Further Reflections on Hazelden's Spiritual Odyssey Book

Marking Hazelden's fiftieth anniversary, Damian McElrath - the author of Hazelden: A Spiritual Odyssey, the widely read story of Hazelden's first twenty-five years - offers further reflections on Hazelden's recent history that are both personal and authoritative, recounted as they were seen and lived by an eyewitness to Hazelden's last twenty-five years.

The last quarter of a century witnessed Hazelden's rapid growth, its struggles through a period of uncertainty about the future, and the extension of its services. McElrath describes these changes from a firsthand perspective, providing insight into ongoing themes of Hazelden's history -- changing patient and staff profiles; shifting tensions between mission and margin, between paternalism and partnership, and between Center City and Hazelden's centers located elsewhere. Framing this account of the ebb and flow of Hazelden's history are McElrath's own reflections, a personal look into the individual's spiritual journey and the role of Hazelden's services, old and new. Alive with the voices of those who have made Hazelden what it is, as well as those whose lives have been transformed thanks to Hazelden - from former patients to the likes of Pat Butler, Dan Anderson, and Harry Swift - and illustrated with over thirty-five photographs, this encounter with the history of Hazelden conveys the care, humor, grit, and creative spirit that have kept the entire Hazelden community changing and thriving for half a century.