At my worst, I was:
Lying, stealing, homeless. I had sex on a few occasions for a $20 rock of crack cocaine. That told me a lot about my addiction . . . In a four-year span, I managed to get seven DUI’s and went to prison twice.

What worked for me:
Spirituality was my saving grace. I found it in a sweat lodge in prison. I knew I was never going to use drugs and alcohol when I emerged from the sweat lodge. It was the most intimate, beautiful, enlightening, heartfelt experience I had ever known in my life. I had a spiritual awakening.

Advice to my younger self:
You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. The trauma you experienced as a child was not your fault.

Rules I live by:
Make peace with your past. The only person in charge of your happiness is you. You. If you don’t like something, change it.

Favorite recovery quote:
“Character – the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life – is the source from which self-respect springs” ~ American writer Joan Didion

On my schedule today:
I am a certified Recovery Coach with a full schedule of clients. I help people in either maintaining their recovery, or people walking in and are under the influence at that given time. Whatever I can do to help a person struggling.

Best advice for newbies:
This is not a race, it is not a marathon. Recovery requires giving up the instant gratification. Learn patience and tolerance of yourself and others.

Thoughts on relapse:
The thought will not disappear, it’s not going to for awhile – it was wired into the brain long ago. One cannot suppress it. The point is to observe it with conscious attention. It is no longer a need, only a dysfunctional thought.

What I value most in recovery:
I’ve learned to be comfortable in my own skin. That is priceless.

I get inspired by:
People who have had a trauma-filled life, who learn that they can come out on the other side with a sense of purpose.

On my bucket list:
I wrote a memoir about my life, “Sick as our Secrets.” The good, the bad and the ugly. I am trying to get it edited so I can get it published. I strongly feel as though it can help save some lives.

What I learned about myself:
I was not a bad person making bad choices, but a fundamentally good person who because of my unresolved pain, anger and insecurity acted destructively.

Proudest moment:
When I obtained a Governor’s Pardon for my three felonies. I knew that I had changed, but for the State of South Dakota to recognize that was – and is –
huge for me.

SHED THE STIGMA:
If you’re a person in long-term recovery who wants to share your
insights, please contact us at [email protected].