When we first arrive in recovery, many of us have just come out of the deadly and toxic waters of addiction. We were drowning, and were fortunate enough to have received a life vest and a rope (from a friend, family member, or professional) and have now ...
When people talk about recovery from addiction, they often focus on the worst-case scenario: relapse. As a person in recovery who has experienced relapse, I have come to believe (1) relapse is not mandatory, (2) if it does happen, it can teach us somethi ...
In May 2018, we celebrated the anniversary of our founding and the beginning of our 12th year supporting men in early recovery from alcohol and substance abuse through highly structured recovery programs that include an intensive outpatient program and a ...
I landed in Asheville, NC raw. Raw, confused, angry, and terrified. I had checked two large suitcases under the small puddle-jumper. They charged me an extra fee for the 2nd bag. I am grateful that there are no check fees for the mountains of shame an ...
We often fail to realize that there is strength in surrender. Sometimes though, the path to recovery requires it. A recent graduate of our program said it best: "It was February 2016, and I had just been discharged from a treatment center because ...
Elliot’s recovery story I arrived at Next Step on July 24, 2015. It was my mother’s birthday. Two months prior, my active addiction culminated in traumatic fashion. I woke up in a hospital bed, unsure as to how I got there. I soon realized how fortun ...
Love is a tough thing sometimes. Loving another individual can be difficult, but loving one’s self is often a much more arduous task – especially for an addict. As an addict, when I thought of self-love, I would imagine this elusive persona decorated wi ...
My name is H**** E******. I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I now reside in the peculiar little city of Asheville, North Carolina. I love it here, and I couldn’t really ask for more than what I’ve got in my life today. My life had always been a go ...
