The Hougen Family: Creating a place for everyone
Written by Charles Noyes
Photos by Shana Sureck Photography
Published in Northampton Living (January 2021)
I’ve never met anyone who works as hard as Sarah does,” said Eddy Hougen from their home in Florence. “She’s an inspiration. I’m much more of an artistic, contemplative philosopher kind of person and she’s the real call to action go-getter that does what needs to be done.” “We balance each other out,” Sarah said. “He’s the big picture thinker and I’m the day-to-day operator and that is one of the strengths in our relationship.”
Sarah and Eddy Hougen have spent most of their lives working with and advocating for marginalized groups. The son of two activist ministers, Eddy was exposed to the value of community engagement and helping others at a young age. “Many of my values and what I believe in—calling for equal rights and working for a more inclusive society—stem from things I saw my folks doing.”
Eddy grew up in Boston’s South End and Sarah was raised in the small town of Blandford. Eddy’s path snaked through most of the country while making theater and music. He lived and worked in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans before settling in Western Mass. Sarah stayed closer to home, attending Russel Sage College in Troy, NY and receiving her master’s degree in physical therapy. Today, they live in Florence with their two daughters: Emma, six, and Greta, Eddy’s daughter from a previous marriage, 13. They consider the Valley their home.
“There are so many great people,” Eddy explained, “I really love that the Valley is so family-oriented. I’m urban through and through and I didn’t know how I could exist outside an urban environment. The Valley was a huge change for me and took some getting used to, but I’ve come to really love the slower pace of this area. These days I don’t feel in step with the pace of a big city lifestyle.”
Sarah is a physical therapist who has worked with children for over 18 years. Her career began working in preschool programs and at Early Intervention, which services children ages birth to three. “It was very intimate work and an honor to be welcomed into people’s homes. You provide support to families during some difficult times but you are also there to share in the joys as well. I loved that job— it was so emotionally rewarding.
“I was surprised to find I have just as much passion for working with children in public education settings. My work as a physical therapist in the Northampton Public Schools is about making sure every student has equal access to their learning environments. It’s really about inclusivity, and that has become a central theme in my life, not just as a physical therapist, but as Emma’s mom.”
When Emma was born, she was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Her diagnosis came as a surprise but would prove to shape Sarah and Eddy’s lives and offer a whole new world of connections. “For years I was bouncing around from job to job, and though I was involved in advocating for different causes, after Emma was born it became obvious that this was my cause. I started working as a Program Assistant/Teacher at Whole Children and Milestones in Hadley. Milestones is a community-based day program for adults who have disabilities. Both Milestones and Whole Children offer life skills and enrichment classes, and recreational and community engagement opportunities.
“So my work is very connected with my life at home and each one informs the other. Strategies I learn at work I might use at home with Emma and things I learn at home I bring into my work. I’m even able to use some of these strategies with myself to help manage anxiety. This whole year has been a lesson on really practicing what I preach.”
While this year has been full of challenges for us all, the Hougens have found their own ways of adapting. Music, dance, and making art have always been central to their connections. Sarah’s love of singing and dancing and Eddy’s perpetual drive to jam, will often give way to a sing along around the piano or a living room family dance party.
In addition to being a wonderful big sister to Emma, Greta is also an enthusiastic artist, dancer and music maker. Eddy said, “She and I have started sharing music together and she is getting into recording. She’ll pick up any instrument and work at it until she gets it. She reminds me of myself, but at 13 I was still playing air guitar with a tennis racket.”
Sarah recalls that “music was an essential piece to how Emma learned language and expression. Music can foster deep and meaningful learning. And there is a universal and innate connection that we all have to music.” She added, “We’re an artistic family and we use movement and music as a way to express and share our feelings and experiences with others.”
Sarah and Eddy are thankful for the Valley in many ways. For all the effort they put into fostering their community, their community supports them back. “From the time Emma was born we’ve been surrounded by a network of supports. Knowing these supports are there affords such a peace of mind and a feeling of belonging.”
In Northampton, an area that prides itself on inclusivity, that pride is backed up by an outpouring of support. “We’ve been involved with numerous community events and fundraisers,” Eddy stated. “Our annual Holiday Bash to Benefit Whole Children has raised close to $20,000 for the program. Local businesses and artisans donated their goods and services, showing dedication to the cause and an outpouring of generosity.”
The takeaway from Eddy and Sarah’s story is one of love, and Eddy expressed it well. “At my job, we have a mission,” he said, “which is to get people to feel whole and feel accepted by their community. Like any human rights movement, we have a lot to teach the general population. When we look beyond labels, what we see is a person, an individual with interests and dreams and aspirations, who has their own light to shine on the world.”
