Benjamin E. Burgholzer is a Ph.D. candidate in Binghamton University’s English department with a creative writing focus. His project, “Writing for Recovery in the Southern Tier”, will offer creative writing workshops created specifically for addicts and people suffering from other mental illnesses currently in treatment with the intention of inspiring hope and recovery by helping them find their own voices, voices that have often been ignored or cast away by society. This program will not only to offer a much-needed creative outlet to these people, but also to help destigmatize addiction treatment, recovery, and mental illness by increasing awareness of the aforementioned through the showcasing and publication of the polished work created during this program.
