Art therapy can help heal the body and mind by providing a constructive outlet for self-expression. That’s why an art therapy program has always been an important piece of the healing process for residents at Joseph & Mary’s Home – part of caring for the whole person. Mary’s Home resident Janet spent multiple years in and out of shelter. She’s finally in an environment where she is medically healing and now able to plan for her future. She enjoys tapping into her creative side and has been participating in the art therapy program.

Right now in your life, what are you grateful for?

Being at Mary’s Home. The peace and quiet. I have the ability to sit down and have a complete thought. Safety was a big concern for me at the shelter and there was always so much uncertainty. I felt like I was living on the edge of my seat all the time. I had been living at shelters over seven years. It takes a toll. Things were at a standstill during COVID. You can’t see a way out after a while. You can get frustrated and lose your motivation to do things for yourself.

Were you in the hospital before being referred you to Joseph & Mary’s Home?

I’ve been in the hospital many, many times. I was last in the hospital in February. I had been seeing Dr. Seidman [medical director at Joseph & Mary’s Home] at the mobile clinic and he referred me to Mary’s Home. He brought me to look at the place and told me about the program. I asked if I could visit first because I had been moved four times during COVID and that was very stressful. I wanted to be sure of what I was moving into. My first impression was that it was so quiet, clean and spacious. I was even offered lunch during my tour.

What activities or services at Joseph & Mary’s Home have been the most helpful?

Being able to live here and have quiet. It’s helped me be able to actually focus on my next steps without worrying about my safety. I’ve been able to work on applying to housing and visiting apartments. The food is also very good here and nutritious. It’s helped me keep on weight and get healthier. It will be extremely helpful when my paratransit is approved. I can then be a little more independent.

How has being at Joseph & Mary’s Home changed you? Did you learn something new about yourself?

When you have time to sit and think to yourself, you can be reflective and realize the reason you’ve been stuck. There’s no longer a husband or kids for me to take care of. I’m figuring out who I am and who and what I want in my life. I want something routine in my life again. I’m not too old for new adventures, but I’m tired of not having a stable residence of my own. I want to settle into a neighborhood that I feel safe in. From being in shelter for seven years, just think of how many people’s faces have crossed in front of me. No wonder my brain needs a vacation and stability.

What is a favorite activity/hobby that you love doing?

I love art and crafts. It’s wonderful to have a resident room big enough to store my painting supplies. I am always in the art therapy room doodling or seeing how watercolor paint lays on a different type of paper. It helps me relax and de-stress and, at the same time, challenges me to learn more. My favorite hobby is sewing. I was born to it. My mom taught me and my sister how to sew when we were about 8 years old. It’s the creative process of taking this flat piece of fabric and turning it into something people can wear. There is the engineering side of my brain that loves cutting the pieces and fitting them together.

How is your apartment search going?

I found an apartment that I loved and could afford. It was by the Cleveland Metroparks. It was a neighborhood with lots of sidewalks and picnic tables. Lots of trees. I knew where I would set up my art supplies. I was looking forward to starting my new life. I got declined because I don’t have credit history. It cost me $40 to apply. I can’t keep wasting money like that. I can’t keep throwing money into an empty hole. I had never rented an apartment before and didn’t know how important your credit history is. I keep running into road blocks, but I did learn something.

I also feel challenged by the technology. So many of the applications are online and need to be completed on a computer. It’s like waking up and having been in a cave for seven years.