Love is harm reduction

When you work with underserved people, you hear a lot of fourletter words. Around here, one of them is love. Looking someone in the eye, knowing their name, a gentle touch or a warm hug--these simple acts of kindness have a profound effect on the mental and physical well-being of our participants.

There’s a lot more to harm reduction than just needles and drugs. Fresh laundry is harm reduction. So is the chance to sit down at a piano. Playing with a dog. Participating in a drum circle. Having a quiet, cozy corner to read a book. Even something as simple as deciding what kind of juice to have with your breakfast is harm reduction.

There is no single prescription that can break the cycle of addition, or cure the layered trauma that many of our participants carry with them. Yet of all the treatments we provide, one of the most powerful medicines is love.

If my Ninja Turtle bubble bath doesn’t make me feel better, what chance is there for modern medicine?