In partnership with the talented Steve Lenz Photography and Adrien Rosamond of Slippery Slope Photography, Trilogy is proud to present: Faces of Recovery Walla Walla.
There are over 23 million people living and thriving in long-term recovery in the United States and through this blog, we will highlight the many local faces and stories of recovery of individuals in our beautiful town of Walla Walla.
Bailey’s Story
Give yourself a chance, because the worst thing that can happen is you find out that it’s not for you. Right? Being clean, being happy, it’s not your thing, you don’t like it. You don’t lose any time. I’ve been away from the streets, even including my relapse stuff, away from the streets for three and a half years and nothing has changed. The only thing that’s different is I’m down 30 people. In the 3 years that I’ve been gone, 30 of my friends have died because of this disease.
Lenna’s Story
The knowledge that you can maintain sobriety. Once that is firmly inside you, that you can maintain this, that you can have fun without drinking, you can make friends without drinking, you can be productive without drinking when you’re convinced that you can do it, I think that’s the strongest thing that will keep you sober.
Take it one day at a time. Honesty is also really valuable always, but especially in the early stages. If you find yourself in AA, or NA, or Trilogy or in treatment, it’s probably for a reason. Finally, you will not lose anything by not using today. You don’t lose anything by just committing to staying sober for today. It’s worth it for you to seek honesty and willingness, even if you don’t feel willing, maybe just try to find the willingness to be willing! So honesty, willingness, and just focus on today.
Pat’s Story
You know there is help and there is recovery, it’s a real thing. There are people around that can help you get and stay there. That’s a good message to spread. This disease directly affects more than ten percent of the population and probably indirectly affects seventy percent of the population–probably more than that actually–in more than one way or another. Either through a family member who’s an addict or interaction through a friend who’s an addict. Just maintain hope. It takes sometimes a radical reevaluation of just the way you live your life.
Jason’s Story
You’re like why did I get this? Why did this happen to me? I didn’t ask for this. I just wanted to feel like a person again and here I am. I did the same thing. I was angry for about a year. I was angry at my family who had kicked me out a couple of years prior. I was like, “How could you leave me like that, high and dry?” But they had to. They had to kick me out in order to make me want to get better. That’s just what it was. It was just love. At the time I didn’t see that. That for sure was the hardest part of my recovery.
Bob’s Story
I thought a lot about how I can make amends….. Really, all that I can do is to not be that person again. And to be a good spiritual role model and be supportive and consistent and steadfast in my recovery and help others. So that’s what I’ve tried to do. Money isn’t going to solve anything. Words aren’t going to appease anything. What’s really going to make a difference is life well lived. Having Integrity. Living a life that is dependable and consistent….that’s what I’ve tried to do.
Lucas’s Story
What started my journey into yoga was when I went to jail I was really messed up mentally, physically, and spiritually and I just needed to find a balance. Me and my wife had done yoga before so I knew a little bit of yoga but as I started doing it and practicing breathing techniques my body started to heal. Then with my meditation I started to get clarity and balance.
Becky’s Story
Like I tell all my patients at work, really everything in your life has to change. You really can’t keep any of the old habits or the old friends. It’s really life changing because I think that if you don’t change most everything that’s going on in your life at the time I think that just sets you up for failure.