Alumni Send Their Stories to Us

Life has been great ever since I completed treatment. After a couple of relapses I have finally put together a year of consecutive sobriety!

Did you relapse after completing two 90 day treatment sessions? Bummer. Hope life is treating you much better these days!

  Previous to a relapse in 2000 I had experienced 18 years of sobriety. I was devastated and my family was at a loss and completely bewildered. I tried on my own to recover for a couple of heartbreaking years. I was admitted to Sober Living a broken woman and returned healthy and relatively peaceful. I did relapse once but immediately got back on track and am just shy of 4 years of continuous sobriety. My life is productive, serene and whole. I am active in AA and the joy of my life besides my family(especially my granddaughters) are the 8 ladies I have the privilege to sponsor. Thank you SLBTS
       

It's been an unbelievable ride filled with joy laughter and also some really tough tears. When I got there in 2005 I was ready to kill myself. I couldn't stop. I am so glad to have my life back thanks to my great counselor Nate and the entire team!

wish you guys would fly me out there for a few days..I miss it.. and I could tell you I am still sober thanks to my visit there five and a half years ago..

Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! I've been sober four and a half years! Still leading at Celebrate Reclvery in Columbus OH. My brother is recovering from H1N1 and double penmonia, and my mother from lyeringitis. Other than that, Life is good, and God is good! Still singing in Choir and the CR Worship Team, in Ohio. I miss you all, and wish I could visit. But with economy as it is, I'll have to wait on that. Love to everyone! Have a Happy Holiday! Love, Libby :-)

Hi Libby,

Wow, it was great to hear from you and hear that you are doing well. This is Jennifer. I was there at the same time as you and we went through Celebrate recovery together. Do you remember? Well I just took 4 years on Nov. 28th as well. Congrats on yours. Love to hear from you again.
Love Jenn

Hi all,

I was looking online about CR. 1 day after I got my 30 day chip, I had three drinks. I am there for alcohol. Would this be considerrd a relapse and are chips for consecutive days of sobriety....or can I now be sober for 3 more and get 60 days? Just wondering.

Thanks.

I will have four years of sobriety on 5/10/10.

Still have the same sobriety date: 8/31/01, which is a miracle all unto its own. As if that weren't enough, I am graduating from USC Law on May 14th. It's crazy to think that I failed out of college with a 0.89 GPA only to continue my education in the TEACH program, graduate from Chapman University with a premed GPA of 3.89, and now graduate from a top 20 law school. A life beyond my wildest dreams is an understatement.

Now at the age of 27, I feel like the hand cuffs are off. I had been on Opiates for almost ten years before i landed at Sober Living By the sea. Coming from Connecticut It was a major life change but with the right help from the staff, I was able to get off and stay clean.I am now back in Connecticut and doing great . Thanks so much SLBTS!!!! You guys Saved My life!!!!

Arrived in Newport Beach on 7/26/94 greeted by my house mngr Bill Swiney and another resident that went thru the same detox facility as I did in CT. There was now real tx program, we got a real good introduction to AA. Seems to have worked for me comming up on 16 yrs. Still call Carl & Bill every b-day.

OMG. it has been so long, I lived on 48th street and 51 street. Back in 1991 Not sure even if anyone is around but I have been sober ever since. Moved to Los Angeles Been to meeting and at time not but still clean. Feel free to email if anyone from back then is still around. robhillphoto@sbcglobal.net

I am a former teacher and mother of a recovering crystal meth addict. I have listed Sober Living by the Sea on my website that I recently started, treatmenttalk.org, and would love for someone to send me a paragraph or two describing your experience and the help you received at Sober Living.
Please send to treatmenttalk@sbcglobal.net. Thanks so much!!

Does anyone know how I might find/ get in touch with Charlie Graham, the former Celebrate Recovery program director? I was at SLBTS about 3 years ago and have not been able to find him. Any help is appreciated. You may respond here or at katherineboles0922@gmail.com
Thanks, Katie

Wish I could go back.. lovely vacation!

OMG. it has been so long, I lived on 48th street and 51 street. Back in 1991 Not sure even if anyone is around but I have been sober ever since. Moved to Los Angeles Been to meeting and at time not but still clean. Feel free to email if anyone from back then is still around.

I am a former teacher and mother of a recovering crystal meth addict. I have listed Sober Living by the Sea on my website that I recently started, treatmenttalk.org, and would love for someone to send me a paragraph or two describing your experience and the help you received at Sober Living.
Please visit the webiste. Thanks so much!!

Does anyone know how I might find/ get in touch with Charlie Graham, the former Celebrate Recovery program director? I was at SLBTS about 3 years ago and have not been able to find him. Any help is appreciated. You may respond here or at __________________
Thanks, Katie

WOW !!! Its great to say thank you for life! Never looked back since being with you guys back in 2002. Its been a rockey and lots of rocks in the road but clear skies in recovery. You gave me the best gift in recovery and thats life. Freedom from self and living without abandoment and providing me with self love is truley what i always wanted. Thanks for doing gods work and bless you all. P.S. Special thanks and hello to Barbara Cole.

Hi, my name is Barbara Shultz, I was admitted into SLBTS on 8/20/01 when Jeff Hamilton and David Hickman (my counselor) were there. Thanks to the 12 step process, yes all 12 steps, I have not found it necessary to pick up any mind altering drug since. Today, I am a Substance Abuse Counselor at Tarzana Treatment Center and I am also a Registered Yoga Teacher, which I also teach at TTC. The steps allowed almost all my relationships to heal and are now thriving! One of my favorite things Johnny O used to say when I was there was; "If nothing changes, nothing changes", how true this is. SLBTS was the perfect place for me!

I am a year and a half sober and have definitely been rocketed into the fourth dimension!

Just wanted to say hello to a few of my favorite family members!!! Guess what I just got done doing guys?!?!? Applying for college! I'm so excited! I'm taking just one class this coming semester while working full time. I'm trying to ease back into things without getting to overwhelmed! Thank you for teaching me that! I will have eighteen months on 11/14/11, so in one week!!!!! I have my own place now, my own car, my own job, and my own sense of self and serenity! Thank you SLBTS! I love of your staff and those few in particular know who they are! A special thank you to Suize Nelson, Kristine Emry, Susie Bailey, Aly Locher, Robin Lamoure, Kelly Kettle, Johhny Orlando, Heather Sulfaro, Christia Carey, Jennifer Twist, Jerry DeBeau, Paige Germany Willard, Ms. Cathy, Ryan, J.D. And Eric V.! As well as to the staff that is no longer at SLBTS but will always be in my heart! Lastly to my house mothers, Aly, Erin, and Rebecca, thank you for finding something within me that I could learn to love about myself. It is through the women at sober living by the sea and in my twelve step programs I am learning to become the daughter, sister, friend, and hopefully someday, wife and mother, I was always MEANT to be. Thank you for showing me what unconditional love is and loving me when I couldn't love my self!

Sober since May 14, 2010.

Collin Parsons

Pg. 63

Hi I am one of your success stories. I am looking for a galpal I went thru rehab with. Ermi. Last I heard she was in New York and has a publishing company. Tenya was my fabulous mentor even tho I am way older than her. Deloras, my counselor and Mary M., my spirit adviser. I would like to leave my # and email if you can pass it along to her. Thank you. Peggy Daniels
maggied75@gmail.com
949-355-5987