Eileen Fahey rsm, founder and former director of Aiséirí Addiction Centre, Cahir
Interview conducted by Ann Lenihan, rsm
In September, 2008, Aiséirí celebrated 25 years of community service. The Clonmel Nationalist (4th October, 2008) carried the headline “Addiction Treatment Centre a monument to pioneering Nun”. The accompanying article justly acknowledged and celebrated Sr. Eileen who, in 1983, responded to the needs of the time and actively campaigned to set up Aiséirí as a residential addiction treatment centre in Cahir. The centre was so successful that in 1987, at the request of the South Eastern Health Board, Aiséirí Wexford was opened and more recently Céim Eile (Another Step), an extended care facility, opened in Waterford in 2003. Since Aiséiri came into being in September 1983 more than 6,000 people and their families have availed of its services with between 60% and 65% managing to turn their lives around.
Ann: Tell me about your early journey as a Sister of Mercy and what inspired you to set up Aiséirí?
Eileen: I started as a general Nurse and Midwife but I always had a deep interest in psychiatry so I trained as a Psychiatric Nurse in Stillorgan. While working in St. Bridget’s, Ardee, Co Louth and St. Michael’s, Clonmel, Co Tipperary I was increasingly conscious of all the people suffering from alcoholism. A very big number of the people admitted to the hospitals had alcohol related problems and these problems were often treated by prescribing medication which meant, in fact, that people were often moving from one addiction to another. I was watching the Late Late Show when Gay Byrne interviewed Fr. Raphael Shortt of the Rutland Street Centre. His drug-free approach of dealing with addiction really impressed me and I contacted him for further information and ended up doing a year’s training at the Rutland Centre in 1980. I realised that to replicate this model of therapy and aftercare would not be possible within the limitations of a hospital. A whole new set-up would be necessary – a suitable residence would have to be found. Fortunately, I had great support from Sr. Alacoque Barry and the Mercy Sisters who could see the long term benefits of the new venture. The Sisters purchased a suitable house on the outskirts of Cahir and leased it to a Board of Trustees – this was the beginning of Aiséirí.
Ann: How did you raise the necessary finance for such a project?
Eileen: Fund-raising was extremely difficult. It was very hard to raise funds for something that did not exist – it was also the early eighties when money was quite scarce and unemployment was rampant. People were not too sympathetic towards alcoholics and were slow enough to support the setting up of a centre for them. I believe people supported the fund-raising because of the Mercy involvement – communities such as the I.C.A., Macra na Feirme, Pioneers, the Church, Rotary and Lions Clubs became involved. We also had support from local businesses, trade unions as well as private donations.
Ann: Tell me about your strong connection with the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota.
Eileen: The Minnesota approach to addiction treatment offers group therapy, lectures and counselling. It is based on abstinence and is really the spiritual principles of Alcoholics Anonymous applied by professionals using different therapies – Reality Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy etc. I tried to get someone from Minnesota to come to Ireland and help train people for our new centre. This did not work out but the President of Hazelden offered me a scholarship to study their methodology on site in 1983. While there I was very fortunate to meet Bob and Marilyn Brissett who ended up coming to Cahir in September 1983 and worked here in Aiséirí for the first year of its opening. Bob was co-director of the Metropolitan Clinic in Minneapolis and Marilyn was head trainer of addiction counselling in Hazelden. It was a real blessing having them on board from the beginning and gave great confidence to all of us starting off. It was Bob who really insisted that we open the centre in September 1983. The Sisters were wonderful setting about preparing the house. Within a short time people were coming from all over Munster and the south-east. Aiséirí was recognised by the main health insurers – VHI and BUPA as well as by private health insurers. Companies who referred people subsidised their treatment and this enabled us to take in other people who could not afford to pay for treatment or go elsewhere. We also operated a system whereby people could pay for their treatment by coming back on work projects. This was also a very big part of the recovery programme. Another very important aspect was the fact that we trained recovering people as facilitators in the programme – this peer ministry has been hugely influential in helping people on the road to recovery.
Ann: Jung’s advice to the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous was “spiritus contra spiritum” – replace one spirit with another. How important is the spiritual dimension to the success of the programme?
Eileen: The three objectives of the Minnesota programme are the growth of spiritual awareness, recognition of choice and personal responsibility, and acceptance of the importance of peer relationships. The spiritual aspect is vitally important and this is greatly facilitated within the context of a residential treatment centre. It provides the opportunity for people to come apart from the turmoil of their lives, to look at the consequences of their behaviour, to get in touch with the inner person and understand the pain of addiction and the loss and destruction in their lives due to the unmanageability of their addiction. Aiséirí is like a retreat centre – a place to take stock, a safe and tranquil environment where a person can rediscover his/her soul. People are helped to rediscover the person they always desired to be – the good parent, spouse, sibling – forgiving themselves for their past, divesting themselves of guilt and shame and beginning to believe in themselves again as good human beings. The real meaning of Aiséirí – resurrection and rising again to new life – becomes a reality. Our oratory, built as a work project, provides a quiet peaceful space for prayer and reflection. We also run spirituality and growth experience weeks to help people deepen their understanding of the spiritual process of recovery.
Ann: What changes have you seen in the age profile and addictions of people coming to Aiséirí over the past 25 years?
Eileen: There have been huge changes especially in the age profile. People coming here were getting younger and younger and as the programme needed to be more specialized for young people we decided that a separate centre was needed. Ten years ago, Sr. Veronica Mangan, who worked here in Aiséirí, and who had a real desire to work with young people, set up the Aislinn Centre in Ballyragget for the under twenty age group. Here, in Aiséirí, we now cater for the over twenties right up to people in their seventies. In the early days we dealt mainly with people suffering from alcoholism, but, nowadays, there is a huge increase in the numbers coming who are addicted to street drugs, prescribed drugs and gambling. It is always the 12 step model we use and always recommend abstinence. We can cater for twelve residents here and twelve in Aiséirí Wexford. The programme runs for twenty eight days and is followed by a two-year aftercare programme. The Wexford programme has been managed by Sr. Maureen Freyne.
Ann: Since you retired as director I understand that you are now very involved with the family treatment programme.
Eileen: The family programme runs one week per month and is open to all whether or not their family member is in recovery or not. It is residential and takes place in the Aiséirí Lodge here in Cahir. It is a support system which helps people work through their pain and confusion and helps them to get order back into their lives, to realise that, even though addiction can be a relapsing illness, the people affected need to take care of themselves and their children. I also lead a healing service for residents and one for their families every month, I give some lectures and am involved in the supervision of volunteers and facilitators.
Ann: To what do you attribute the remarkable success of Aiséirí?
Eileen: I think the residential aspect contributes a lot to the success of the programme, also the role-modelling of staff, the respect and dignity shown to all at all times. The homely environment where staff and all in recovery live as family and share life together is important. Also the voluntary input is hugely important – all the facilitators are voluntary and their commitment and dedication is unparalleled. I referred already to the peer ministry of recovering addicts to people in recovery and this has proved very powerful over the years. The Sisters of Mercy have been most supportive and also we have been blessed with excellent Boards of Trustees and Boards of Management over the years.
Ann: Looking back what stands out for you as the most significant milestones and successes in the evolving story of Aiséirí?
Eileen: Seeing anyone move into recovery is such a miracle. To see hope and meaning return to people who have been so severely ill and to see families who have been so broken and helpless get back to “normal” living. I’m also happy that other similar centres have been set up – I remember Sr. Immaculata Murphy’s visit before the setting up of Tabor Lodge in Cork, also supporting Sr. Esther Buckley as she established Talbot Grove in Castleisland and helping Fr. Niall Carlon in the setting up of Whiteoaks in Muff, Co. Donegal. The opening of Céim Eile in Waterford in 2003 was very significant for me as I saw the need for a half-way house for people after leaving the programme. Waterford was chosen because of its accessibility to employment and education. Some people who finish the primary treatment programme are not really ready to go back to normal life and need support and extended care. Céim Eile provides this support and it is wonderful to see people re-entering work and study. At present Céim Eile is in rented accommodation – my dream is that we can purchase a new residence or find a suitable site to build on and continue to develop the invaluable work presently going on in Céim Eile.
