Local art therapist working with marginalized and vulnerable men to help them share their stories

My Friend Dave gives voice to the voiceless Often, the voices of the city's marginalized community go unheard, but this art therapist is working toward changing that.

Jennifer Seniuk started an initiative called 'My Friend Dave' after meeting up with Dave Lanza at a warming station last winter.

Seniuk, an art therapist, was volunteering. Lanza was looking for a place to get out of the cold and have something to eat. The two formed an instant bond.

"He was like 'I really want to tell my story' and I said okay let's do it," said Seniuk. "So we met up and he brought three of his friends, he's like 'well, they also want to tell their story' and so that's how it all started."

Seniuk works with men in her private practice talking about shame, trauma, and grief along with understanding and compassion. With the 'My Friend Dave' initiative, she provides a safe and supportive environment where men can share their stories through writing, film and art.

"A lot of times it's hard to access our emotions or understand or put a label to it and so we can access those through art making," she said. "And everyone can speak the language of art."

Changing lives

Seniuk said the project started in May 2024 with a handful of men and to date has had close to 50 members drop in every Monday from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. at Glendale Park in the southwest and she said it's changing lives.

"It has been massive over such a short amount of time just by showing up with dignity and decency and  (offering) a hello and a cup of coffee," she said.

"These guys have stepped into their best versions of themselves, a lot of them are getting sober, one guy has gone to treatment, a couple of them are in recovery, some of them have homes now and just in showing up and giving them a platform and a space to tell their story through creative expression."

Lanza is 58 years old and has struggled with addiction and living rough.

"I've been drunk for 13 straight years," he said. "Every morning I'd wake up and drink. I'd bottle pick, I'd make enough money that I could buy my beer and my cigarettes,

"(Jennifer) searched me out," he added. "She went to every liquor store around this community and left a note saying, if you see Dave, give him my number and we got together and then just she dreams this (My Friend Dave) up."

Support

With the support he's received, Dave now has a job in construction and has been sober for a month and won't miss a Monday spent with the group.

"And that's because Jen is there, she makes me feel welcome, she makes me feel comfortable, she makes me feel like I have to always be there," he said. "She's since outfitted me, I'm set for the winter, I have enough blankets and tarps to sleep outside and she set me up with a mental health therapist."

Lanza is grateful to be able to talk to others about his story and hear the stories of others in the group. He has a purpose now and while he doesn't have a long term plan, he focuses on the moment and what tomorrow holds.

"I'm 180 degrees turned around and I am so grateful for that, I would hate to have to go back to the lifestyle I've been living," he said.

"I still go through these moments," he added, "when I think about the beauty that I can see and feel now -- I'll be sitting on the bus and I just think about something or see something so simple and so small I'll start crying.

" I'm a tough guy," he said. "I'm not supposed to be doing that -- but I'm tougher because I can do it I think."

Learn more about the project here.