The Ocean of Recovery: A Metaphor for Recovery
When we first arrive in recovery, many of us have just come out of the deadly and toxic waters of addiction. We were drowning and were fortunate enough to have received a life vest and a rope (from a friend, family member, or professional) and have now boarded the lifeboat of recovery. We first present […]
Next Step Stories: Recovery After Relapse
When people talk about recovery from addiction, they often focus on the worst-case scenario: relapse. As a person in recovery who has experienced relapse, I have come to believe (1) relapse is not mandatory, (2) if it does happen, it can teach us something, and (3) there are things we can do to move forward […]
Celebrating Our 12th Year of Recovery Support in Amazing Asheville, NC
In May 2018, we celebrated the anniversary of our founding and the beginning of our 12th year supporting men in early recovery from alcohol and substance abuse through highly structured recovery programs that include an intensive outpatient program and a sober living community with three recovery houses. We recently have a conversation between Susan Stader, […]
PIVOTPoint WNC: Powerful Medicine in the Mountains
I landed in Asheville, NC raw. Raw, confused, angry, and terrified. I had checked two large suitcases under the small puddle-jumper. They charged me an extra fee for the 2nd bag. I am grateful that there are no check fees for the mountains of shame and guilt that I had also brought with me on […]
Strength in Surrender: My First Days at Next Step Recovery
We often fail to realize that there is strength in surrender. Sometimes though, the path to recovery requires it. A recent graduate of our program said it best: “It was February 2016, and I had just been discharged from a treatment center because of refusal to adhere to the program’s rules. When I arrived at […]
Next Step Staff Stories: Elliot Kimball – Resident to Recovery Case Manager
Elliot’s recovery story I arrived at Next Step on July 24, 2015. It was my mother’s birthday. Two months prior, my active addiction culminated in traumatic fashion. I woke up in a hospital bed, unsure as to how I got there. I soon realized how fortunate it was that the outcome wasn’t substantially worse. That […]
Finding Self Love in 12 Steps
Love is a tough thing sometimes. Loving another individual can be difficult, but loving one’s self is often a much more arduous task – especially for an addict. As an addict, when I thought of self-love, I would imagine this elusive persona decorated with endless amounts of tranquility. I thought it would be impossible to […]
A True Story of Hope
My name is H**** E******. I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I now reside in the peculiar little city of Asheville, North Carolina. I love it here, and I couldn’t really ask for more than what I’ve got in my life today. My life had always been a good one; the people around me […]
