Jay Winfrey’s journey into recovery wasn’t so much a planned path as it was finding himself at the end of the road. He describes his years in active addiction as “wallowing in a mud puddle,” a period of life marked by pain and a loss of hope, where each day was a routine of finding ways to just get to the next day.
Eventually, that spiral led to homelessness and a sense of despair so intense that he recalls feeling indifferent about whether he woke up each day.
When he arrived at Healing Transitions, Jay felt out of place. He disliked the strict routine, the unfamiliar faces, and the stark realities of a program that would hold him accountable in ways he hadn’t experienced. And yet, early on, he encountered a familiar face — a friend who greeted him and showed him around, grounding him in the otherwise foreign environment.
Despite his initial discomfort, Jay’s turning point came after he spent time in a COVID quarantine facility arranged by the county. Upon his return, he found himself missing the structure and accountability of Healing Transitions. “I realized that I didn’t just need it, I wanted it,” he says.
This recognition was the beginning of his commitment to the program.
Jay attributes much of his recovery success to the people he met along the way. Dale, his intake coordinator and first sponsor, made a lasting impression by encouraging Jay to accept his own story without comparing it to others.
In Dale’s words, they were all “sick,” and each person’s story, no matter how different, was worth being heard. This message helped Jay trust the process and find common ground with others.
“I tried so many recovery programs, but they didn’t work for me,” he shares.
“What Healing Transitions did for me was to show me the only way I was going to get clean and sober – and stay that way – was to become honest with myself and commit to the program.”
Other mentors and friends like Jacob, Chris, and Anne supported him through various struggles, from learning self-acceptance to coping with separation from his loved ones.
He recalls Anne’s kindness, especially when she helped him print photos of his stepdaughter to ease the pain of missing her, a gesture that Jay describes as life-changing. Each of these people, he says, shaped his journey and reminded him that community was as essential to his sobriety as any other part of his recovery.
Today, Jay’s life is “vastly different.” No longer weighed down by addiction, he has reconnected with his family, developed a meaningful relationship with a “wonderful woman,” and built a career where he is relied upon and valued. He’s gained a new appreciation for the simple but profound pleasure of waking up with a clear mind and a purpose for the day.
When asked about his dreams, Jay sees his future less as a grand vision and more as a commitment to keep doing the things that sustain his recovery.
He acknowledges that these fundamental actions — attending meetings, connecting with his mentor, and being rigorously honest — are what allow him to dream at all.
As he says, “My dream is to continue doing the things I’m doing so that I can dream.”
To those considering Healing Transitions, Jay offers the advice of his mentor: “Work the program.”
Recognizing that everyone there is struggling in their own way, he encourages patience, kindness, and the willingness to fully engage with the process, no matter how difficult. Jay admits that he once complained about the rigorous structure at Healing Transitions, but now realizes it provided the stability he needed to build the tools necessary for a sober life.
In reflecting on the role of Healing Transitions, Jay is clear that while the program provided him food, shelter, and structure, it did not give him recovery.
“Healing Transitions helped me get sober, but it didn’t make me sober,” he explains. It was ultimately up to him to take the opportunity and make it his own, a responsibility he is committed to honoring every day.