Recovery First Testimonial

I googled Rehab/Beach. I figured if I was going to go to a treatment center again,22nd one, I wanted to go somewhere nice. I clicked on “Recovery First.” I knew l needed help, but l wasn’t willing to make the call. l emailed Recovery First. Within ten minutes l got a phone call from Davis. Jim stayed on the phone with me for about an hour. He listened to me. He made me feel like l was important. Later that day, August 9th, 2009, l was on a plane leaving my small town in Virginia and heading to detox. On August 15th, 2009, l stepped onto the campus of Recovery First. l was met with love. From the community, from the tech staff, from the administrators. Love. l started crying as soon as I got there. I knew something in my life was going to be different. Everything that was asked of me, I did. “Do extra writing assignments,” I said “ok.” “Move into Animal House,” I said “ok.” “Go to a halfway house,” I said “ok.” Recovery First showed me the tools I needed to stay clean/sober, it was just up to me to apply them once I left.

I completed the IOP program and became highly involved with service work­ l got a sponsor, worked the steps, and before l knew it, a year had gone by. Every Sunday evening for that first year, I brought a speaker into Recovery First. l had moved out of halfway and into my own place. My life was getting a little better every day. l still didn’t have a driver’s license, and l still wasn’t paying all of my bills, but l was sleeping at night and l wasn’t ashamed of myself when l laid my head down.

Next week I will have 3 years clean/sober. My life is amazing. I now work in the treatment community. Next month I start school for my CAS. I drive a car that I paid for. I’m completely self supporting. I live in a nice two bedroom apartment so my mom has a room of her own when she comes to visit. Last Christmas I took her to my office Christmas party. In April I took my father to Wrestle Mania, and the next night I took my sister to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. When I arrived at Recovery First, no one in my family was speaking to me. Recovery First is where my journey began. I know for certain that I would not be where l am today if I hadn’t that phone call from Jim Davis…