The Clubhouse: My Road To Recovery

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The Clubhouse: My Road To Recovery
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 by Renee D Warring

The Clubhouse: My Road To Recovery

In 2007 many of my family and friends saw me as hopelessly sick. According to them, I would always be sick, but my intuition told me otherwise. I knew that I had talents, gifts, abilities, and skills that were not being utilized. This was a seed of hope!

I knew there were others in my family who believed in me: my sister, my parents, and my maternal aunt-all of whom made me feel valuable and saw me as being well. My sister reminded me of how in years past, I was full of life and energy. These family members were cultivating seeds of hope and self-confidence in me that would lead to my doing enjoyable things again!

I took steps toward self-advocacy and spoke with my therapist, telling her what was going on in my mind and with my emotions. She encouraged me to get involved with a community of my peers at Welcome House Clubhouse, located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. I became a member in November 2008. The Welcome House Clubhouse is a community consisting of non-judgmental, supportive, and loving staff and members. I was encouraged to make my own goals, be courageous, and to hope again! One of my goals was to write articles for the Welcome House Clubhouse newsletter, Echoes of Welcome. In time, I did. I was later invited to join the committee for Elwyn in Pennsylvania for publication of the CARE Newsletter.

In addition to writing, I succeeded in horticulture. I took care of plants in the Welcome House greenhouse. I soon realized that growing and caring for plants exemplifies a process of self-renewal. During this time, I decided that I wanted become a CPS (Certified Peer Specialist). I enjoyed encouraging, empathizing with, and advocating for people with mental illness. I became a CPS in June of 2009 and continued to volunteer one day a week at New Visions, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (a part of Elwyn) for two years.

I am elated by the fact that people like me with mental illness can set goals, regain hope, and even recover from mental illness. I am in a deep emotional process, but I am more than glad to have my “groove” back-an even bigger and better groove now!

You may be asking yourself, “What is a Clubhouse?” Before I answer that question, I want to state what Clubhouse International’s vision is for me and other people with mental illness. “Our vision is that there will one day be Clubhouses in the cities and towns of every country in the world.”¹ “A Clubhouse is first and foremost a local community center that offers people who have mental illness hope and opportunities to achieve their full potential…”² “A Clubhouse is most importantly a community of people who are working together to achieve a common goal…”³ “During the course of their participation in a Clubhouse, members gain access to opportunities to rejoin the worlds of friendships, family, employment and education and to the services and support they may individually need to continue their recovery.”⁴ “A Clubhouse provides a restorative environment…⁵ where people like me, who have mental illness, can receive support. We know that mental illness is not a death sentence; it is treatable and we can and do recover from it!⁶

“The first Clubhouse was founded in New York City in 1948. It was later named Fountain House. The founders were comprised of a small group of people who had been recently discharged from a state psychiatric hospital, and who had decided to create a group they named, ‘We Are Not Alone’ or WANA. The building which they named Fountain House was purchased in 1950.”⁷