Join us for the second Spirituality and Recovery Conference: Honoring the Sacred Journey, taking place from November 12-14, 2024. This inspiring program will explore the powerful relationship between spirituality and recovery through a series of engaging talks featuring six presenters over three evenings.
Our invited speakers will help raise awareness about addiction and recovery, offer encouragement to those on their healing journey, and inspire faith communities to foster safe and welcoming environments for everyone in recovery. You’re invited to join us on this sacred journey!
Registration and sponsorship information can be found below.
Event Schedule
(all times Central Standard Time)
November 12, 2024
5:00 pm – Welcome
5:00 pm – Featured Speaker: La Tanya Jenifor-Sublett
6:30 pm – Featured Speaker: Robert Henderson
8:00 pm – Closing
November 13, 2024
5:00 pm – Welcome
5:00 pm – Featured Speaker: William Schmidt, Ph.D.
6:30 pm – Featured Speaker: Lauren Morton
8:00 pm – Closing
November 14, 2024
5:00 pm – Welcome
5:00 pm – Featured Speaker: Jeff Henrich
6:30 pm – Featured Speaker: Sister Cathy Cahill, OSF
8:00 pm – Closing
Interested in sponsoring the Spirituality and Recovery Conference?
Click here for sponsorship levels and benefits!
Learn more about our invited speakers!
Sister Cathy Cahill, OSF
Sister Cathy Cahill, OSF, is a Franciscan Sister of Allegany with forty-five years experience in recovery. She trained as an alcoholism counselor and worked in the field for ten years. As director of a retreat center for twenty-three years, she also traveled widely leading retreats for people in 12-Step programs. She is currently the director of The Sisters’ House, a place for women in recovery to find a safe environment to gather and to tend to their spirituality.
Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson grew up in a large family, one of nine children raised by his single mother. At the age of 17, he became involved with a street gang and began using substances as a means of coping. For many years, Robert found himself in and out of the prison system. His turning point came when he made the decision to enter a drug treatment program, a vital step in his healing journey.
While experiencing homelessness, Robert connected with the Chicago Coalition to end Homeless (CCH) as a legal client. In 2018, he became the first person to win a settlement under the Illinois Homeless Bill of Rights. Today, Robert is securely housed in a senior facility and actively volunteers at a soup kitchen and with CCH. His faith has been a source of strength throughout his journey. Now, as a speaker for CCH, Robert passionately advocates for the rights of those experiencing homelessness, firmly believing that housing is a human right.
Jeff Henrich
Jeff Henrich is a recovering alcoholic and addict with 44 years of recovery. He has been an addiction professional since 1990 and is currently the CEO of Guest House, an addiction treatment center for Catholic Clergy and men and women Religious.
La Tanya Jenifor-Sublett
La Tanya Jenifor-Sublett is a Mental Health Worker, Social Justice Advocate, Public Speaker, Community Organizer, and now CTJC’s Peer Reentry Program Director. She experienced abuse and torture at the hands of Chicago Police at the age of 19. Sentenced to 42 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for a crime she did not commit, she did her very best to reinvent herself. During her 21-year incarceration she studied law, business, and social justice. While incarcerated, La Tanya earned two Bachelor’s Degrees. Upon her release in October of 2013, she began working at Dawson Technical Institute as a Recovery Coach and an Employment Specialist serving clients who were formerly incarcerated, in recovery, veterans, and clients with disabilities. She is currently working on her Masters of Arts Degree with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Social Justice.
Lauren Morton
After graduating from Emory and earning her master’s from The George Washington University, Lauren began a career in hospital management and worked her way up through a series of leadership positions at Tenet Healthcare. Despite her success in the field, strong familial roots and deep reflection steered her toward more intimate grassroots community work. She is currently the Co-Founder/Executive Director for Bee at Peace, Inc. and the Education Outreach Manager for Clark Scholars and Dean’s Scholars Program at Georgia Tech in the College of Engineering.
William Schmidt, Ph.D.
William (Bill) Schmidt, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Institute of Pastoral Studies (IPS) of Loyola University Chicago. He was the Graduate Program Director at IPS for degrees in both Pastoral Counseling and Spirituality for over ten years. He is a Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapist with ACPE (Association for Clinical Pastoral Education), and Editor of the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health (Taylor and Francis/Routledge). His current research interests include trauma theory by addressing the interface of Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality. An additional specific current focus addresses the theme of contemporary Pilgrimage as a resource for personal growth, transformation, and healing.
