Karen’s Story

Upon coming to Aurora House, I had reached a new bottom in my addiction, which was ruining my life. I came to Aurora after rehab in the hopes that living in a sober living environment would give me a secure start toward a better, drug and alcohol free life.

Where many people are able to work, raise their kids, maintain healthy ties with their families and loved ones without turning to unhealthy means of coping (drugs, alcohol, relationships, and other compulsive behaviors), I had always struggled with the very basics of daily living. In living at Aurora I have learned that not only can I stay sober when I do the work, but that I am stronger and more capable than I thought.

I’m definitely growing spiritually and getting stronger every day, and I thank the process of recovery and the challenges I have faced at Aurora for that. In close quarters with so many women, all of whom are facing different challenges, I feel I’ve learned to prioritize better what really matters. I have benefited very much from the practical side of Aurora’s programming – Life Skills, Parenting, and especially Relapse Prevention have all been areas that I need to work on. I feel that Step Up is an amazing opportunity to take baby steps toward that independence.

During my adulthood and especially in the past year, I’ve faced some very serious challenges which have included: facing my addictions, becoming homeless, dealing with single parenthood, looking at financial bankruptcy, and dealing with the dissolution of many of the dreams I had for my life when I was a younger person. Upon coming to Aurora House, I had reached a new bottom in my addiction, which was ruining my life. It had caused me to drop out of college, get into debt, burn bridges with my family and caused me to become emotionally unavailable and negligent toward my son. I came to Aurora after rehab in the hopes that living in a sober living environment would give me a secure start toward a better, drug and alcohol free life.

Breaking free from the cycle of addiction and the chaos it created in my life has been the hardest part of starting over – it took me twenty years of trying to get sober before I was able to really surrender. A large part of that cycle, for me, has always included handling the stress and problems that many people face in their daily lives. Where many people are able to work, raise their kids, maintain healthy ties with their families and loved ones without turning to unhealthy means of coping (drugs, alcohol, relationships, and other compulsive behaviors), I had always struggled with the very basics of daily living. I based my decision to come to Aurora on the programs it offered and the promise that here, I would find the structure I was lacking. I needed to be able to live in a place where not only would I be expected to be sober, but I would also be accountable, and given the time I need to practice new coping skills and self discipline. I needed to relearn how to follow a routine every day in a setting that would not allow me to isolate.

I feel that being a resident at Aurora House is the best choice I could have ever made! In many ways I believe this experience is saving my life. In living at Aurora I have learned that not only can I stay sober when I do the work, but that I am stronger and more capable than I thought. I realize now that I have something to contribute, to my fellow women addicts and to the network of people who support us all. I’ve learned that I can follow directions and be humble. I found that I can be a good friend and helper. These were not beliefs I held about myself a year before. Examining myself as a person with all the help I receive, I’ve learned to begin letting go of faulty ideas I had about the past, guilt over time I can never get back, and I’m moving toward a place of understanding and forgiveness.

I’m definitely growing spiritually and getting stronger every day, and I thank the process of recovery and the challenges I have faced at Aurora for that. In close quarters with so many women, all of whom are facing different challenges, I feel I’ve learned to prioritize better what really matters. I find a lot of hope in the stories of former successes at Aurora, but even more, I feel a real sense of community with the women who are taking these steps along with me.

I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to Step Up! I have benefited very much from the practical side of Aurora’s programming – Life Skills, Parenting, and especially Relapse Prevention, have all been areas that I need to work on. In the past, I struggled with the loneliness of living alone, and nearly always lived with someone upon whom I was dependent in some way. So many of my coping skills were impacted by my tendency not to take full responsibility, so I am excited that I am rebuilding a structure where I can begin to work toward financial independence, rely on my own strength and skills as a single mom, and call into play all the coping mechanisms I will need to stay sober along the way.

I feel that Step Up is an amazing opportunity to take baby steps toward that independence. I would not feel comfortable trying to face all of my challenges (work, school, parenting, and early sobriety) without the network of support and accountability that Aurora provides, and so I am extremely grateful that I won’t be alone in this process. I trust Aurora to guide my steps, but I also know that I’m the one who has to begin taking them.

I’m very happy to be given a space of my own, and the resources to work on my recovery while putting into place plans to better myself. I am thrilled about the prospect of finishing college and finding rewarding work that will allow me to raise my son comfortably and address some of the wreckage of the past. But more importantly, I’m grateful for the people at Aurora who have worked so hard for all of us and for the women in the house who’ve helped make me a better person. I feel it is an honor and a privilege to continue in Step Up, and I look forward to my future!

Now Karen works part-time as a house monitor at Aurora and assists with teaching Relapse Prevention classes. She and her son Joshua live in our permanent housing facility next door to Aurora’s congregate facility. She is pursuing a degree in Web Design.