Hello Henderson

When I arrived to Henderson, I was just amazed at how small that area is. But the food and the helpful staff were to die for and I’ll cherish those experiences. Although most crisis facilities are working through staffing challenges, Henderson did not let that get them down. Each day I received a home cooked meal or two from their kitchen staff.

About a month before I arrived, Dr. Chuck was in Washington State where I work, and we were talking about what he envisioned for the Henderson mural. He pulled out his phone and voila! He showed me a photo of the mill down the road. He shared that folks all know this area and enjoy going to fish or have picnics there. Immediately, I went back to my childhood where I was at the lake every weekend in the hot summer days of Texas.

The space we put the mural was smaller, but it created an experience like sitting in the front row of a theatre stage, providing a calming visual for the guests in crisis. I even had the opportunity to put one of the staff’s dogs hidden into the piece.

This unit was challenging but not at all disappointing. I miss the food and the great employees that I became close to while I was there. Keep up that encouraging uplifting service to the community!

Lucy Schwartz

Lucy is a Peer Recovery Specialist at RI International and has spread her mural magic in RI International crisis facilities across the United States.