Our Origin Story
Anam Cara Recovery Arts was born from friendship, recovery, and a desire to support recovery through the arts and community care.
The name Anam Cara comes from the Irish meaning “soul friend”—a person who walks alongside us and reminds us we don’t have to walk alone. For co-founders Aisleigh Bodie-Reeves and Sheena Rae Dowling, the name reflects both their shared Irish heritage and the friendship they found through their own recovery journeys.
Aisleigh, a theater artist and somatic educator, and Sheena, a multidisciplinary visual artist and educator, bring decades of experience in the arts, teaching, trauma-informed practice, and community work. Through their own experiences with recovery, they came to understand that healing can happen through creativity, connection, self-expression, and community.
Since 2024, Aisleigh and Sheena have been bringing this work together in residential treatment facilities throughout San Diego County, creating opportunities for people in recovery to explore their stories, reconnect with themselves and others, and experience the arts as a pathway toward healing and connection.
As the organization grows, Aisleigh and Sheena hope to expand into aftercare and other community engagement opportunities, creating more spaces where people can find connection, creativity, belonging, and support throughout their recovery journeys.
At the heart of Anam Cara is the belief that we do not have to walk the journey alone. Through theater, visual art, storytelling, and embodied practices, we create opportunities for people to share their voice, build community, and discover their own anam cara—the people who walk alongside them.
