“If you want to have a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”
– Orson Wells
When I was on the Karis Board, I heard many stories from community members about how Karis had kept the story going for them. So many said, “Karis saved my life.” One declared, “I’ve had therapy. I’ve had medication. I’ve had ECT. I’ve been hospitalized. But nothing has helped me like Karis.”
Karis doesn’t only help individuals. There is a ripple effect for family and friends. When my son David was about twenty, he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. That was difficult for the whole family. He didn’t expect to live past 25. One day I found him hiding in his closet. After re-learning about Karis a few years later, we visited a holiday party there. I asked him, “What did you think?” He said, “I thought it was going to be like a prison.” “No, it’s not like a prison. Just the opposite: It’s to help free you.”
It took several months before he was ready to go to Karis. Saying Karis saved David’s life may be too strong, but it gave him new life, more life. As others have said, part of the healing included a constellation of other community members; staff; structure; and accountability. One night, I clearly remember, E.J. stayed with us until 11:00 pm as David processed some of his issues. That’s not just “above and beyond,” it is beyond that. At Karis David began to accept his illness; find community/belonging; some personal strength, agentive power; hope and new life. And he found his best friend and now roommate.
David’s story—for him and for me—continues in a way that it would not have without Karis. For helping us continue the story for David, we are grateful to E.J., to the Karis community, to staff, and to all who support the Karis vision.
Richard Evans, Ph.D.
Former Board Member