Stories of Recovery
Samantha:
Hello my name is Samantha—I would like to share with you the wonderful life experience I am having at ARC. I came to ARC after being incarcerated at Dane County Jail, serving a six-month sentence. At first I just came to ARC to get out of jail everyday. Soon, I became aware that ARC could offer me more than just a break from jail. I started to learn that there were things that happened to me early in life that played a part in the struggles I was having and how they contributed to my struggle with drugs and alcohol.
Before going to jail, finding God, and attending ARC, to look at me you would have thought that I didn’t have a care in the world. What I learned through recovery, including finding myself, is that I had a lot of flaws. I didn’t think I had a drinking or marijuana problem. I learned that I did and started to see that there was so much more to life then I had ever imagined. Dreams and visions I had as a child were coming back to me. I learned that in order to achieve those dreams, I had to face my fears.
The struggle is not easy and neither is recovery. Two things that helped me on my way were Jesus Christ and a book “The Dark Side of the Light Chaser” by Debbie Ford. These motivated me to dig deep into who I am, to look at my past, and to explore why drugs and alcohol had become such a problem for me. Through individual sessions at ARC, I was able to work through my questions and concerns. My counselor used Ford’s book in group session; it was an eye-opening experience. In group, I learned to share things with others whom I trusted and how to value their feedback. Being able to trust allowed me to accept feedback, applying it to my daily living.
Through ARC, I have healed a great deal. To continue on this path, I have to share my story with other strong beautiful women. I am going back to school to become an AODA counselor. My youngest daughter is back with me and we are now learning how to live as a clean and sober family. I have a job at Arise Family Services as a resource specialist. I have a whole new group of friends that support me in my healthy living. I’ve reworked the relationship with the man I love and we are now planning on getting married. I have worked hard to repair relationships since I have been sober. By the grace of God and hard work, the shame of being molested as a child, and the hurt, guilt, and anger I felt towards my father for not being in my life has been lifted. I’m talking to my dad for the first time since I was 13. I started to forgive myself for making bad choices. I still have a mountain to climb, taking it one day at a time planning each step to ensure that my dreams don’t get away from me this time. For this reason, I have decided to share with you the story of my journey.
