Beth Snyder - Lighthouse Recovery Community Center, Inc.
This session is a companion to the Photovoice exhibit displayed in public areas of the conference. Photovoice is a participatory research method in which people use video and/or photographs to capture aspects of their environment, experiences, or concerns. These visual depictions offer viewers a vivid window onto an unknown world and/or offer a new perspective of familiar scenes and people. Pictures can be more powerful than words and can lead to deeper understanding and prompt new ways of thinking. These photographs and accompanying narratives were taken by residents of the Lighthouse Recovery Community in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in the spring of 2023. While all audiences should respond to the material, these residents especially hope to capture the attention of those like themselves, with addiction challenges, who might benefit from experiencing life in a recovery residence but have been reluctant to enter one. By sharing a piece of their own journey, they hope to reduce the stigma, misinformation, and fear surrounding recovery residences and offer hope to others.
1. Recognize the power of visual methods to challenge addiction stigma.
2. View the lived experience of people living in sober housing from a new perspective.
3. Consider ways to use a new method to engage clients and stakeholders to initiate change.