Joanne Cunningham
HOH Program Facilitator
The Houses of Healing course reaffirmed for me the importance of teaching every human being from an early age that they have self-worth and dignity. Sadly, the majority of inmates I worked with had been hurt as children and had covered the pain of their early lives with addiction and negative thinking. The carefully selected materials of Houses of Healing provide inmates with a clearer understanding of their past experiences and their impact. That new knowledge, without having to assign blame and finality, is an eye opener and very liberating. Houses of Healing provides a space for that new learning and for realizing that we don’t have to be defined forever by our mistakes and pain. We can view our past through a new lens and use its lessons to move forward, making healthier decisions. Teaching this important cause has given me a unique opportunity to foster understanding between the incarcerated and free communities.