facebook
rss
twitter
  • About
    • Contact
    • Elementary & Secondary Education Department
    • Social Concerns Department
  • Legislative Review
  • Issues
    • Catholic Education
    • Faith and Politics
    • Health Care
    • Life and Dignity
    • Marriage and Family
    • Religious Liberty
    • Social Justice
  • Bishops’ Statements
    • En Español
  • Resources
    • Bulletin Inserts
    • Church Documents
    • PA Catholic Statistics
    • Related Sites
    • Send A Letter to The Editor
  • Subscribe
    • RSS Feeds
    • Via E-mail
  • Contact
  • Podcast

Harborcreek Arts Center Gives Youth New Life

July 20, 2017
by Blue
art, bishop persico, Catholic Charities, Erie, mental health, music therapy, therapy, young, youth
Comments are off

Harborcreek Youth Services resident Nick, foreground, plays a guitar riff for music therapist Sam Krahe and Catholic Charities Executive Director Ann Badach.

He’s only 17, but Nick Smith says the past year has been the best of his life. He credits Harborcreek Youth Services (HYS), a psychiatric residential treatment center for young people.

“It saved my life,” says Nick, whose real last name is withheld to protect his privacy.

Located in Harborcreek not far from the shores of Lake Erie in the Diocese of Erie, HYS is home to about 65 mostly young men who have been court-appointed or placed because of mental health issues or a history of personal trauma. It operates under the auspices of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Erie, offering not only residential care, but behavioral health services, foster care and specialized family therapy.

On May 11, Nick had even more reason to celebrate as HYS dedicated its new Father Jim Fahey Therapeutic Arts Center.

The Therapeutic Arts Center aims to reach troubled youth through various expressive therapies, including art, music and movement.

“This gives the boys a lot more opportunity for different kinds of activity and therapy,” says John Petulla, executive director of HYS and the main mover behind the three-year effort to build the Therapeutic Arts Center.

For Nick, playing the guitar or banging on some drums have helped.

“In my opinion, it’s an outlet for emotions and trauma,” Nick says. “If you don’t want to sit there and explain it to a therapist, if you don’t want to sit there and tell your mom exactly how you feel, then put it in a song, record it and do something with it.”

Mercyhurst University President Michael Victor spoke at the dedication ceremony, expressing his appreciation for the longtime relationship Mercyhurst has had with HYS.

In 2015, the Mercyhurst University-Harborcreek Youth Services Partnership was established to help build the Therapeutic Arts Initiative.

“Through music, art and movement therapy combined with counseling, we are making great strides in helping these young people discover self-worth, emotional expression and social skills,” Victor told those gathered for the dedication ceremony. “What could be more motivating or more inspiring?”

*Article contributed by Mary Solberg, Editor, FaithLife.

About the Author
Social Share
  • google-share

News From Around PA

  • Cathedral Basilica to Hold Annual Christmas Concert Dec. 10
  • Stacy Williams Named Next Director of the Archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics
  • Collection for Religious Retirement Fund to take place Dec. 9-10
  • Pope says he has serious bronchial infection
  • Advent Penance Services
  • Discover Catholic Schools this November
Click To Read More

Post Archives

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

Recent Posts

PA House Democrats Strip EITC Funding From School Code Bill That Passed Overwhelmingly in Senate
Nov 17, 2023
Checking in on the PA Basic Education Funding Commission
Nov 10, 2023
This Week at the PA Capitol
Nov 02, 2023

All Issues

  • Catholic Education
  • Faith and Politics
  • Health Care
  • Life and Dignity
  • Marriage and Family
  • Religious Liberty
  • Social Justice

banner

Sign up to join the Catholic Advocacy Network today!

CClogo© 2021 Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Bookmark and Share Site by Halibut Blue® | Login