As she was finishing up yet another addiction rehabilitation program in Northern Michigan, Heather wasn’t sure where she would go next. But she knew she wanted one thing that until now had eluded her: long-term sobriety.
Heather found what she needed at Esther’s House, one of Guiding Light’s two transitional sober-living homes for women. And now her journey has come full circle.
As house manager at Guiding Light’s new recovery program for women, Kendra’s House, Heather is helping other women discover that same accountability, discipline and courage to change that she found.
“I love it. I really do. It’s really been a dream of mine,” Heather said. “I just like I feel like none of us go through hell and back for no reason.”
Kendra’s House fills an important need for women’s recovery from addiction, Heather said.
“This disease does not discriminate. No matter the color and no matter the sex, this disease does not care. So, it’s beautiful that Guiding Light is offering this program to women, and we have all that experience of 95 years backing it 100%.”
Heather’s hope is that women who complete the Kendra’s House program move on to continue their journey, as she did, at one of Guiding Light’s sober-living homes for women.
“I really hope that they stick with us and go into either Esther’s or Ruth’s House transitional living. It’s pretty cool, because the women are all getting to know each other. We’re building a community, so when they get through this program, they’re going to already have the support of the women from the two houses they could transition into.”
Those kinds of relationships are important to provide the accountability needed for long-term sobriety, Heather said. She knows this from her own experience.
“I needed to learn how to live a healthy life, so that at the end of the day, I know that I’m a good person. I know that I’m trying my absolute best. It’s forever evolving, and that’s what’s important. I’ve seen the actual outcome of what happens when you put the work into this program.”
