Photo contributed by Susan Birge
Timmy sat down with Lisa a few years ago and spoke about his desires for a recovery program for alcoholics and drug addicts. He looked at Lisa and said, “If you build it, they will come.” And they did.
Fairfield’s Recovery House opened on Nov. 19, 2013. Recovery House was designed to help students break an addiction they are facing, whether it’s drugs or alcohol. Recovery House allows students to balance both their education and recovery.
The home is an unmarked house off campus, within walking distance from the school. Currently, the home holds three members and one house manager.
Chris, a Fairfield student currently living in Recovery House, is considered to be the “pioneer” of the program. He was the home’s first resident and has come a long way since his recognition of his problem.
Meet the Staff
The staff is made up of four people. Everyone shares similar interests and desires for all those involved in the program.
Susan Birge serves as the assistant vice president and director of counseling and psychological services at Fairfield.
Lisa Arnold works with the clinical piece of Recovery House. Her job includes running the therapy groups and the individual counseling. She also works with students who are undergoing personal struggles with recovery, or are identifying things that compromise their ability to stay sober.
Joe Graziano is the program coordinator and also co-facilitates the clinical piece with Arnold and works with some Recovery House students individually.
Timmy is the house manager and a recovered addict who graduated from Fairfield. As the house manager, Timmy tries to emphasize community. He said, “The men are free to come and go as they want and have to attend three 12-step meetings a week. Other than that, simply respect and care for the living environment, just like any other residency at Fairfield.”
First Jesuit School
Fairfield is the first Jesuit school to start a Recovery House. However, 17 other schools are involved in the program, including University of Virginia and Rutgers.
Birge explained: “We are a little ahead of the trend. The future of housing at an institution of higher education is going to have to incorporate [Recovery House].
“It’s a matter of time before we see most colleges and universities trying to catch up,” continued Birge. “Why did we do it first? Because Lisa and I have been talking about it for years and we identified the need.”
Arnold said that she received calls from parents asking questions about the program, but when it came to housing, she had to tell them Fairfield doesn’t have a special place. “That’s where the buck stopped. Before September of 2013 we didn’t have anything to offer to them. Now I can get on the phone with parents and say ‘from soup to nuts’ we have it!”
Before Recovery House, Fairfield University was losing students and many transferred. Birge said she thinks that the program is helping change that trend.
“We wanted students to return, but to a safe environment. From a university perspective we are doing some good work for [Fairfield] in terms of recruitment and retention,” she said. “We are getting calls now with transfer students coming in, in part of our program.”
Men Only?
Recovery House is currently only available for men. Why is that? Arnold broke it down.
“I’ve worked in recovery for a long time and 90 percent of anyone in rehab are men. Does that mean that men have more issues with alcohol than women and drugs? Absolutely not.”
Arnold explained: “The need for it is there, but we don’t see it. Women are not showing up in the dean’s office. I think for them, it takes longer for them to surface, and unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, it doesn’t create the problem as early for them.” She continued, “Over time, I think [the House] will create a more open-minded feeling about seeking help because there are other groups of people doing it in college and succeeding.”
Mind, Body and Spirit
Fairfield’s goal is to educate students in a way that involves their mind, body and spirit. The university seeks to educate the whole person and that is exactly the mindset that the Recovery House has as well.
Birge explained that the program has an academic success coordinator.
“If we are looking holistically, it is very important to us that Chris [and other students in the house] has the support he needs academically. So he meets with an individual who will help him maintain his academic goals on a regular basis.”
“In terms of ‘body’ we certainly encourage [the residents’] physical well-being.” Graziano’s safe programs encourage this.
“Spirituality is a component of recovery,” stated Birge. Recovery House has plans to work with campus ministry or the Jesuits to create Ignatian exercises, such as a retreat, for the men and women in recovery. Also, the house is working on having members participate in service.
“All these men … want to convert their gratitude to helping others,” explained Birge.
Many students have a hard enough time balancing school itself. Yet Chris, the first official member of Recovery House, not only balanced his education, but also his recovery.
Chris, who transferred into Fairfield during his sophomore year, explained, “The school has provided me with a lot of support that made it more manageable for me to do.”
Timmy explained, “It’s a balance. I remember my number one priority, which was my recovery, but having to balance that between the education, because I wanted that to be a part of my life too.”
Timmy said he agrees with the need to find a balance: “That’s the beauty of having the house because it gives you a chance not only to have your recovery in a safe environment, but to pursue your education, which would otherwise be very difficult without this kind of support system.”
Building a Better Future
“We feel that our collegiate recovery program is progressive, mission-driven and we certainly think that it reflects Jesuit values of inclusivity, and [we want] every student at this university to have the college experience that they choose to have and receive the most support,” said Birge.
Fairfield mandates that incoming freshman must partake in AlcoholEdu, an online educational program that teaches students about alcohol and its effects in college.
Timmy said: “Any opportunity to [educate] early on plants that seed so when the moment does come they recognize they may have a problem and say, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ Hopefully, they think of us and that we’ve offered them an opportunity.”
Recovery House recently applied for the Outstanding Ignatian Program.
“Saint Ignatius’ job, along with the Jesuits, was to go where the need was most,” Timmy said. “So being the Ignatian award, I think we are meeting what the need is, so hopefully they consider us good candidates and we get awarded.”
Birge hopes that the house can help increase awareness on campus and encourage students to come forward if they need help.
“There are no secrets here; if we have something good working, we’ll share it. I’ve sent so much stuff to Boston College. We’ll help anybody. That’s really where our hearts are at,” she said.
Words of Advice
The young men and staff members offered advice for those who may need help coping with or recovering from addiction.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have to ask the question of whether you have a problem, you usually do. Don’t be afraid because there is plenty of help here,” said Timmy. “Everybody in that house knows what everyone else has gone through and it’s kind of unique to go through it at the age that we are. That in and of itself creates the spirit and we all tap into it and latch onto it, which helps.”
Birge stated: “We are committed to having more people understand that there is no stigma. This is part of who you are, but not who you are. It’s part of how you do life, but not your life.”
Arnold agreed. “If you let that piece of you define you, then you are just going get eaten up alive. [Timmy and Chris] don’t let it define who they are and it’s made them into the people they are today,” she said.
Graziano finished by saying, “To see someone transform in front of our eyes is just an amazing thing to watch and that’s because [Recovery House] is here for them to do that.”
Birge encourages students to reach out. “If you think you may have a problem with alcohol and/or drugs, talk to a professional at Counseling and Psychological Services,” she said. “It’s confidential and there is no charge. Students receive respect and resources without any judgment or pressure.”
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