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Our Mission
Inner Fire is a proactive healing community offering striving individuals the choice to recover from debilitating and traumatic life challenges and strengthen themselves on a physical and deeper soul spiritual level with minimal use of the mind-altering psychotropic medications.
We support people who:
- Want to avoid such medication in the first place
- Want to taper to a level which works for them, which could mean off
- Want support with the horrendous withdrawal symptoms of the benzodiazepines
We are not anti-medications but we believe in the power of choice.
We do this by providing the opportunity for individuals to engage in a structured, rhythmic program of:
- Proactive and empowering artistic therapies which harmonize the relationship between the body, the soul and the spirit;
- Intentional work in bio-dynamic gardens, woods, kitchen and household;
- Counseling and peer led sessions encouraging self-expression and compassionate listening.
Our Story
Creating a Unique Intentional Program Based on Years of Applied Experience
The catalyst for Inner Fire was a thirty-eight year old man named Zach, who while struggling with mental health challenges, tragically took his own life. Zach did not know he had a choice to recover free from the harmful and stultifying side effects of mind altering, psychotropic medications. Instead of connecting with his inner fire using proven holistic therapies, Zach chose to end his suffering amidst a fog of pain. Zach is but one of a multitude of struggling individuals who gave up hope because he experienced no progress toward healing and no other choice for recovery was evident.
While working together at a treatment center in Vermont serving adults with serious psychiatric and addictive challenges, Beatrice Birch, a Hauschka Artistic Therapist approached Jim Taggart, then Executive Director of the center, and shared her deep concern for the limited and often counter-productive treatment options for people like Zach. From Beatrice’s thirty-five years combined experience working in clinics and rehabilitation centers in the UK and Holland, as well as her private practice in the US, she knew options were available and that they needed to be offered for those who wanted to be proactive in their healing process.
Many residents with whom Beatrice worked were resistant to taking their medications and detested the way the drugs made them feel. Typically, the medication confused their thought processes, disconnected them from their feelings, and sapped them of their willpower. Beatrice and Jim also experienced the tragedy of untimely deaths of individuals due to medical complications associated with long term neuroleptic use. Beatrice recognized that traumatic, biographical experiences left deep impressions on the soul and that the addictive medications, which dull the symptoms, serve simply to avoid the real work of dealing with the effects of the trauma. In addition, the medications not only confused the issue at hand through their side effects, but caused additional trauma by the difficult process of withdrawal. The majority of individuals Beatrice knew were unable to achieve genuine, social integration or to generate income other than through disability checks.
There is a growing body of research in the U.S. and abroad regarding the harmful effects of the ever-increasing reliance on psychotropic drugs to treat psychiatric disorders.¹ Meetings and discussions with other professionals confronting many of these same issues reaffirmed Beatrice’s commitment to offering a choice for those seeking to engage proactively in their healing journey.
Inner Fire, Inc. is a unique, intentional program based on years of applied experience. Its name exemplifies the reality that only by rekindling and claiming our inner fire can balance and healing occur. The more or less yearlong program facilitates a comprehensive, healing process by offering empowering opportunities through proactive individual and group therapies, a customized work program, a wholesome ( GAPS) diet and nurturing, cultural experiences, which together with peer support, helps to rebalance and bring harmony to the distressed soul.
In 2012, Tom Kavet, an economist and public policy expert with healthcare experience, joined with Beatrice and Jim to serve on the initial Board of Directors and further develop the conceptual framework, budget, funding and program model. Beatrice and Tom purchased a beautiful property in Brookline, Vermont which is now the home for Inner Fire. Inner Fire is both a Therapeutic Community Residence (TCR) and a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, incorporated in Vermont as a not-for-profit entity in September of 2012.
Our Values
Human Beings Are Creators, Not Victims
The Board and Guides are committed to shared beliefs and values that guide Inner Fire. The primary belief that human beings are creators rather than victims is foundational. Because of this reality, individual proactivity is essential. Such proactivity leads to a sense of empowerment, which in turn will lead to a renewed enthusiasm for life. From this stems the recognition of the therapeutic value of physical, outdoor, communal work, as well as individual and group therapies which would encourage soul/spiritual growth and a reverence for life. Inner Fire values beauty, as reflected in the buildings and grounds, which in turn feeds the soul, and an organic and balanced diet, which feeds the body. An experienced and dedicated, professional staff who are committed to facilitating the healing process through respectful, holistic, high quality care for the participants is essential. All staff are committed to developing insights and learning through their research and observation and to sharing their experiences. Finally, the Board believes that support in one’s healing process should be a right rather than a privilege and that, therefore, Inner Fire needs to be available to individuals regardless of their financial status. Donations toward our “Support a Seeker Fund” are always welcome thereby allowing those without the financial resources to engage in the process of reclaiming their lives.
We Are All Seekers
Striving Together For a Depth of Inner Healing and Balance
Individuals from the age of eighteen, who want to be proactively engaged in their recovery without the use of psychotropic medications, are encouraged to apply to Inner Fire. This includes those experiencing a first time “break” as well as those who desire assistance in coming off their medications. Inner Fire aims to be available to as many individuals as possible, regardless of their financial situation and will be a place where people of all races, cultures and religious beliefs can meet and support each other in their deepest humanity, as they strive together for a depth of inner healing and balance. Attendees at Inner Fire are called “Seekers,” recognizing that both they and professional staff at Inner Fire (referred to as “Guides”) are all striving individuals seeking balance, purpose and greater meaning in life.
You may be interested in why we use the term “Seeker”.
For many years, Beatrice worked in maximum and medium security prisons in New York State offering Alternative to Violence workshops and also water color painting. One day, Ian, a young man who had painted with Beatrice for a couple of years shared with her that when writing to a friend on the outside he tried to explain about the water color classes: “ They are art classes but really they are spiritual classes…” Looking Beatrice straight in the eyes, he then added: “This is what I was looking for on the outside…” “….Of course, you are all Seekers…”, Beatrice realized, “ looking for more than this fast paced, materialistic life.”
So, rather than calling participants in the Inner Fire program “clients”, “patients” or “residents”, she thought of Ian and realized that folks who are searching for a choice and are not content with ‘what-is’ are also “ Seekers” and we as support, are not staff, but rather Guides along the way. The fact is: we are all Guides and all Seekers.
Our Program
Supportive Session, Personal Therapy, Counseling, Creative Work
During the mornings, individuals participate in an intentional work program in the gardens, woods, kitchen or household. Two afternoons a week they engage in creative and supportive group sessions, which can include HVN (hearing voices network) and other peer-run initiatives. The other three afternoons offer an appropriate personal therapy such as artistic, music, eurythmy, spatial dynamics, yoga, massage, speech arts, holistic nursing and/or biographical counseling. Our experienced Guides, therapists, medical doctor, homeopath and psychiatrist pool their expertise during weekly meetings focusing on each individual’s progress. Evenings and weekends consist of hikes, planned social fiber-building activities and creative, cultural events aimed at nourishing the soul and experiencing the richness of nature.
Apprenticeship Program
Achieving Meaningful Employment
Toward the completion of an individual’s year, the option of receiving help in finding meaningful employment opportunities or to apprentice with a local crafts or tradesperson is offered. The individual may also maintain a connection with his or her mentor at Inner Fire, who will continue to support the inner growth – which comes naturally with a dynamic life.
Our Challenge
Developing a Sustainable Economic Foundation Through Diversification and Growth
Achieving the Inner Fire’s mission requires significant resource development. The challenge is developing a sustainable, economic foundation and construct that can support the retention of a superior staff and facilitate substantive results.
Therefore, the economic plan supporting Inner Fire is characterized by diversification and growth. The diversification includes an initial funding model based on a combination of private fees, individual and business donations, grants, and volunteerism. Government funding sources and insurance, with the condition that no strings are attached which could compromise the integrity of the unique Inner Fire program, may be harder to achieve.To complete this work, Inner Fire is reliant on continued generous support from private donors and foundations. Fundraising is still instrumental for financing the construction of the Inner Fire Home and Out-Buildings and for creating the Inner Fire Endowment.
The full evolution of the Inner Fire model, however, aims to fund all operations from a robust endowment, allowing program participation based solely on need, with donations by participants encouraged to advance and spread the development of this treatment option to other locations in the United States and beyond.
With the generous support of families, professionals, advocates and friends, we are committed to both the hard work and exciting prospect of growing our therapeutic community residence which welcomes striving individuals by honoring our humanity and seeking recovery beyond medications. This initiative aims to save and change lives by offering an extraordinary program that recognizes the creative power of the ‘inner fire’ of individuals daring to claim and transform their pain which has led to addiction and mental (soul) health challenges.
For more information, please contact Beatrice@innerfire.us.
- See, for example, Robert Whitaker, The Anatomy of an Epidemic, (New York: Random House, 2010); articles and analysis compiled by The Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health at: http://femhc.org; and topical issues and analysis discussed on the blog: www.madinamerica.org.
Gratitude
We are so grateful for the Individuals and organizations who have made donations of their time or material needs to support us in our work:
Wood Mizer – Portable saw mill
Subaru – Awarded the non-profit of the year ‘Share the Love’ reward in 2020.
Mountain Rose – bulk herbs
Badger Company: Organic Olive Oil
C&S Printing: for printing our newsletter
Fiskar: gardening tools
Stevens and Associates: engineering support
Phillips, Dunn, Shriver and Carroll: Legal Advice
With deep gratitude for the Foundations who have given their support:
Rudolf Steiner Charitable Trust
Triskeles Foundation