Phyllis, affectionately known as “Philly” by those closest to her, never quite felt like she belonged. Adopted into a loving family, she began drinking by the age of 14 to quiet her restless mind. What started as sneaking out and drinking quickly spiraled into decades of chaos. Her life became a blur of jail time,…
Cassandra’s story didn’t begin with addiction; it began with chaos masked as normalcy. She grew up in a home where alcohol flowed freely, where parties were constant, and where dysfunction was prevalent. “We were as dysfunctional as a family could be,” she recalls. “My parents sold alcohol, so the house was constantly full of people……
Tim’s journey to recovery is one marked by deep struggles and a transformative shift in perspective. Before arriving at Healing Transitions, Tim’s life was consumed by alcohol and drugs. “It was a disaster,” he reflects, recalling how he started drinking at 14 and turned to drugs shortly after. He managed to avoid serious consequences for…
Chassity looks back on her life, now as a dental assistant at Spectrum Family Dentistry, and can’t help but marvel at how far she’s come. “I never imagined I’d be here, but I’m here.” Growing up in Comfort, North Carolina, in a family of 9, Chassity faced hidden struggles. After her mother passed away when…
When a loved one battles addiction, the entire family feels the weight of the struggle. But when that person finds recovery and healing, the whole family experiences the transformation as well. Each journey to recovery is unique, and this is the story of Lindsay and Betsy—a mother and daughter whose lives were profoundly shaped by…
Healing Transitions’ Women’s Response Team (WRT) is a group of current participants and alumni at the women’s campus who learn and practice Post-Opioid Overdose Reversal techniques. Not only do they teach these techniques to others on campus and in the community, but they also keep their skills sharp by administering drills on campus. These drills…
Alicia endured a series of heartbreaking losses in 2015, losing both her mother and experiencing a miscarriage within the same year. The pain from these events led her to begin using drugs in 2016, and soon after, she fell into a deep depression. In 2020, following a traumatic breakup, Alicia’s struggles escalated, and she began…
Jay’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…
At just 13, April began drinking and using drugs, paving the way for a long and difficult battle with addiction. With six DWIs and a few run-ins with the law, April’s substance use disorder spiraled deeper after her oldest son’s father tragically passed away in a four-wheeler accident in 2005. Overcome with grief and hoping…
Markel’s life began with boundless energy, laughter, and an infectious love for people and dancing. Growing up, he was known for his lively spirit, and people gravitated toward him because of his upbeat personality. But over time, that vibrant energy faded into darkness as addiction took hold. The change was gradual yet consuming. He began…