LIFT Team

I am a certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CAPRC II) at the Good Samaritan Hospital’s LIFT Team. My journey in addiction began in my teens and progressed into my adulthood. I lived a lie for a long time in and out of addiction. Living one way before my family and friends; all the while in the closet using in a world of drugs. I lived a double life trying to portray I had it all under control; until the drugs consumed my life. I broke bridges to my family and friends. Stuck in a dark abyss and at times came up to restart my life. It was a cycle and circle…in and out of sobriety and cross addictions. I had restarted and lost too many times to count. In and out of jail became okay for me until I was facing 25 years in prison and no other hope. I decided to take a leap of faith when I had finally had enough. I was sick and tired, battered and broken. I took a stand for my life, my children, and my family. I entered into the Lighthouse Recovery Center (a long-term faith based program). I moved from Illinois away from family, friends, and playgrounds to Indiana blindly. I have been in recovery since that day in February 2018. I found my Savior, Jesus Christ who redeemed me and directed me to be a light out of the darkness. Amazingly, prison was not in my story. I had restoration with my family and everything I had once lost. I continued to give back to the program that changed my life that day. Serving for 2 years and becoming the Assistant Director for another 2 years. I became certified at that time and made my way onto this amazing team at the Lift Team with Good Samaritan. I am continuing to serve others and help them know that there is a way out! That they can find freedom from addiction and find their own pathway to their own story!

I am a certified addiction peer recovery coach at Good Samaritan. My addiction started at the age of 17, which led to a life of criminal activity and bad decisions. In my adulthood, I finally decided that the pain had outweighed the pleasure of addiction and I decided to turn my life around with the help of the LAM program. I managed the men’s house for a while and continue to help mentor the male residents to show them what recovery can look like for them. I know what it is like to hear “an addict is all you’ll ever be,” and it is my personal mission to prove those individuals wrong. I believe that recovery is possible if you put in the work. I am happy to be a part of the LIFT Team and help make a difference in this community.

My addictions began at a very young age. I was 13 years old when I began drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and taking prescription medication. By 15, I was using cocaine and ecstasy. For many years, I tried to stop using drugs, but was never successful. The longest I would go without out smoking marijuana, drinking or taking Xanax would be a few days at best. At 25, I was introduced to methamphetamine. By the age of 27, I was a full-blown IV user. My children were removed from my custody Christmas Eve of 2018 due to the severity of my drug use. I tried and tried to get clean, but always seemed to fall back into the same routines & patterns. Getting clean was never the hard part for me…STAYING clean was the challenge I could not overcome. Finally, August of 2019, at the age of 29, I had hit as far rock bottom as I could get! My children had been removed from my custody for almost a year, I was lost. I was homeless with nowhere to go; staying any and everywhere I could. My addiction had spiraled even farther out of control and I was tired of being sick and tired! I made up my mind to stop the IV use and to also quit using methamphetamine. In February of 2021, I chose to take my recovery one-step further and move to Vincennes to attend a Faith based recovery facility. I had been an Atheist since I was a teenager and decided I needed to try something different if I sincerely wanted to get and stay clean from all drug and alcohol use. I graduated in December of 2021. Despite all of my hard work and effort in my recovery, my children were unable to return to my care. I was devastated and beyond heartbroken. I choose to continue to do the next right thing in my recovery and not go backwards. My recovery journey has taught me to love and respect myself. It has taught me compassion and understanding. I chose to be a Peer Recovery Specialist to give hope to those struggling in similar situations that there is a way out. Recovery is possible and recovery is absolutely beautiful. I want to be a light for those caught in the darkness still and help them find the recovery journey that best suits them!

My addiction started in early 2015 after my divorce, the suicide of my father, and the suicide of my best friend. I began to self-medicate and shortly after became an IV meth user daily. My addiction over the next several years spiraled out of control. I had lost my children and my family with whom I was once so close. These years of addiction were nothing but chaos. These years of addiction were a very dark place for me. I was to a point I did not care if I lived or died. I spent the next several years in and out of jail. At this point, I had learned to survive on the streets to support my drug addiction and myself. In October 2019, I had landed myself back in jail on yet another drug charge. At this time, the judge showed me grace and agreed to release me to treatment. I had wanted to get clean and have an everyday life again for a long time. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do it on my own, no matter how hard I had tried. I knew this was the chance I had been waiting on to get the help I needed finally.

I grabbed a hold of the opportunity and began my recovery journey in a faith-based program. I knew a faith-based program was right for me as that is where I was rooted. I was brought up in church, so it was comforting to me when I came to recovery in a faith-based setting. This familiarity helped me in my recovery journey. My passion for helping others is so strong. I believe it to be my purpose that God created me for. I strive every day to help someone that is struggling. Addiction can be a very dark and lonely place. I believe in loving and helping one another no matter their struggle or story. I believe in freedom from addiction, and if I can help one person achieve that, I have done my job. I am not saying that recovery is easy, but I am saying it is worth it in the end.

I am a certified Peer Recovery Coach (CAPRC I) at Samaritan Center. I have been in recovery for three years now and feel that there are many different pathways to recovery. Within my job, I support whichever recovery pathway a person chooses. Knox County is my home, and when I applied for a Peer Recovery Coaching job for Knox County, I was excited to take the position to be a part of getting help to those suffering from addiction in our community. I have lived and managed the Life After Meth house for close to 3 years now. I enjoy working with and helping people. As a recovery coach, I will do my absolute best to help you find the best route to recovery for you.