Several years ago, NAMI member Elise Sanford began offering photography classes to individuals with severe mental illness. The 317 Board, NAMI, and individual donors provided the money for the cameras and other equipment. The project was a booming success. Not only was the quality of the photos produced very high - resulting in much acclaimed exhibitions throughout the state and elsewhere - but, more importantly, many recovering but emotionally crushed participants literally began to bloom as a result of this form of art therapy. Eventually, Ms. Sanford, and now her successor Nate Thomson, would offer a variety of types of photography classes to a number of groups of the mentally ill, not just in Athens but also in Vinton County, Logan, etc. The project has won several grants including many from the Ohio Arts Council which is interested in it not for its role in mental health recovery but rather for its contribution to fine art.

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Contact NAMI - Athens
Appalachian Behavioral Health Care, 100 Hospital Drive, Athens OH 45701
Phone: 740-593-7424   e-mail: namiathens@gmail.com