Christina

Christina was featured in our 2018 summer newsletter, having arrived at Hopewell in 2016. She had been living with 17 other sisters as a nun at the Monastery of Blessed Sacrament on Cleveland’s west side and was experiencing extreme bouts of anger and depression. After trying two other mental health facilities, she fell in love with Hopewell and the art therapy program, where she discovered her creative side.

In October 2020, Christina joined Hopewell’s Transition Program and moved to a University Circle apartment, living on her own for the first time in her life. She said, “I feel very supported in this program and welcome the learning experiences.”

Feeling antsy this summer, Christina took a road trip to help move a friend to Colorado. She said, “We hiked in Kansas City, took many photos including big dinosaurs that were at every Kansas gas station, and walked in the foothills of Colorado where the views were spectacular. The trip allowed me to see other possibilities for my future.”

When Christina returned to Cleveland, Chris Goodall, Director of Outreach, asked her, “You have been here for a year. What is the next path you are seeking?” Christine answered, “I want to be a writer and go to graduate school.”

Christina had previously started applications for grad school, but they were never completed due to writer’s block. She was required to submit a short story and was stuck on a genre. Christina found a story prompt and went with “going on a hike and having a spine-chilling moment” and titled her essay “Devil’s Creek.”

Christina said, “Whenever I write, I think it will be stupid and stop writing. Who would want to read it? I talked myself into finishing it and sent it off. I got accepted!” She is working on a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University’s online program. She hopes to be finished in two years, though the program allows eight years to complete the degree.

Living in University Circle provides Christina many places to wander and write. Her most inspiring location is Lake View Cemetery, which is in walking distance of her apartment. “Writing brings me great joy and helps me to find peace within myself.” She is grateful for all the guidance and input Hopewell has given her.