I had the tools in my toolbelt that I learned from Wellspring…

I had used drugs on and off throughout my life. I tried drugs for the first time when I was 13 years old. I come from a family who are all addicts and alcoholics. Had a baby when I was 16, got married at 17, had another son in 2010. On and off throughout those years I used drugs, went to the methadone clinic, and then got on Suboxone but nothing really seemed to work. I ended up giving my youngest son to his aunt when he was five and she adopted him so he could have the life that he deserved. My oldest son went with his dad, but he went back-and-forth from his dad’s and my house when I was clean. When I put my youngest son up for adoption because DHHS got involved, I ended up going from Bangor to Portland. 

That’s when my life really went downhill! I ended up homeless staying in condemned burnt-down houses, being sexually abused many times, and prostituted myself to get my fix. My life was a mess to say the least. I got arrested a few times for possession and theft. I ended up getting kidnapped, taken to Massachusetts, and human trafficked for 14 months. I was saved from a sting operation, but then I was stuck in Massachusetts with no ID, no money, and nowhere to go. I got arrested shortly after that, went to jail, and was transported to Maine for a theft charge. 

This time I was given an opportunity to do a bed to bed to Wellspring in Bangor. I had never been to a rehab before. I was scared and didn’t know what to expect. Wellspring saved my life!  I had never been in “real” recovery. I always just took a replacement, no therapy, and never went to meetings. Wellspring allowed me to develop into the person I am today! I had the choice to go to Massachusetts and fight against my human trafficker while I was at Wellspring. I was the only woman that showed up and I put him away! Wellspring supported me the whole way, even when I was down there. I wouldn’t have had the courage without their support. I had the most wonderful counselor at the house, the best therapist I could ever get, and I’ve still met with her every week for almost eight years now! 

Don’t get me wrong…there were times that it was rough with girls in the house doing catty stuff and I would remind myself why I was there. I was there to better my life, do something different than I ever had done before, to work on me!  Wellspring allowed me to do that through groups, therapy, support, and continued support even when I left the program.

I graduated the program in August 2016 with six months of recovery under my belt not addicted to anything! I had stayed sober for 6-1/2 years after I graduated but did have a relapse for a few months. I lost my son during those 6-1/2 years, the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, my son I had when I was 16. He committed suicide two years after I graduated. It’s been over seven years, and my point is I stayed sober through this devastation because I had the tools in my toolbelt that I learned from Wellspring and support I needed from the NA and AA community. 

I have an awesome support system, I have the NA community that took me back no questions asked, and I have almost six-year-old beautiful twins that God blessed me with. My therapist from Wellspring has been one of my biggest cheerleaders no matter what! I have a job in the helping profession, I have my Associate’s in Mental Health and Human Services, almost by Bachelor’s in Mental Health and Human Services, and my MHRT-C. I was able to get all of that with the support system I built during recovery.

If you ever have an opportunity to go to Wellspring, do not pass it up. It saved my life, and it could save yours!