The Healing Place Featured on KET Series

"Probing Prescription Drug Abuse," the next program in the Kentucky Educational Television (KET) Health Three60 series, looks at the alarming rise of prescription drug addiction in Kentucky, particularly among young adults. Viewers will see how the problem is being addressed through law enforcement, education and treatment. Plus, people in recovery share their personal stories, explaining how they became addicted and what gives them hope for the future.

Tonight’s episode will feature clients from The Healing Place.

Funded in part by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Health Three60 "Probing Prescription Drug Abuse," airs Monday, Nov. 7 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET. 

2001 Healing Place Summit

The 2011 THP Summit, hosted by The Healing Place of Richmond, VA, was informative, enlightening, and encouraging.  New approaches to strengthening and maximizing the Recovery Dynamics curriculum were discussed. 

The two-day Summit lasted covered a variety of topics during breakout sessions such as THP Core Elements, THP Universal Language, Fund Development, and Phase II (Transitional Living). THP Louisville President and CEO Jay Davidson led a discussion on “Lessons Learned / Starting a Healing Place”.  Latoya Whitlock shared her approach to engaging the family in the recovery process and working with women in recovery who have children. 

There are some very interesting projects in the works from the Community Planning Development department of Norfolk, VA, to the Somolian Community in Columbus, OH, and the Native American Pueblos in Santé Fe, NM.  The Healing Place is “A Model that Works”. 

One unique opportunity is a film project being produced by two retired social workers, Gail L. Kenyon and David Harrison from Raleigh, NC.  They are working with Tribal Judge Edie Quintana in Santé Fe, NM, documenting those Native Americans from that area who have found recovery at Healing Places in Richmond, Raleigh, and Louisville.  Their aim is to use that film documentary as a tool to assist Judge Quintana and other agencies in Santé Fe, NM, to begin the process of establishing a Healing Place in that part of the country.  That is truly exciting and encouraging to know that the word is out. 

Thanks for a job well done to Karen Stanley, Executive Director of The Healing Place of Richmond, VA, and her staff for hosting this year’s Summit.  The 2011 Summit will be hosted in Louisville, KY, so stay tuned for details.

University of Louisville Kent School Donates to Women's Campus



We would like to thank the University of Louisville Kent School for their donation of personal items for the women's campus. 

 

WDRB Features The Healing Place

Drug and alcohol recovery program seeks funding

Churchill Downs Makes Surprise Donation to The Healing Place

The Healing Place would like to thank Churchill Downs for their recent, surprise gift to further expand our mission.

My Biggest Challenge in Life is Me.

On this day—and everyday, for that matter—I need to remind myself that my biggest challenge in life is me.

Specifically, my thinking, my attitudes, my fears, my self-doubt, my self-limiting beleifs, my behaviors, my stupid  (meaning fear-based) decisions, my reactions, my inconsistancy, my unwillingness at times to commit, my inner-dialogue, my excuse-making, my need to please, my propensity to over-analyze, my ego, my low self-esteem… and recognizing all that, that apart from that, I am still have moments, little islands in time, to be pretty awesome.

That I can manage pretty much anything—that success or failure is not so much about the situation, the environment, circumstances, challenge or relationship I find myself in—it was about me in it. I was the problem—and also the solution. That if I can learn to get out of my own way, I could do, be and create almost anything if only I can recognize self-sabotage… so today—and everyday—I need to try to do these simple, but not easy things:

To stop waiting for the right time

To stop relying on or waiting for motivation

To embrace being uncomfortable

To be prepared to fail

To find the lesson

To ask better questions

To stop looking for approval, permission, protection and praise

To learn my own truth

To not sulk—but seek

To invest my emotional energy wisely

To stop waiting for people to care

To control what I can—and let go of what I can’t

To remember I am, like you, a multi-dimensional creature… and that just like you I am both complex and simple.

But mostly simple—and therefore, not easy.

Contributing Writer: Richard Real 

The Healing Place Garden Grows Plants and Lives

The Healing Place Women and Children's Campus has an exciting partnership with Whole Foods and their community garden program.
Click here to watch a feature clip about the program.
Click here to read the article in the latest issue of Edible Louisville.

Profile of Recovery: Lori's Story

Lori grew up in a loving, middle class family with non-alcoholic parents.  She is a mother of five with a BA in Nursing from Marshall University. 

At age 28, Lori was a practicing nurse with two children and dealing with depression.  She felt like a miserable person.  She felt useless and not of any benefit to others.  She didn’t fit in and she wanted to die.  She needed a new reality.  And alcohol provided the outlet she was looking for.

Her addiction moved fast and before long she was dependent on IV drugs.  She completed a 21-day program but didn’t stay sober for an entire week.  Her depression worsened and she had two more children over the next several years.  She entered her second treatment center.  After 44 days she was released….and got drunk on the flight home.  She continued to struggle but eventually lost her job and her license. Now she really believed she was a terrible wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend.

In late 2009, Lori was pregnant for the fifth time and delivered her daughter at 27 weeks. Then she signed over custody of her kids.  She couldn’t do it anymore.  She was sick and needed to get well.

I was trying to manage and unbearable life and it got to be too much.

In January 2010 Lori called about getting into the program at The Healing Place and was told there wasn’t a place at that time but call back.  “I was homeless.  I had just signed over the custody of my kids,” says Lori.  “I was broken in every way. And I called everyday for two weeks until I had a place because I wanted something more.”

“Are you tired of living like this?” Lori asks. “Do you want a way out – a solution? If you have this disease, you have not become the man or woman you are intended to be.  You have been altering your reality so you can’t really be you.”

The program at The Healing Place works because of honest, program length, and the social model.
Alcoholics and addicts don’t start a habit in 21/30 days and it is not enough to break it and deal with it.  The social model – allows others to lead by example.  You have role models who are living proof that you can be sober and have a better life. But more importantly, the program tell the truth – the problem is YOU.  The problem is how you think.  The program at The Healing Place teaches you a new way of thinking and establishes new behaviors though the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.  Change is possible with a new focus, new reactions, and new behaviors.

Lori wanted to leave the program many times because she missed her children but she says she “couldn’t because she needed to live for them.”  Today she has a relationship with all of her children and her dad, who brought her to the program, is very proud of her.  When asked about how long the program is for most clients (10-12 months), Lori simply replies, “Do you want to live or die?  How long have you used?  So what is one year to gain the rest of your life?”

“I have a story and I can bring light to others.  I want to share the hope because I know what it feels like.”

Profile of Recovery: Ronnie's Story

Ronnie grew up in a small pueblo near Santa Fe, New Mexico in a traditional Native American culture but alcohol pulled him away from his family and his traditional ways.  In high school he started experimenting with marijuana and alcohol, by age 18 he started getting in trouble and his time of being in and out of jail began.

Ronnie served extensive jail terms because of alcohol abuse and DUIs.  He participated in several outpatient treatment programs but they never worked because “I never would admit I was an alcoholic,” says Ronnie. 

“I got in trouble in the Summer of 2010 and it was the third time in six months.  I finally surrendered that my life with alcohol was a  problem and I asked the courts for help – for an option,” says Ronnie. “I was referred to The Healing Place – it was enter the program or serve an extended jail time.  Within a month of my last arrest I was in Kentucky.”

Ronnie didn’t know what to expect coming to The Healing Place but he was ready to go to any lengths to do the work to get sober and change.  “I have had time to surrender.  I don’t need to live ‘that’ life – there is so much more to live for.  The Healing Place has given me a new foundation to have a clean and sober life.  And it has given me the strength to move forward on my journey in life.” 

Alcohol is more than a problem

“I knew I had a problem.  I never considered my alcoholism a disease.  Now I treat it as such,” says Ronnie. “I know I will never be cured but I will continue on my recovery.”  Ronnie is planning on going back to New Mexico and rejoin his prior employment as a wildland firefighter and move into fire management.  He also wants to go to school to be a drug and alcohol counselor.  He wants to help other alcoholics find a way out and give back what was freely given to him.

“At The Healing Place the main priority is getting sober and working with other alcoholics.  The classes in the program made the difference over other programs,” says Ronnie.  “I want to take what I have learned back to my people and educate them – to help others.  I strongly suggest The Healing Place to any Native American who has a problem with drugs or alcohol.  It works!  All you have to do is take one day at a time.”

Profile of Recovery: Stephanie's Story

Stephanie had a family history of alcoholism.  Stephanie has been sober for over a year and is the sixth person to complete The Healing Place program.  Other members of her family have from 6-12 years of sobriety.

“I didn’t take my first drink until I was 17. Before coming to The Healing Place I knew I had a problem but I used it as an advantage,” says Stephanie.  “ In 2006, I had a bad injury at my workplace and I got down on myself.  I was waking up and wanting a drink.  I started with beer which moved to wine and finally progressed to hard liquor.  I used depression as an excuse.”

“The whole time I was drinking I held a job – a good job.  But then I started to spiral – I lost jobs, then wrecked my car, and then things got worse. My family saw my need but they knew I needed to see it myself."  I remember my dad saying to me “When you are ready, I’ll be waiting.”

“I am now getting ready to start a new job outside The Healing Place and I am looking forward to it.”

“Many people never knew I was an alcoholic and it is sometimes hard to hear me say that about myself.  But the people at The Healing Place, they love you back to life.  Before I was a loner and I have made so many friends here.

What was the hardest thing about being at The Healing Place?

“At first, the hardest thing was being away from my family but then it was really hard to let go of things ‘I thought’ was important.  Forgiving myself was hard.”