Houses Of Healing: A Prisoner' Guide to Inner Power and Freedom

by Robin Casarijan

Houses of Healing: A Prisoner's Guide to Inner Power and Freedom is a groundbreaking book (available in both English and Spanish) for prisoner healing and (re)habilitation. Houses of Healing deals directly with root causes of crime, violence, and addiction and offers a practical approach to emotional growth that speaks specifically to the challenges facing incarcerated men and women.

Having worked with hundreds of inmates in Massachusetts prisons for over eight years, author Robin Casarjian, a veteran teacher and counselor, developed the emotional literacy curriculum/ program presented in Houses of Healing.

From the outset of her work in prisons, it was clear to Ms. Casarjian that until prisoners were able to heal issues that were, for many, at the root of their criminal and addictive behavior, they would be unable to extract themselves successfully from the criminal justice system. It was also obvious that resources for prisoner rehabilitation were sorely needed.

In 1992, she founded The Lionheart Foundation for the purpose of making her emotional literacy curriculum/program available to prisoners around the country. To achieve this goal, in 1995 the Lionheart Foundation funded the publication and free distribution of Houses of Healing: A Prisoner's Guide to Inner Power and Freedom. This project, called the National Emotional Literacy Project for Prisoners [link], continues to expand today.

How It Works

Houses of Healing offers an in-depth program in emotional habilitation and personal growth as well as the consistent encouragement needed to engage successfully in this challenging and demanding process. The author draws the reader in by speaking clearly and directly to the situations and feelings that most all incarcerated men and women struggle with. Numerous firsthand accounts of prisoners who have worked the program are interspersed throughout the book.

In Houses of Healing, prisoners learn how to confront issues such as childhood wounding, grieving, managing anger, facing the impact of crime, and taking ultimate responsibility for themselves and their actions. The program offers guidance in stress management techniques and healthy, practical coping strategies. It addresses, in depth, the necessity of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others - subjects that are often overlooked and misunderstood despite the fact that they are essential to the cultivation of empathy and emotional and spiritual maturity.

Guiding prisoners toward a restored sense of self in a context of respect, encouragement, and inspiration, Houses of Healing combines essential tools for change with a deep understanding of the challenges facing the offender population.

Houses of Healing: A Prisoner's Guide to Inner Power and Freedom can be used, as thousands are using it today, independently or in group courses in many settings and formats. Prisoners use the book for self-study over months and even years. Counselors and chaplains use Houses of Healing to complement their treatment programs and/or create entirely new programs. Houses of Healing courses are led by mental health and substance abuse counselors, chaplains, volunteers, and even prisoners. (For additional guidance or assistance, they often use The Houses of Healing Training Manual and the Houses of Healing Educational and Training Video Series.)

Genres: Mental Health, Psychology

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 1995

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book, regardless of whether or not you are in prison or will ever serve time in prison. The author does a great job covering difficult topics in a practical way.

Regardless of your background, as human beings we have all experienced wounds, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual in nature. Some of the powerful messages in this book describe ways that we often hide how things have actually impacted us behind masks of anger, unshared grief, or bitterness and resentment. The author explains some of the negative effects this has on our inner being as well as our relationships with others. She also shares some wise insights into improving our well-being through healing and forgiveness processes that we choose to implement within ourselves and in our relationships with others.

I believe that anyone who is open to it and willing to put in the effort can receive an improvement in the level of peace, love, and forgiveness they feel in their life by applying the topics and principles covered in this book.

[MsChris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that explores healing and growth. If it can help my clients in prison, it can help anyone!

[Creekbed09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am now reading this book. While the course and exercises were written for prison inmates, within the first pages it becomes evident that the book was written for all of us. We are each in a prison of our own making.
The information in the book offers the keys for freedom.
We need to feel willing to return to our pasts, to look at our wounded child that cries out for healing. We then have to choose bravery so that we open those doors and windows of hurt and pain, in order to heal the child, who in turn, will heal us.
The book contains exercises, at the conclusion of each chapter, to assist us to bring light to the darkness, and peace to the soul.

[Gail Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on healing and understanding and managing emotions for everyone, not just prisoners. Written in a way that is easy to follow and understand.