It was a warm July day when Leah came to Rising Above. She radiated a beautiful youthfulness, but we knew better. Leah came to us with more hurt and brokenness than anything girl fresh out of high-school should be carrying. Behind her youthful glow, there were wounds and scars of addiction trying to snatch away her bright future. She knew it, too.
"As my addiction grew, nothing was enough or fulfilling to me. I was merely surviving and I knew I needed to make a change."
"Before coming here, I wasn't good at connecting with people and the thought of crying in front of people scared me. Rising Above has helped me learn how to connect with people, be comfortable with being vulnerable and increase my self-awareness." Over these past 6-months, we've seen many "ah-ha" moments in Leah's recovery. The thing we love about Leah is that she shows up even when she is apprehensive or scared of doing something. She keeps coming, she is present and attentive, she is a natural leader and it has shown many times during her stay at Rising Above.
Leah has seen the incredible value in putting her recovery first and shares an example on how much recovery means to her. "My plan after Rising Above was to go home. I miss my family, my horses and my life up north. But I can't go home. I can't go back to where my addiction started. I can't go back to all the triggers just to be lured back into addiction. Home will always be my home, but it's not where I want to live anymore. I have decided to put my recovery first and make Grande Prairie my new home." This was a huge realization for Leah and one that came with many tears and a process of grieving. We are proud of Leah for putting her recovery first and doing everything she can to maintain her sober lifestyle.
Leah finishes by offering words of encouragement to others who are struggling. This next statement was expressed with passion and sincerity. "GO TO TREATMENT! It is incredibly beneficial and introduces you to NA, CA and AA. 12-step programs are absolutely necessary. Don't just do the steps - work them in your life!"