Long-term recovery remains the foundation of Cenikor’s treatment approach. While we now offer short-term residential and outpatient services, recovery housing, and sober coaches, we wanted to flashback to one of our clients who found lasting recovery through our long-term, therapeutic community. Natalie has over a decade sober; here’s how she did it!
In March of 2015, I graduated from the long-term Cenikor in Fort Worth. Before I got to Cenikor, my life had no meaning or direction. I had nothing left to live for. I had lost custody of all three of my kids, had a marriage that was nothing but lies, and spent many years in an extremely toxic abusive relationship.
To survive, I had turned to selling meth and ended up in jail on a possession charge. I was on deferred probation and in the drug court program in Dallas. During that time, I was staying with my daughter and husband. I was so depressed; I was sleeping 23 hours a day. The final straw was learning that my mom and husband were having an affair. When I found out, I left and ended up in jail within a couple of weeks.
I got assigned to a pod in Dallas County Jail and met a girl named Keli. We put in a request to be moved to an addiction program in the jail. Once we got moved, we met another girl named Amanda who told us she was waiting to be transferred to Cenikor. A couple of days later, Keli told me she was going to try and go to Cenikor, too.
I told her she was crazy, that Cenikor was like a jail, rehab, and boot camp in one. Little did I know, a few months later, I was standing before the judge telling him I wanted to go to Cenikor. I couldn’t believe those words came out of my mouth! I had not even considered it.
Right before I went to court that day, I prayed, “Let go and let God.” Until that day, I was extremely depressed, slept all the time, and rarely talked to anyone. When I got back from court, I picked up my Bible and began to read. I was happy, and for the first time in a very long time, I had hope. I had experienced a spiritual awakening, and it saved my life.
On January 15, 2013, my Cenikor life started. It was overwhelming at first. I was a very literal person, and the rules were in black and white. They became my way of life. I learned about finding my convictions early on, so I stood up for what was right. When the people from re-entry came in and told us their stories, I listened to every word, because I knew this was life or death. For me, failure was not an option.
The way I worked my program before caused me to not have many friends. It was a lonely time. But going to Cenikor got me involved in the community. I helped at Cenikor’s haunted house, and I got work at Texas Motor Speedway. I loved my job. It helped to build my self-confidence. Before I got to Cenikor I had taken a self-esteem test, and I literally scored a zero. I had no confidence, no direction and was completely hopeless. By the end of my 25 months there, I had lost my mom and my nephew and got through both of those losses sober. I knew I could stand on my own two feet.
Since I have been out of Cenikor, I have spent my time working in addiction services. I became a medical assistant and then got an associate’s degree. After working as a medical assistant for a few years, I went back to school to become a licensed chemical dependency counselor. Next semester I will be doing my practicum hours. By the end of 2024, I will be a counselor intern and have my second associate’s degree.
I don’t plan to stop there. My dream is to get my master’s in social work and become a traveling social worker. I want to work with the court system as an advocate for children separated from their families due to addiction. My passion is helping others affected by this disease, and children are the ones who suffer the most. I can’t think of anyone who needs my help more.
My sobriety date is November 7, 2012. That is the day my active meth addiction ended. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my 25 months at Cenikor were spent living and working the steps. I stay in recovery by surrounding myself with other sober people and, of course, working in the field is like an eight-hour NA/AA meeting every day. When I am really struggling, I go to a meeting. Other than that, I find strength in my work and church families.
Please note: Social and economic constraints often prevent long-term inpatient treatment, making it essential to offer a full continuum of care to provide personalized recovery journeys. Cenikor no longer offers long-term inpatient treatment; instead, patients progress through levels of care as they complete their treatment goals. After a thorough assessment, clients receive a treatment plan that details each phase of their recovery journey. This roadmap gives them a clear overview of their treatment options and milestones, and their recovery services are layered in.
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