- Alcohol
- Friends & Family
Submitted by: Susanne Johnson
Emily works in the field of substance use disorders and recovery. She is the clinical director at a residential halfway house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a facility that treats an average of 45 clients at a time. They also provide multiple outpatient services for people who struggle with substance use. They also have a specialized program for veterans and a tract for homeless people that need help.
Emily lost her mother in 2015, but she passed sober. Her mother was in recovery from addiction for eleven years and this situation inspired Emily to study hard and obtain her master’s degree in social work in order to work in recovery. Growing up as a child of someone with addiction was difficult, but Emily learned to understand the struggle her mother experienced. In gratitude for her mother’s sobriety, she felt the urge to give something back to the community and help others to achieve sobriety.
At the age of 19, she saw her mother finally reach sobriety and the hardship of her teenage years came to an end. Her mother went to treatment to get help and found her freedom and help for the entire family.
“Stay committed,” is the most important advice Emily likes to give clients that leave the facility in sobriety. “It is very important to have a recovery support group and people you can rely on. You need a sponsor but also many other people to help you through certain situations of struggle.”
Emily has never personally had trouble with alcohol or drug use. She watched both her parents struggle and watching them (especially her mother, who suffered the most) made clear to her that she don’t want this for her own life. Emily is 30 today and has two siblings, ages 40 and 45. Emily is very thankful, that no one is affected by the disease so far.
Emily believe fitness is a major component of recovery. She encourages people to practice yoga, go to the gym and take long walks. She is currently working on her PhD and hopes to further her career in the addiction support and recovery field.