From a life of hopelessness to hopefulness. I can wholeheartedly say that Westminster House has saved my life! As a child, I had a great upbringing with hardworking supportive parents who did absolutely EVERYTHING in their power to provide my sister and me with the best life possible.  My life into addiction started at the age of 15. All I wanted to do was “fit in” and be “popular”. Already by the time I was in high school, I stopped going to classes and gave up on my passions. I was partying as much as possible. My life really started spiraling when I was 19 during my parent’s divorce. I fell into a deep depression and wanted to completely numb my pain with prescription pills. It wasn’t long before I started using harder drugs, anything that helped me escape so I didn’t have to feel the way I was feeling. This is where my treatment journey began…

My journey into residential treatment started in November 2010 at the age of 21 where I was introduced to the rooms of NA, where I took my very first white fob and when the recovery seed was planted. At the time I didn’t want to be there and only went because my parents wanted me to. I lived in addiction, treatment facilities and experienced many traumatic life experiences for 9 straight years.  I never truly appreciated the opportunities I was so graciously given to get back on track and to save my life.

My first stay at Westminster House was from October 30, 2018 – December 24, 2018, where I was introduced to the 12 steps of Narcotics Anonymous and to the infectious New West recovery community. I stayed for just under 2 months, but was trying to find ANY reason I could to leave and ended up being given the choice to stay or leave after a relapse. I convinced myself I could do it on my own, but I was clearly still in complete denial and wasn’t ready to surrender to the program. I didn’t accept the help offered, the gift of recovery and that ultimately ending up with me walking myself out of the WMH (I obviously thought I hadn’t suffered enough…boy was I wrong) The next 10 months were pure hell, I’ll never forget the day I left Westie House because I regretted it instantly and knew my life was going to crumble faster than ever. And it did! I hit new bottoms, experienced life-altering situations and did things I said I’d never do. I can honestly say that my relapse taught me so much and I believe I needed to go through everything I did to truly appreciate my recent stay here at Westminster House. I was so desperate and willing to do whatever it took and on October 9, 2019, I arrived once again at WMH. I never thought I’d stay longer than 90 days but I soon accepted that if I didn’t stay, I wouldn’t live very much longer. From that day on I completely surrendered my way of thinking, was open and honest and I started to trust that my caseworker knew best, I took her suggestions that were given and I was completely willing to do anything to save my life. I learned to ask for help and knew that the staff only wanted the best for me.  I’ve now been here for almost 6 months and I don’t want to leave. I have learned so much from the groups offered at WMH and being able to connect with others in the community has been a vital part of my journey!! Westminster House, the staff and the women here have shaped me into the woman I used to dream of being. They push me to be uncomfortable, to trust, to have hope and to believe in myself and others and to live life with integrity. Now my passion is to help other women in recovery and to share my experience, strength, and hope.  I can truly say I love the woman I’ve become and continue becoming. They loved and believed in me until I could love and believe in myself! Each day clean presents me with new opportunities and new connections and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Westminster House. Today, I refuse to go back to my old ways. I am becoming a better person using my past as a lesson that keeps me doing the next right thing. Today I choose to recover out loud!