Every organization, company, institution needs a slogan, something that fits nicely on a letterhead or a coffee mug—a catchy phrase that captures the organization’s aspirations, if not necessarily its reality.
In the case of Sanctuary Centers, the words “improving one life at time” are not just a catchy phrase but a reflection of a deep truth.
The Beginning
In 1991, our son Nathan, a student at UC Irvine, experienced his first breakdown. With the help of a friend who just happened to be a counseling psychologist at the university—and the blessing of decent health insurance—we were able to help place Nathan in a small, private psychiatric hospital in Orange County for evaluation.
And to allow us the time to figure out what to do next.
Nathan received what could charitably be described as “custodial care” in this facility. Although there were mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers on staff, we never received a diagnosis. Nor did we receive much assistance in planning for the next steps. While Nathan was able to settle into the routine there, it became increasingly clear that he needed continuing treatment, but not in a hospital setting.
But this was 1991: pre-internet, pre-google, pre-push a button and get an answer. Fortunately, my spouse and I are research librarians. After turning every bit of our training and skills to the task, we finally “discovered” Sanctuary House.
Finding Sanctuary
It is easy for me to go on at great length about the benefits of Sanctuary’s programs and activities.
Sanctuary staff tuned into Nathan from the very first moment he arrived. They made sure that, in addition to providing the treatment he needed, he was connected to a volunteer job at the Botanic Garden that spoke directly to his interests and skills.
A flower blooms alone.
As delighted as we were with the demonstrable examples of Sanctuary’s programs and staff, that’s not what resonated most with us. What made the biggest difference was a less tangible feature of life at Sanctuary.
No one on staff ever reduced Nathan to a diagnosis or a constellation of symptoms. They made it clear to us all, but especially to Nathan, that they saw him as a creative young man with great potential, though facing some serious mental health challenges.
He was treated as a whole person, with dignity and respect. This, more than anything, made it possible for the program to work.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward
Recovery is not always linear. I would be less than honest if I failed to acknowledge that Nathan’s time at Sanctuary was a mix of tremendous progress…
…and heart-wrenching setbacks.
Sometimes, when it was least expected, the challenges he was facing became too much. Even with the constant support of Sanctuary staff, the illness got the better of him. Yet even in those dark moments, when everyone’s patience was stretched to the limit, staff looked beyond the struggles, keeping a laser focus on the dignity and worth of the young man occasionally buried beneath the pain.
Quite literally, improving one life at a time.
Nathan is 50 years old now. He is happily (and successfully) married, remodeling an apartment in his house to be an AirBnB, working construction, doing tarot readings and contributing to making the city of Vallejo a better place to live.
He is taking the life (and lifesaving) lessons he learned at Sanctuary and paying them forward.
About the Author
Ellen Broidy, PH.D
Dr. Ellen Broidy, holds a PhD in U.S. History from University of California, Irvine and a Master’s in Library Science from University of California, Berkeley. She recently retired from the position of Writing Specialist for the UCSB McNair Scholars Program, where she guided and assisted low income, first generation, and underrepresented students as they worked toward their goal of attending graduate school. Ellen also provides editorial and research services as well as dissertation coaching through her company, Academic Editorial, Inc. Prior to her work at McNair, Dr. Broidy was the head of the Collections, Research and Instructional Services Department at UCLA’s Young Research Library and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies.
Dr. Broidy additionally served for several years on the Mental Wellness Center’s Education Committee and was an active member of the Mental Health Matters teaching team, where she taught sessions on mental wellness to 6th graders in Santa Barbara schools. She has also taught Family to Family, a course sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness aimed at addressing the needs of family members of people living with mental illness.
Dr. Broidy became involved with Sanctuary Centers in the early 1990s, when her son was a resident of Sanctuary House. She and her spouse Joan credit Sanctuary Centers with providing their son with a solid foundation from which to build a healthy and productive life.
