Family Counseling Center of Missouri, Inc. is a not-for-profit mental health service organization focused on improving the quality of life for individuals, families and communities by helping people make positive changes in their lives and empowering them to make healthy and effective choices. Serving individuals and families since 1972, Family Counseling Center has 10 offices throughout mid-Missouri including residential and outpatient CSTAR addiction recovery treatment and outpatient counseling. Family Counseling Center’s McCambridge Center brings a new perspective to Compass Health’s service options as a women and children’s CSTAR program.

September is Recovery Month. What Tara expresses is a widely held sentiment. As a result of the stigma associated with substance abuse, many of us have hidden this aspect of our lives. In doing so, we have also hidden our successes from people like Tara.

I know this to be true because what I have shared about my own life and experience with drugs, alcohol, and suicide has been shaped by this stigma. I have been in the field of social work for three decades now. I have also been in recovery for 34 years. Until recently, I never let the two realms intersect. I used my personal experience to guide new child welfare staff, but I never shared my own story. The few times I thought about how much more useful my training could be if I did share, I was advised by my supervisors to not do so. The sentiment was, “People will think less of you”.

We can celebrate our recovery journeys by sharing them. People need to know that we can and do “get well”. They need to understand how important on-going support is for us. I now work in prevention and have finally decided it is time to step out from the shadows. When I talk about substance abuse, I share how a substance use disorder crippled my life and led to repeated efforts to kill myself.  I hope that a young person in the audience who is on this course might have the courage to reach out and explore the possibility of recovery.

I know recovery is truly a celebration of life. I have seen years of people’s lives in shambled who become productive, healthy members of our communities. I have listened and watched their struggles. I have also seen those who do not find a lasting solution. The backdrop of tragedy they provide should highlight for all of us how precious recovery is. So, let’s celebrate| Let’s remember people can and do get well. Families can and are resurrected. Let’s share our stories so that those who are still in the throes of addition can find a ray of hope!

Deborah Kirk, Prevention Coordinator

We are excited to begin this new blogging venture and to share our insight and knowledge based on many years of experience providing mental health and addiction recovery services. Our focus is on individuals and communities achieving maximum wellness. We want to do as much good as we can, but if we help even one person, change someone’s perspective when it comes to mental illness or even give hope with the words we share in this space, we will be fulfilling our mission. We invite you to join us on this journey to recovery and wellness by commenting and adding to the information flow.