I work at a substance use disorder treatment facility, supporting adults in an outpatient setting. I facilitate a group specifically for clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Recently, I facilitated the Lotus Flower art workshop and connected it to recovery-related themes, inviting participants to create a flower and write on it the things they would like to focus on and grow throughout their recovery journey.

During the workshop, one participant, who is typically very quiet, opened up and shared that he wants to change his life for the better, both for himself and for his son. He designed his flower to resemble a sunflower, his favorite flower. He explained that at the center of the flower was sobriety, which he sees as the core holding all the other petals together. On the petals, he wrote qualities and areas he hopes to nurture in recovery, such as patience, spirituality, his relationships with family and friends, and engaging in activities that bring him joy.

These art workshops offer participants a way to express their emotions without relying on words, which is especially unique in our program, as no other groups offer this kind of outlet. Most other modalities follow a structured curriculum, while the art group allows for open interpretation and participants are free to explore and create however they choose.

This group has become very popular with our patients, many of whom have shared how much they appreciate having the time and space to make art and focus on something different from the usual group topics at our facility.