“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.”
