs here. 448 00:25:26.858 --> 00:25:30.962 The companion program, the member program, and the member leader program. 449 00:25:31.429 --> 00:25:34.432 I eventually became a senior member leader. 450 00:25:35.467 --> 00:25:38.303 Recovery Cafe is not what you might expect. 451 00:25:38.303 --> 00:25:39.037 A lot of people, 452 00:25:39.037 --> 00:25:42.040 when they first hear “recovery,” they think it's just for addiction. 453 00:25:42.374 --> 00:25:45.377 That's one of the big misconceptions about this place. 454 00:25:45.510 --> 00:25:48.580 We accept people in any form of recovery, from addiction 455 00:25:48.580 --> 00:25:51.583 to mental health stuff to domestic violence. 456 00:25:52.183 --> 00:25:54.519 Even just being lonely. 457 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:56.421 It's a special place. 458 00:25:56.421 --> 00:25:58.690 The second you walk in upstairs and get off the elevator, 459 00:25:58.690 --> 00:26:01.393 you just feel such a warm and welcoming glow. 460 00:26:02.727 --> 00:26:05.397 I'm in recovery from mental health stuff myself. 461 00:26:05.397 --> 00:26:08.366 Major depressive disorder, social anxiety, bipolar 462 00:26:08.366 --> 00:26:12.404 two, ADHD, and general anxiety. 463 00:26:12.404 --> 00:26:15.140 [Sighs] I've struggled with my mental health 464 00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:18.643 since I was about 12, but it wasn't until I came here that I really got 465 00:26:18.643 --> 00:26:21.646 diagnosed and started getting the help I needed. 466 00:26:21.646 --> 00:26:24.382 I didn't even realize how much help I needed. 467 00:26:24.382 --> 00:26:27.385 When I first moved to Muncie, I wouldn't go out on my own. 468 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:30.889 I'd only go out with groups of ladies I'd made friends with at the Y, 469 00:26:31.690 --> 00:26:34.693 and even then I'd be looking over my shoulder constantly. 470 00:26:35.860 --> 00:26:39.064 In my new place, sometimes I think I hear my old roommate 471 00:26:39.064 --> 00:26:42.067 hollering my name, especially when I'm alone. 472 00:26:42.801 --> 00:26:45.804 When I tell people that, they say I'm crazy, but I'm not. 473 00:26:46.404 --> 00:26:49.407 I'm just still trying to recover from a domestic situation. 474 00:26:50.275 --> 00:26:53.345 Now I can recognize my triggers and handle things better. 475 00:26:54.212 --> 00:26:57.782 December 12th will mark three years since I started actually getting help. 476 00:26:58.617 --> 00:27:00.352 That's what I consider my recovery date. 477 00:27:01.686 --> 00:27:03.655 Sometimes I still struggle, 478 00:27:03.655 --> 00:27:06.658 but things have gotten better in ways I never expected. 479 00:27:07.092 --> 00:27:10.161 Less than a year after coming here, I went back to school at Ivy Tech. 480 00:27:10.795 --> 00:27:14.065 See, meeting all the young ladies at the Y and hearing their stories 481 00:27:14.065 --> 00:27:17.235 about what brought them there and their different recovery stories 482 00:27:17.736 --> 00:27:20.972 made me realize there aren't very many resources to help young women 483 00:27:20.972 --> 00:27:24.576 dealing with domestic violence or homelessness or substance abuse problems. 484 00:27:25.443 --> 00:27:28.513 There aren't many resources for teens in the same situation either. 485 00:27:29.514 --> 00:27:32.517 I want to be a part of helping them, just like others helped me. 486 00:27:34.052 --> 00:27:37.055 On January 17th, thanks to the Y, 487 00:27:37.055 --> 00:27:40.158 A Better Way and Meridian, I got my own place. 488 00:27:40.892 --> 00:27:44.162 They set me up with a case manager and a skills builder through Meridian 489 00:27:44.162 --> 00:27:47.298 Health Services, and help me get on the list for public housing. 490 00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:49.200 They helped with the 491 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:52.203 cost of housing and utilities for a year. 492 00:27:52.337 --> 00:27:55.340 I still struggle here and there to pay bills like everybody else, 493 00:27:56.041 --> 00:27:58.476 but I'm happy. 494 00:27:58.476 --> 00:28:01.713 I wear my Ivy Tech lanyard and hoodie proudly, excited 495 00:28:01.713 --> 00:28:05.050 about helping others change their lives, just like I changed mine. 496 00:28:06.017 --> 00:28:09.754 Sometimes I think about how if I hadn't gone through that terrible situation, 497 00:28:10.121 --> 00:28:13.124 I probably wouldn't be the person I am today. 498 00:28:13.558 --> 00:28:15.627 I've learned that if you need help, 499 00:28:15.627 --> 00:28:18.630 you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. 500 00:28:19.531 --> 00:28:22.033 That's what recovery is really about. 501 00:28:22.033 --> 00:28:25.804 Knowing you're not alone. 502 00:28:25.804 --> 00:28:31.509 [Upbeat alternative 503 00:28:31.509 --> 00:28:37.248 rock music] 504 00:28:37.315 --> 00:28:40.685 Out of Isolation. 505 00:28:42.087 --> 00:28:45.090 Mark's story, as told to Kyndall Tucker, 506 00:28:45.390 --> 00:28:48.393 performed by David Welty. 507 00:28:49.594 --> 00:28:53.698 I grew up feeling like an only child, even though I had three older siblings. 508 00:28:54.699 --> 00:28:55.033 I was 509 00:28:55.033 --> 00:28:58.036 born with a disability called Usher syndrome, 510 00:28:58.236 --> 00:29:01.239 which often set me apart from other people. 511 00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:05.110 On a lot of days, I felt very lonely and didn't know who to turn to. 512 00:29:06.077 --> 00:29:08.713 I love talking to 513 00:29:08.713 --> 00:29:09.614 people, being around people, I do. 514 00:29:09.614 --> 00:29:12.617 So, it's hard to be so isolated. 515 00:29:12.984 --> 00:29:15.854 But I love the people here at the café. 516 00:29:15.854 --> 00:29:18.456 I love hearing people's stories. 517 00:29:18.456 --> 00:29:21.126 The social aspect of meetings helps me out a lot 518 00:29:21.126 --> 00:29:24.129 with my depression and staying sober. 519 00:29:24.262 --> 00:29:27.265 It helps me to get out of myself. 520 00:29:28.066 --> 00:29:29.901 People have asked, 521 00:29:29.901 --> 00:29:32.837 “Do you think you have a recovery story? 522 00:29:32.837 --> 00:29:35.073 Are you in recovery from something?” 523 00:29:35.073 --> 00:29:38.076 I thought, what from? 524 00:29:38.176 --> 00:29:41.479 The truth is, I'm recovering from alcohol, but 525 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:46.851 I'm also recovering from the isolation I've had all my life with my disability. 526 00:29:48.052 --> 00:29:50.655 Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disease 527 00:29:50.655 --> 00:29:54.225 that affects hearing, vision, and sometimes balance. 528 00:29:55.093 --> 00:29:57.996 Because of my disability, it's always been hard for me 529 00:29:57.996 --> 00:30:00.999 to socialize with others, especially in school. 530 00:30:01.966 --> 00:30:03.902 I had to dedicate so much time 531 00:30:03.902 --> 00:30:07.372 trying to succeed in my schoolwork, and it affected my social life. 532 00:30:08.306 --> 00:30:11.976 The first grade, I was placed in a special education program 533 00:30:12.510 --> 00:30:15.480 where I was in a special needs classroom for half the day, 534 00:30:16.147 --> 00:30:18.750 because of the challenges I had. 535 00:30:18.750 --> 00:30:20.785 The teacher would come over a couple of times a week 536 00:30:20.785 --> 00:30:23.788 and do one on one sessions to help me retain the knowledge. 537 00:30:24.355 --> 00:30:27.659 When my vision issues started, that just added to my problems 538 00:30:27.659 --> 00:30:30.662 of socialization and feeling different. 539 00:30:31.963 --> 00:30:34.999 I didn't get much help from my disability and loneliness at home. 540 00:30:35.867 --> 00:30:38.236 My parents tried their hardest to make sure we were 541 00:30:38.236 --> 00:30:42.874 as “normal” as possible, but both of them struggled with alcohol addiction, 542 00:30:43.074 --> 00:30:46.077 making my life at home very chaotic. 543 00:30:46.110 --> 00:30:48.780 Since my sister and I share the same disability, 544 00:30:48.780 --> 00:30:51.549 we had to lean on each other a lot when it came to school stuff, 545 00:30:51.549 --> 00:30:54.552 and I didn't have any friends to play outside with. 546 00:30:54.953 --> 00:30:58.289 I spent most of my time by myself, mostly in front of the television. 547 00:30:59.757 --> 00:31:01.593 But I really love learning. 548 00:31:01.593 --> 00:31:04.596 My mother was a very, very intelligent person. 549 00:31:04.729 --> 00:31:08.166 She loved to read, and that's probably one of the few things 550 00:31:08.166 --> 00:31:10.301 she did for me and my siblings. 551 00:31:10.301 --> 00:31:12.770 We all love to read. 552 00:31:12.770 --> 00:31:16.140 She was a wonderful person, but she struggled with her mental health. 553 00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:19.244 We never did figure out exactly what her diagnosis would have been. 554 00:31:19.911 --> 00:31:22.547 Probably would have been manic depression. 555 00:31:22.547 --> 00:31:25.550 Now they call it bipolar disorder. 556 00:31:26.017 --> 00:31:30.188 I ended up pursuing my education, hoping everything else would fall into place, 557 00:31:30.188 --> 00:31:33.558 but it was when I was in college that I turned to alcohol. 558 00:31:34.459 --> 00:31:36.794 I wasn't doing too well in school. 559 00:31:36.794 --> 00:31:40.164 They have the ADA now, but it's about 30 years too late for me. 560 00:31:41.633 --> 00:31:45.003 During college, my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. 561 00:31:46.170 --> 00:31:48.439 Some people talk about a higher power. 562 00:31:48.439 --> 00:31:50.041 You know what? 563 00:31:50.041 --> 00:31:52.644 My higher power was my mother. 564 00:31:52.644 --> 00:31:55.647 For 25 years, everything revolved around her. 565 00:31:55.647 --> 00:31:58.783 But she passed away in 1990. 566 00:31:59.784 --> 00:32:02.787 Because I grew up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family, 567 00:32:03.288 --> 00:32:06.291 alcohol was a natural way for me to cope with her death. 568 00:32:07.792 --> 00:32:11.229 When I was young adult living in Indianapolis, I had a hard time 569 00:32:11.229 --> 00:32:13.164 getting a job. 570 00:32:13.164 --> 00:32:15.533 A lot of the problem was because of my hearing. 571 00:32:15.533 --> 00:32:18.536 They didn't have the technology that they have now, so 572 00:32:18.636 --> 00:32:21.205 I spent most of my time partying. 573 00:32:21.205 --> 00:32:24.208 It was good to be around people, but it took me 15 years 574 00:32:24.208 --> 00:32:28.479 after my dad passed away to realize alcohol would not help my depression. 575 00:32:28.713 --> 00:32:30.148 Surprise, surprise. 576 00:32:30.148 --> 00:32:32.216 You can't medicate depression with a depressant. 577 00:32:33.751 --> 00:32:35.119 My job today 578 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:37.822 is staying sober one day at a time. 579 00:32:37.822 --> 00:32:40.825 I've got about 20 years of not living the way I used to. 580 00:32:41.292 --> 00:32:44.295 You know, most people, when they come into the cafe, 581 00:32:44.829 --> 00:32:46.531 feel like they're at the end of the world. 582 00:32:46.531 --> 00:32:51.502 But when you get started, when you finally get it, you realize 583 00:32:51.502 --> 00:32:54.772 it's just the end of your old life and the beginning of a new one. 584 00:32:54.772 --> 00:32:57.775 [Uplifting alternative rock music crescendos] 585 00:33:06.317 --> 00:33:09.320 Come How You Are. 586 00:33:09.887 --> 00:33:13.358 Rosa's story, as told to Janiya Woolfork, 587 00:33:14.225 --> 00:33:17.228 performed by Chandra Ford. 588 00:33:19.464 --> 00:33:21.966 “Clothes mean nothing. 589 00:33:21.966 --> 00:33:24.569 It's your soul. 590 00:33:24.569 --> 00:33:27.538 So come how you are.” 591 00:33:27.538 --> 00:33:30.441 I try to tell people that every day 592 00:33:30.441 --> 00:33:32.944 to help them through their past. 593 00:33:32.944 --> 00:33:35.947 But I didn't always believe it for myself. 594 00:33:36.247 --> 00:33:39.784 I had to go through life and live through things to learn it. 595 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:44.122 Learning things was always hard for me. 596 00:33:44.889 --> 00:33:47.759 Not only in reading and writing, 597 00:33:47.759 --> 00:33:50.762 but in understanding the important things. 598 00:33:52.530 --> 00:33:55.533 It was rough for me when I was a child. 599 00:33:55.733 --> 00:33:58.503 I went through a lot. 600 00:33:58.503 --> 00:34:02.040 It was always a sad house in a way. 601 00:34:03.541 --> 00:34:06.511 I had to take care of everyone in my family: 602 00:34:06.778 --> 00:34:10.882 my daddy, my mother and my grandmother. 603 00:34:12.116 --> 00:34:15.720 Maybe because of all that rough stuff with my family, 604 00:34:16.287 --> 00:34:19.290 I rejected the faith they tried to teach me. 605 00:34:20.825 --> 00:34:23.828 I was taught faith all throughout my upbringing. 606 00:34:23.895 --> 00:34:28.366 I mean, I went to Sunday school and everything, but 607 00:34:29.467 --> 00:34:32.470 it was still rough for me. 608 00:34:33.237 --> 00:34:36.941 When I left my faith, I started to live differently. 609 00:34:37.575 --> 00:34:41.312 I mean, I went a little wild since I could finally do what I wanted. 610 00:34:42.180 --> 00:34:47.518 In my 20s, I started using crack for fun, but it turned into more. 611 00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.620 I just wanted to have 612 00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:53.124 fun after being cooped up in the house all throughout my childhood. 613 00:34:53.658 --> 00:34:56.661 But I fell into a bad space. 614 00:34:56.861 --> 00:34:59.997 I had to learn that being in that bad headspace 615 00:35:00.298 --> 00:35:03.301 was messing up my life. 616 00:35:04.402 --> 00:35:06.270 After years of living this way, 617 00:35:06.270 --> 00:35:09.607 I said, oh Lord, I am tired of this. 618 00:35:10.408 --> 00:35:15.213 I came to the conclusion I got to walk out on this man and walk on. 619 00:35:16.214 --> 00:35:19.217 And I told my boyfriend that I had had enough. 620 00:35:19.717 --> 00:35:24.822 I lost my house, my money, and I chose to be homeless 621 00:35:24.822 --> 00:35:28.793 rather than to be stuck in a relationship like that. 622 00:35:29.660 --> 00:35:34.765 But I stopped taking drugs cold turkey and never looked back. 623 00:35:35.533 --> 00:35:38.836 It was not hard to quit when I found God again. 624 00:35:40.638 --> 00:35:41.973 I found my way 625 00:35:41.973 --> 00:35:45.309 back in the light, back into Jesus's light. 626 00:35:46.310 --> 00:35:47.979 I made that one 627 00:35:47.979 --> 00:35:50.982 step, and God took me all the way. 628 00:35:51.883 --> 00:35:56.787 I had to learn the gift of life that God had given to me. 629 00:35:57.788 --> 00:36:00.725 I had to learn what faith meant to me 630 00:36:00.725 --> 00:36:03.728 and not what faith meant to my family. 631 00:36:04.428 --> 00:36:08.299 So I started to go back to church to connect 632 00:36:08.466 --> 00:36:13.204 with the community and Jesus more, which is what I needed. 633 00:36:13.571 --> 00:36:17.942 I learned that Jesus says, “Come how you are.” 634 00:36:19.210 --> 00:36:21.312 The path that Jesus had for me 635 00:36:21.312 --> 00:36:24.315 led to the Recovery Cafe. 636 00:36:24.348 --> 00:36:26.384 At the cafe, I help others 637 00:36:26.384 --> 00:36:29.453 learn to love themselves by sharing my love. 638 00:36:30.521 --> 00:36:33.624 It's the best thing that could have ever happened to me. 639 00:36:34.759 --> 00:36:37.762 Everyone I meet here is different. 640 00:36:37.762 --> 00:36:40.765 you can feel the love. 641 00:36:41.566 --> 00:36:43.734 I love to be around them. 642 00:36:43.734 --> 00:36:45.970 I love to hear their stories. 643 00:36:45.970 --> 00:36:49.073 I love to tell them your past is your past. 644 00:36:50.141 --> 00:36:50.975 For listening 645 00:36:50.975 --> 00:36:54.045 to people's stories, I help them talk it out. 646 00:36:54.445 --> 00:36:57.748 People say, “Thank you, Miss Rosa,” which makes me 647 00:36:57.748 --> 00:37:00.751 want to come back every day. 648 00:37:01.485 --> 00:37:04.488 There have been a lot of bad things in my life, 649 00:37:05.022 --> 00:37:08.025 but now it's just so joyful. 650 00:37:08.426 --> 00:37:10.661 I have my own apartment. 651 00:37:10.661 --> 00:37:12.196 It's so nice. 652 00:37:12.196 --> 00:37:16.500 I tell everyone, if you get to know God and you believe in him 653 00:37:17.101 --> 00:37:20.705 and have trust in him, it's a wonderful feeling. 654 00:37:22.106 --> 00:37:24.242 I am so blessed. 655 00:37:24.242 --> 00:37:27.478 I get to see God's plan and I get to share it 656 00:37:27.812 --> 00:37:38.656 with others. 657 00:37:38.656 --> 00:37:43.961 [Hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting 658 00:37:43.961 --> 00:37:47.131 Arms” playing 659 00:37:47.131 --> 00:37:50.468 on piano] Jamison: I want to welcome to the show 660 00:37:50.468 --> 00:37:54.038 Abby Gluvna, a program manager for the Recovery Cafe, Muncie. 661 00:37:54.105 --> 00:37:56.173 Thank you for joining me on the Facing Project. 662 00:37:56.173 --> 00:37:57.775 Thank you for having me. 663 00:37:57.775 --> 00:38:01.712 I'm so excited to be here today to talk about your work. 664 00:38:02.013 --> 00:38:06.450 And we just heard four story performances from Facing Recovery. 665 00:38:06.751 --> 00:38:11.055 And as this project came together, I was struck by both the vulnerability 666 00:38:11.055 --> 00:38:14.792 and resiliency of cafe members and storytellers. 667 00:38:15.293 --> 00:38:19.997 Talk more about your work at the cafe and why these stories are important to tell. 668 00:38:20.097 --> 00:38:21.565 Yeah. 669 00:38:21.565 --> 00:38:24.702 So, Recovery Cafe, it is- 670 00:38:25.770 --> 00:38:27.038 Long story short, it's like a- 671 00:38:27.038 --> 00:38:31.709 It's a safe place for people to land and find community, 672 00:38:31.909 --> 00:38:34.779 whether they are new to recovery, 673 00:38:34.779 --> 00:38:37.782 or if they're 20 years into the recovery. 674 00:38:38.015 --> 00:38:41.252 So if you're there, 675 00:38:41.552 --> 00:38:46.891 you can sense, you know, just this family type of energy there 676 00:38:46.991 --> 00:38:51.062 of all of our members just being that support for one another. 677 00:38:52.296 --> 00:38:57.001 We also have a lot of resources, that are at the cafe. 678 00:38:57.001 --> 00:39:00.838 So it kind of eliminates that barrier of, you know, members 679 00:39:00.905 --> 00:39:06.210 seeking community resources, so: health navigators from Open Door or Meridian. 680 00:39:06.510 --> 00:39:10.381 We have a clothing closet and food pantry 681 00:39:10.381 --> 00:39:13.951 that we regularly keep stocked that people can utilize. 682 00:39:14.452 --> 00:39:17.555 And then, you know, part of membership 683 00:39:17.555 --> 00:39:20.558 at the cafe is attending recovery circles. 684 00:39:21.325 --> 00:39:25.529 And essentially these are like weekly check ins that members 685 00:39:25.529 --> 00:39:30.668 will meet with their group once a week, set goals, that type of thing. 686 00:39:30.701 --> 00:39:34.038 So, the cafe is- It's 687 00:39:34.038 --> 00:39:38.175 really just like a support for people to navigate the recovery, 688 00:39:38.509 --> 00:39:43.080 have that autonomy to see what works for them. 689 00:39:43.080 --> 00:39:46.384 We always recognize all pathways of recovery. 690 00:39:47.585 --> 00:39:48.152 So it 691 00:39:48.152 --> 00:39:52.423 really does give people the opportunity to kind of explore what works for them 692 00:39:52.423 --> 00:39:56.193 while also having that long term social support as well. 693 00:39:57.228 --> 00:40:01.432 Talk more about the story piece of this. 694 00:40:01.432 --> 00:40:06.804 Part of the work that we did along with Kathryn and with members of the cafe 695 00:40:07.972 --> 00:40:10.808 was to collect these narratives of experience. 696 00:40:10.808 --> 00:40:16.414 Talk more about the storytelling piece and why was that important at this moment, 697 00:40:16.414 --> 00:40:20.684 and what did the members think about the experience? 698 00:40:21.318 --> 00:40:26.023 So they are always excited anytime to tell their story. 699 00:40:26.157 --> 00:40:29.427 And I think it's worth mentioning 700 00:40:29.427 --> 00:40:33.330 and giving them the space to use their voices. 701 00:40:33.731 --> 00:40:37.201 And part of our model at the cafe is recognizing 702 00:40:37.201 --> 00:40:40.304 that anyone can be in recovery from absolutely anything. 703 00:40:40.337 --> 00:40:44.742 I think, at first people might think that recovery is just, 704 00:40:44.775 --> 00:40:46.110 you know, drugs and alcohol. 705 00:40:47.478 --> 00:40:50.481 But, you know, if you take, like, a recovering, like, 706 00:40:50.481 --> 00:40:53.751 football player that has like a knee injury, like they're in recovery. 707 00:40:53.818 --> 00:40:56.086 So we can be in recovery from anything. 708 00:40:56.086 --> 00:40:59.490 So, in these stories, it allowed 709 00:40:59.490 --> 00:41:02.493 our members to talk about those things. 710 00:41:02.793 --> 00:41:04.662 So they were really excited. 711 00:41:04.662 --> 00:41:10.167 And, I think it's really important to have, you know, those conversations 712 00:41:10.167 --> 00:41:14.905 and the opportunity to just talk about those uncomfortable, 713 00:41:15.172 --> 00:41:18.175 you know, situations. 714 00:41:18.442 --> 00:41:22.046 I was really moved by the diversity of experience, 715 00:41:22.046 --> 00:41:23.214 like you were just talking about. 716 00:41:23.214 --> 00:41:26.784 And naively, when I used to hear the term recovery, 717 00:41:27.251 --> 00:41:32.356 I would immediately think about recovery from drug or alcohol abuse. 718 00:41:32.356 --> 00:41:33.724 Right? 719 00:41:33.724 --> 00:41:38.062 But when I heard the stories, this is really just one piece of the puzzle. 720 00:41:38.395 --> 00:41:42.933 Talk more about what recovery means to you and also the cafe. 721 00:41:43.167 --> 00:41:43.801 Yeah. 722 00:41:43.801 --> 00:41:48.572 So I can even admit, before I started working at the cafe, 723 00:41:48.672 --> 00:41:52.042 that was my outlook on recovery. 724 00:41:52.042 --> 00:41:54.545 And so I never considered myself to be in recovery 725 00:41:54.545 --> 00:41:57.548 because I never really had an issue with drugs and alcohol. 726 00:41:57.882 --> 00:42:01.785 But the more that I was around these members 727 00:42:02.219 --> 00:42:06.757 and just hearing their stories, I was able to recognize in myself, like, 728 00:42:06.891 --> 00:42:10.261 oh, these are things that I am also recovering from. 729 00:42:10.261 --> 00:42:13.430 And a lot of it is, you know, trauma and mental health challenges. 730 00:42:13.998 --> 00:42:18.035 And that is a ongoing recovery as well. 731 00:42:18.402 --> 00:42:22.039 So it kind of takes some, 732 00:42:22.072 --> 00:42:25.576 I think, someone to be in the cafe space 733 00:42:25.576 --> 00:42:31.015 and in that atmosphere to realize like, oh, this is something that I could 734 00:42:31.015 --> 00:42:34.952 be recovering from if it, if it's not, you know, a drug and alcohol issue. 735 00:42:36.153 --> 00:42:39.256 One of the stories in the book 736 00:42:39.690 --> 00:42:42.960 was about burnout 737 00:42:43.127 --> 00:42:47.197 and time management and how this person really found 738 00:42:47.197 --> 00:42:50.200 space at the cafe. 739 00:42:51.068 --> 00:42:52.436 Much like you were just talking about, 740 00:42:52.436 --> 00:42:53.604 they would have never considered 741 00:42:53.604 --> 00:42:59.209 themselves as being in recovery, but they're recovering from burnout, right? 742 00:42:59.209 --> 00:43:01.412 Which also is psychological trauma. 743 00:43:01.412 --> 00:43:05.416 And being able to find that space and home at the cafe 744 00:43:05.416 --> 00:43:06.717 has meant so much to them. 745 00:43:06.717 --> 00:43:08.719 And that's another example where I was like, 746 00:43:08.719 --> 00:43:12.423 I would have never thought about that when I hear the term recovery. 747 00:43:12.423 --> 00:43:14.825 Yeah. And I mean, you take burnout. 748 00:43:14.825 --> 00:43:19.830 Everyone has probably experienced burnout at some point or another in their lives. 749 00:43:20.297 --> 00:43:24.134 So just having like that support at the cafe and it's like, 750 00:43:24.401 --> 00:43:25.803 no, like that's not normal. 751 00:43:25.803 --> 00:43:28.072 Like, yeah, let's work on that. 752 00:43:28.072 --> 00:43:30.207 So yeah. Yeah. 753 00:43:30.207 --> 00:43:33.711 And I know being at the cafe when we were early on 754 00:43:33.811 --> 00:43:35.312 working with the storytellers 755 00:43:35.312 --> 00:43:39.483 and the writers before it even went into their work together, 756 00:43:40.851 --> 00:43:42.219 I was like, 757 00:43:42.219 --> 00:43:44.822 these folks really lean on each other. 758 00:43:44.822 --> 00:43:49.326 I mean, it really is a support group, regardless of what your your pathway 759 00:43:49.326 --> 00:43:52.329 was to get to the Recovery Cafe. 760 00:43:53.230 --> 00:43:54.898 They all lean on each other. 761 00:43:54.898 --> 00:43:58.702 Can you talk more about kind of that member support? 762 00:43:59.403 --> 00:44:03.273 I always- so when whenever I'm talking about the cafe 763 00:44:03.340 --> 00:44:07.444 and someone is asking about resources and stuff like that, 764 00:44:07.878 --> 00:44:12.516 if I can't find the answer, I always tell that individual, like, 765 00:44:13.183 --> 00:44:15.519 the cafe itself is a resource. 766 00:44:15.519 --> 00:44:20.391 So, you know, the the people that make up the cafe are members and our guests, 767 00:44:20.791 --> 00:44:24.762 they've probably been through it and they can lead you down 768 00:44:24.762 --> 00:44:28.265 the right, you know, direction or road to find that answer. 769 00:44:28.565 --> 00:44:31.568 So they're a resource themselves. 770 00:44:32.002 --> 00:44:37.675 But yeah, that that consistent social support, it's always there. 771 00:44:37.675 --> 00:44:41.812 They always want to encourage each other to keep going and growing. 772 00:44:42.112 --> 00:44:46.183 You know, showing that compassion and empathy towards one another. 773 00:44:46.517 --> 00:44:51.055 They really do understand that everyone is going through something. 774 00:44:51.055 --> 00:44:53.691 So what can I do to help you? 775 00:44:53.691 --> 00:44:54.625 They're amazing. 776 00:44:54.625 --> 00:44:56.727 They're amazing people. Jamison: Yeah. 777 00:44:56.727 --> 00:45:01.131 I also think the role that you're in as program manager is quite amazing. 778 00:45:01.165 --> 00:45:04.568 You talked about your own journey with recovery, 779 00:45:04.568 --> 00:45:07.571 looking at mental health challenges. 780 00:45:08.038 --> 00:45:11.909 What has it meant to you to own your story in that way 781 00:45:11.909 --> 00:45:15.879 and to walk alongside cafe members in a leadership role? 782 00:45:16.547 --> 00:45:17.381 Oh my gosh. 783 00:45:17.381 --> 00:45:18.849 It's, it's everything. 784 00:45:18.849 --> 00:45:22.486 You know, when I first recognize 785 00:45:22.486 --> 00:45:26.757 that, you know, I am in recovery myself, 786 00:45:26.757 --> 00:45:30.661 being able to spend my days 787 00:45:30.661 --> 00:45:37.401 with just humans on a very human level, it feels so good 788 00:45:37.401 --> 00:45:40.404 because I don't have to show up as anybody but myself. 789 00:45:40.437 --> 00:45:45.542 So I always tell our members or our new members, like, 790 00:45:45.542 --> 00:45:47.010 just because I have this lanyard 791 00:45:47.010 --> 00:45:51.215 and this key doesn't mean I'm above or anything like that. 792 00:45:51.248 --> 00:45:56.053 Like, we are here as humans on the same level, just trying to navigate life. 793 00:45:56.487 --> 00:45:58.856 And I'm here to help you with that. 794 00:45:58.856 --> 00:46:01.492 So it means everything 795 00:46:01.492 --> 00:46:04.895 that we all just can show up authentically ourselves 796 00:46:04.895 --> 00:46:08.132 and just, you know, do our day to day the best that we can. 797 00:46:08.365 --> 00:46:09.600 Yeah. 798 00:46:09.600 --> 00:46:12.603 What do you hope someone who picks up this book 799 00:46:12.603 --> 00:46:15.973 or is listening to this interview learns about recovery? 800 00:46:17.040 --> 00:46:20.010 I think I just want, 801 00:46:20.010 --> 00:46:24.982 you know, the reader to understand that there is space for them 802 00:46:25.616 --> 00:46:29.186 and they deserve recovery if that is something 803 00:46:29.186 --> 00:46:32.823 that, you know, if they're seeking or if they're questioning. 804 00:46:33.290 --> 00:46:36.460 Like I said before, and we touched on, like, 805 00:46:36.460 --> 00:46:41.365 I think that first idea of recovery of drugs and alcohol, 806 00:46:41.365 --> 00:46:45.169 that can turn people away like, no, this, this isn't something that I need. 807 00:46:45.469 --> 00:46:46.637 So I hope that, 808 00:46:46.637 --> 00:46:50.340 you know, when someone reads this book, they have a better understanding 809 00:46:50.641 --> 00:46:54.578 that, yeah, I can be in recovery, from whatever. 810 00:46:55.012 --> 00:46:57.881 So I hope it's, you know, it helps them. 811 00:46:57.881 --> 00:47:02.186 I hope it opens their mind and their eyes to maybe new opportunities 812 00:47:02.186 --> 00:47:05.189 and hopefully encourages them to 813 00:47:05.322 --> 00:47:07.624 start that journey if that's something that they want and, 814 00:47:07.624 --> 00:47:10.794 you know, reach out and hopefully attend the cafe one day. 815 00:47:11.795 --> 00:47:12.563 What I love about 816 00:47:12.563 --> 00:47:17.467 the cafe, too, and I have to admit, I've only been there a handful of times. 817 00:47:17.467 --> 00:47:21.738 But what I love about the space, there's some recreation, right? 818 00:47:21.805 --> 00:47:25.409 There are little pods where people can sit and talk. 819 00:47:25.776 --> 00:47:28.979 You also have meditation time that happens. 820 00:47:29.813 --> 00:47:32.683 There's a really holistic and special about that. 821 00:47:32.683 --> 00:47:37.087 Can you talk more about the physical space itself and kind of the setup and design 822 00:47:37.354 --> 00:47:42.659 and how that creates a space for people who are in recovery? 823 00:47:42.993 --> 00:47:48.632 To, to be there in place in space and connection with others. 824 00:47:48.665 --> 00:47:49.266 Yeah. 825 00:47:49.266 --> 00:47:53.637 So, like you were saying, we have our serenity room, we call it. 826 00:47:53.637 --> 00:47:58.575 So that's a good space for, you know, yoga, meditation. 827 00:47:58.809 --> 00:48:02.746 It's also a really great space that if someone comes in and they are just, 828 00:48:02.779 --> 00:48:06.516 you know, overwhelmed, anxious, and they need a calming space 829 00:48:06.516 --> 00:48:11.088 to just be by themselves, that is a great space for that to happen. 830 00:48:12.189 --> 00:48:13.824 We also have like our 831 00:48:13.824 --> 00:48:17.294 annex, which is directly off of my office, 832 00:48:17.628 --> 00:48:22.866 and that is a space for, say someone comes in under the influence, 833 00:48:23.133 --> 00:48:26.503 rather than us, you know, making them leave or something like that, 834 00:48:26.503 --> 00:48:30.407 we will ask them to sit in the annex so they can, you know, 835 00:48:30.874 --> 00:48:35.212 do what they need to do; eat some, you know, lunch, drink some coffee. 836 00:48:35.979 --> 00:48:39.182 But it also avoids triggers from the main cafe 837 00:48:39.182 --> 00:48:42.052 space where the rest of the members and guests will be. 838 00:48:42.052 --> 00:48:45.122 We have our game room 839 00:48:45.355 --> 00:48:49.092 that has, you know, pool tables, air hockey, a ping pong table. 840 00:48:49.092 --> 00:48:52.763 So anything to really keep the mind and hands busy. 841 00:48:53.063 --> 00:48:57.200 And it also provides an opportunity for people to just, you know, meet 842 00:48:57.200 --> 00:49:02.072 one another and, you know, hang out with themselves and stuff like that. 843 00:49:02.606 --> 00:49:05.842 So, yeah, our main cafe space, that's where everything kind of goes down. 844 00:49:05.842 --> 00:49:07.244 Our games, our lunch. 845 00:49:07.244 --> 00:49:09.513 That's where everyone hangs out. 846 00:49:09.513 --> 00:49:14.351 But again, we have different rooms and spaces for those that need 847 00:49:14.351 --> 00:49:19.589 a little bit more alone time or just to get away from the the busyness. 848 00:49:20.757 --> 00:49:23.593 What's the best way for someone to get involved 849 00:49:23.593 --> 00:49:27.631 in Recovery Cafe as either a new member or a volunteer? 850 00:49:27.664 --> 00:49:28.231 Yeah. 851 00:49:28.231 --> 00:49:33.370 So for new members they would just show up, show up as yourself. 852 00:49:33.437 --> 00:49:36.440 You don't need to schedule an appointment or anything like that. 853 00:49:36.640 --> 00:49:40.277 So you can just come to the cafe, we give you three guest days 854 00:49:40.277 --> 00:49:42.646 just to see if this is a good fit for you. 855 00:49:42.646 --> 00:49:47.551 And then we invite those new guests to become new members on Fridays. 856 00:49:47.851 --> 00:49:50.821 So we have new member introductions every Friday at 1 p.m.. 857 00:49:51.154 --> 00:49:56.259 we hold a volunteer orientation 858 00:49:56.493 --> 00:49:59.496 every first Wednesday of the month at 3:30. 859 00:49:59.596 --> 00:50:03.467 So, anyone who's interested in volunteering is encouraged to reach out. 860 00:50:03.533 --> 00:50:07.804 We have our Connect@RecoveryCafeMuncie.org email. 861 00:50:08.238 --> 00:50:12.175 That is just kind of like our general email that you can reach out to. 862 00:50:12.809 --> 00:50:17.047 Or you can just show up to new member or volunteer orientation on that Wednesday. 863 00:50:17.080 --> 00:50:18.749 Yeah. Jamison: Awesome. 864 00:50:18.749 --> 00:50:22.019 Abby Gluvna, program manager for Recovery Cafe Muncie, 865 00:50:22.052 --> 00:50:24.321 thank you for joining me on the Facing Project. 866 00:50:24.321 --> 00:50:25.756 Thank you for joining us. 867 00:50:25.756 --> 00:50:28.458 And thank you for having me. Jamison: Oh, absolutely. 868 00:50:28.458 --> 00:50:33.397 More about Recovery Cafe in Muncie can be found online, RecoveryCafeMuncie.org. 869 00:50:33.630 --> 00:50:35.699 And more about the National Recovery Cafe 870 00:50:35.699 --> 00:50:39.569 Network can be found at RecoveryCafeNetwork.org. 871 00:50:39.569 --> 00:50:47.210 [Theme music] Jamison: Many thanks once again to my guests Dr. 872 00:50:47.210 --> 00:50:51.448 Kathryn Ludwig, Bridgett Nesbitt and Hayden Gorham from Ball State University, 873 00:50:51.681 --> 00:50:56.019 and Abby Gluvna from Recovery Cafe in Muncie for joining me on today's show. 874 00:50:56.453 --> 00:51:00.357 And to all of the storytellers and writers who collaborated together to produce 875 00:51:00.357 --> 00:51:04.027 Facing Recovery, a publication of the Facing Project Press. 876 00:51:04.861 --> 00:51:07.664 Cat’s story, A Warrior Heart and a Friendly Smile, 877 00:51:07.664 --> 00:51:12.069 was written in collaboration with Joey Philpott and was performed by Katy Wolfe. 878 00:51:12.769 --> 00:51:15.739 Rosa’s story, Come How You Are, was written in collaboration 879 00:51:15.739 --> 00:51:19.009 with Janiya Woolfork and was performed by Chanda Ford. 880 00:51:19.643 --> 00:51:22.813 Mark’s story, Out of Isolation, was written in collaboration 881 00:51:22.813 --> 00:51:26.049 with Kyndall Tucker and was performed by David Welty. 882 00:51:26.049 --> 00:51:29.419 Nate’s story, Roses over Rocks, was written in collaboration 883 00:51:29.419 --> 00:51:32.556 with Bridget Nesbit and was performed by Carl Frost. 884 00:51:33.390 --> 00:51:35.025 More about starting a Facing Project 885 00:51:35.025 --> 00:51:38.328 in your community can be found at FacingProject.com. 886 00:51:39.029 --> 00:51:41.531 To listen to past episodes of this program, visit 887 00:51:41.531 --> 00:51:45.735 IndianaPublicRadio.org/TheFacingProject or find us 888 00:51:45.735 --> 00:51:50.240 on your favorite podcasting app, or on YouTube, or on the NPR network. 889 00:51:50.440 --> 00:51:54.811 Or just ask your smart speaker to play The Facing Project on NPR. 890 00:51:55.412 --> 00:51:58.014 To continue the conversation about this episode, 891 00:51:58.014 --> 00:52:01.084 find us on Facebook and Instagram at Facing Project. 892 00:52:01.618 --> 00:52:05.856 The Facing Project is recorded at Indiana Public Radio at Ball State University 893 00:52:05.856 --> 00:52:10.427 in beautiful and wonderful and evergreen Muncie, Indiana, and is produced 894 00:52:10.427 --> 00:52:14.698 by the amazing producer and audio engineer extraordinaire Sean Ashcraft. 895 00:52:15.098 --> 00:52:18.101 The show is distributed nationally through PRX. 896 00:52:18.368 --> 00:52:19.903 I'm your host, J.R. 897 00:52:19.903 --> 00:52:23.039 Jamison, and until next time, I wish you the courage 898 00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:26.643 to share your own story and the empathy to listen to others. 899 00:52:26.643 --> 00:52:28.011 [Theme music]