Helping Others Along the Path of Recovery

Word on the Street Issue 18, January 2022

Sarah B. is getting ready to transition out of Phase 3 of Interfaith Sanctuary’s Project Recovery. She worked hard throughout 2021 to get herself to a better place and is excited to use her experiences to show others a way forward.

To Sarah, transitioning out of Phase 3 means she’ll have more freedom. It’s an opportunity she plans to use to stay connected. “I’m just excited for that day. I’m happy for myself and I’m happy I got to meet so many of the wonderful people here,” she said. “I never thought it was such a big deal, but now I realize how serious it is and how serious my addiction was,” she said. “I’m proud of myself. I want other people to see how far I’ve come and see what they can do.”

In August, Sarah represented Interfaith Sanctuary and Project Recovery at an International Overdose Awareness Day event in front of the Idaho State Capitol. She spoke about the ways in which classes were teaching her how to examine the roots of addiction and how to address past traumas.

Now, she wants to be an advocate as she works her way back into a career as a dental assistant. “My goal is to be positive about how I perceive myself. I know what it takes to work to be an example. You don’t just wake up one day and go, ‘I’m an example.’ I want people to notice how much I’ve changed with the help of this program and what it can do for them.”

Sarah plans to stay connected to her community, practice patience and pursue her goals as she waits for housing. She said it’s important to remember that recovery is an ongoing process and that Interfaith is family – that in staying involved, she’ll stay centered and ready to help others along the way. 

“Terrence gave me this book – I’ve read it like three times – about how life is like a TV. The book teaches you the emotional steps you need to go through each day. It talks about a lot of different kinds of addiction, from alcoholism to gambling, and how to visualize how you want your day to be. First, you have to know yourself,” she said. “That’s what I’m working on.”