Greetings Emmanuelites and Happy 2014! I was sick for most of last week, so I missed both Common Art and Café Emmanuel. However, last Monday at the prison there were some new faces as well as some women who had not been present to make cards for their loved ones in a few weeks. It is always such a wonderful feeling when the women return to make art and engage in creating a community with us. I love to see their smiling faces and hear their greetings. Some of them have even felt comfortable enough to hug the volunteers hello and goodbye and I have noticed a much more talkative room these last few weeks. Continue reading →

I just got back to Boston last week, and I’m very happy to see everyone’s smiling faces again. It’s been odd being away for a month; I feel as though so much has happened at the church since I’ve been away. Thankfully, Amanda, Liz, and Pam all got me back up to speed. I hear that things have been a little hectic, but that everyone is supporting each other and treating one another with grace, kindness, and compassion. This pleases me immensely! Continue reading →

As Christmas approaches I have been thinking about the importance of family and of the unique ways we create family. It is not just marriage or children that grows a family — making new friends adds new members to a family. While interning at Emmanuel I have had the opportunity to experience moments of love that have expanded my own definition of family. Continue reading →

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is becoming abundantly clear to me, all of the things about which I have to be thankful. I am of course, incredibly appreciative to have been welcomed into such a unique and accepting community at Emmanuel, to have found my career path in Expressive Arts Therapies, to have my family and so many new friends. There is connection, laughter, creativity, and joy in my life where there was not always. This is quite a contrast to the first part of my life, which was filled with struggles to survive in a world I felt misunderstood me. My desire to create and march to my own drum always seemed in conflict with a need for acceptance and pressure to conform. I could not find my courageous, creative voice or give myself permission to be who I was. I am realizing now that the struggles were part of the journey to finding purpose and authentic freedom and open other doors of possibility. Continue reading →

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner! As the holiday approaches, I find myself being very grateful for the opportunity to work with folks at Emmanuel. I also find myself thinking about turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pecan pie, but that’s beside the point. No amount of delicious food can replace the wonderful feeling in my heart that I receive from the joy I see on people’s faces…and boy, did I see a lot of that this week! Continue reading →

I hope you are all doing well. With Thanksgiving approaching, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what unites us all together as people, which I feel is a large part of what Thanksgiving is about. Also, I know at this time of year we are all so busy so I will keep this short, sweet and to the point.

There are so many diverse programs that go on at Emmanuel Church at times it feels like all we could possibly share is the building. Lately, I’ve been thinking that we share something else as well: we all share a table. The same tables used for church gatherings are the tables used for common art, the same for the Café Emmanuel lunch, the same for Central Reform Temple Torah Study, and for many other events held at Emmanuel. Continue reading →

Hi everyone! The Halloween spirit was alive at Emmanuel for sure, with many creative, resourceful, scary, and fabulous costumes. I saw a wizard-like witch’s hat with bats flying around the rim, an inventive cape and hood made from a sheet and pillow case, brains made from different colored saran wraps and glue, several masks, a biker, and so many other imaginative costumes that fascinated and inspired me. Halloween seems to be the one time of year that as adults we can allow our inner children out to play but what if we could give ourselves permission to play more frequently? Continue reading →

What a week it has been! I hope everyone has been having a wonderful time celebrating Halloween and enjoying the crisp, fall air; I know I have! It was a pleasure to create seasonal crafts with the prison group, Common Art, and Café Emmanuel this week. I really noticed an atmosphere of community and generosity. Continue reading →

Hi, my name is Amanda Rigatti, I am an art therapy intern here at Emmanuel  from Lesley University’s graduate expressive therapies program. Evey, Liz, and I all feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this community and I can’t even begin to express how thankful we all are for how kind everyone has been to us as we work our way through our first semester.

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been three weeks since I began at Emmanuel. I feel like I have learned more in the past few weeks working with common art, Ethos, and women at the Suffolk county prison than I have in years of schooling. I have learned to expect the unexpected. Continue reading →