Kelsie

Rock bottom. For Kelsie, that moment came when she was arrested for a drug-related probation violation and spent 4 months in jail. “That was my a-ha moment. That’s when I became truly committed to stop using. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

An application, waiting list, and interview later, Kelsie was accepted into the inpatient recovery program at Amethyst House, a United Way member agency. “Coming in to the house, I didn’t believe in myself. But the team was there to lift me up and kept pushing me to better my life. The program structure and all the things I had to do to stay helped me recover.”

Amethyst House provides a foundation for sober and healthy living through transitional residential services, outpatient counseling, and case management for people who are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

The expectations of residents at Amethyst -- developing a support network, finding a sponsor, respecting curfew, maintaining employment, attending weekly meetings, performing daily chores and cooking, and learning how to budget and save money -- helped Kelsie build her confidence and relearn life skills. Her case manager also connected her with other social service agencies, like United Way member agencies  Salvation Army and Volunteers in Medicine, who could help her get back on her feet.

And outings like exploring state parks, horseback riding, and bowling helped her to see the fun side of sober living. “We created really close bonds. The team  mixed in fun activities along with recovery so we’re not just focusing on the negative parts of life. I learned how to have fun again without using.”

Growing up surrounded by addiction led her to see a lot of adult issues at a young age. “My mom was in and out of treatment for years and after my parents divorced, I didn’t see her for 15 years. My dad got clean when I was 9 and life for me and my sister was a little more stable after that.”

The road to recovery is not easy, but after 10 months at Amethyst House, Kelsie and her team decided she was ready to move out. She continued close contact with her sponsor and Amethyst House team who supported her positive recovery lifestyle.

“My one year point of sobriety was the proudest moment in my life.” And when Kelsie celebrates each monthly birthday she is overwhelmed with joy and  finds herself driven to push on.

Today, Kelsie has a new lease on life. She was recently promoted to a management position with the same employer she’s had since she started at Amethyst in the spring of 2013. With plans to attend college next fall, she’d like to become a counselor or social worker who can help others facing addictions. Kelsie has reconnected with her family and now shares a close relationship with her mom who is in recovery. Overcoming obstacles with a passion for learning and growing, Kelsie continues going to recovery meetings, speaking out, and providing hope that recovery is possible for others facing addictions.

“I needed to learn to believe in myself and realize that people from any walk of life can have addictions. A lot of people look down on addicts and can’t relate to how hard it is. The staff at Amethyst really pushed me to open up to people, to talk to people about my addiction, to share that it was part of life in the past and no longer is. It’s very freeing to own it and move past it. I put in the real work, but Amethyst House guided me down the right path.”

Donors like you create a better tomorrow for Kelsie and the thousands of other people in our community with a United Way member agency in their lives.