Soul Solutions Recovery Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor Adam Priebnow believes there’s a better way to heal from substance use disorders—and it includes art.
“One person I’m working with now said they were trying to find crafts to help them navigate their early recovery,” Priebnow said. “They made a terrarium last week and told me, ‘It lets me create and do something versus sitting there thinking about drinking.’ ”
Priebnow recently expanded their ability to offer ceramic arts to Soul Solutions’ partial hospitalization program, which is a more intensive treatment option where people attend various recovery sessions Monday through Friday for 20 hours a week. His hope was to add a kiln to the ceramics room they opened in 2022. That wish was realized in 2023.
Priebnow applied for and received an Art For All grant from The Arts Partnership to offset costs of purchasing, installing and managing the kiln in a designated clay room at the south Fargo facility.
“Soul Solutions’ mission to bring art-related therapies to the recovery experience just shows how powerful the act of creating can be on any type of healing journey, whether that’s addiction, grief or something else,” TAP Executive Director Tania Blanich said. “We’re so thankful for artists and counselors like Adam in our community who see the value of art in all aspects of life.”
Art For All grants are geared towards nonprofit human services agencies that wish to include art-related activities in their mission-driven work. 2023 grantees include Soul Solutions as well as Fraser, Habitat For Humanity, Immigrant Development Center, Jasmin Childcare Center, Cultural Diversity Resources, Red River Human Services Foundation and Epic Charities.
Soul Solutions Recovery Center Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor Adam Priebnow began practicing ceramics early in his own recovery journey and now uses it in his therapeutic practice as well. Contributed photos.
‘Art gets me out of my head’
Since adding the kiln, Priebnow has used the clay room in therapy sessions. In classes, patients can choose to make a mug or serving tray, incorporating an object that might have sentimental value. It gives their hands something to do when they’re communicating about tough stuff, like addiction-related memories, traumas and emotions.
“Art gets me out of my head,” a Soul Solutions patient who wishes to remain anonymous said. “It also helps me process things in different parts of my brain.”
Pottery isn’t the only option at Soul Solutions. Priebnow encourages his patients to try different kinds of art, like writing, coloring and music.
Art created by individuals participating in recovery services at Soul Solutions Recovery Center in Fargo.
‘They made me believe’
Living with addiction is something Priebnow knows intimately. Years ago, he himself got tired of living in active addiction.
“I was lucky enough to have gotten treatment,” he said, adding that the right support in place and people pushing him towards the path of recovery made all the difference.
He took on clay early in his journey because he saw how it helped his friends in recovery.
“They made me believe I could be good at it,” Priebnow said. “Now I can help pass on my knowledge of pottery to others to aid in their recovery.”
‘Not everyone connects in a discussion circle’
Soul Solutions Clinic Director Patti Senn said art gives people options for communicating their experiences and feelings.
“Not everyone connects in a discussion circle,” Senn said. “Or they don’t feel comfortable opening up in that environment, so whatever can connect them from a different angle is great. Art is another way to engage people outside of the sharing circle.”
Senn said the recovery center incorporates music therapy to its programming, too, noting that the arts and music activities are very effective. “It’s really helping people connect in a way that’s not so clinical, too,” she said. “Art creates a different environment that often opens doors that were perhaps blocked.”
Because substance use disorders affect an individual and their family and friends, the focus on art as a therapy modality is just one way the treatment center hopes to expand its services and offerings to accommodate whole-family care.
Both Senn and Priebnow see art as a critical component to that growth.
More about Art For All grants
Art for All Grants are available to health, human services and other nonprofit organizations that do not have an arts-related mission but wish to incorporate the arts into their mission-based work. These grants are meant to invest in organizations and projects that aspire to grow and cultivate community through the arts, primarily to benefit underserved populations.
The program is funded by Choice Bank and other corporate funders.
About the author
Lonna Whiting is a freelance writer and owner of lonna.co, a content marketing and communications agency located in Fargo, North Dakota. She is a frequent contributor to The Arts Partnership’s content library and also provides strategic communications consultation to the organization.
