A Forever Recovery Staff
A Forever Recovery staff are great. To an outsider, A Forever Recovery is merely a rehabilitation center. It is a building with an address and a purpose.
Entering its walls, however, presents a very different experience. Suddenly the facility is about people — people who care very much about those seeking treatment.
The executive director of A Forever Recovery is Pam Anderson, who has a definite presence when she enters the room. She has a straightforward approach to communicating with people, whether it is a visitor or a client.
Listening to the testimonials of the A Forever Recovery graduates, it is clear her approach has a positive influence on those struggling through recovery.
“Pam, thank you very much for the program,” said Freddie, who graduated on August 15. “What I appreciate about you … (having) the ability to stay subjective and objective at the same time is quite a skill.
“Then I thought, no it’s more of an art form. Then I realized it’s a lot more than that. It’s humility. The humility to just stay out of God’s way and let God be God.”
Addiction is ugly, and treatment can be unpleasant as well. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and one can imagine that the current clients in attendance at these graduations may be feeling anything but glee over listening to those who have persevered.
“To the blue banders, probably mostly in the back, I’m sure you’re dying to get out of here right now because that’s how I felt in my first graduation,” said Maggie, who graduated from A Forever Recovery on August 22.
“Just know this is a peer-based program, and if you immerse yourselves in the program and friendships, you will succeed.”
To understand how those just entering the program must feel is to truly see how impactful the program is.
Much of the time, clients reluctantly enter at the urging of a family member. At that point, addiction is ruling the brain, which means logical thought regarding health and wellness is out the window.
The staff at A Forever Recovery can work with that and guide clients toward finding relief. A Forever Recovery staff are awesome.
Seth, an August 15 graduate, referenced his “before” and “after” photos projected onto a screen during his testimony.
“That’s a hell of a change,” he said. “Those are two different people right there. That person on the left had no idea what his life was going to be like, didn’t care about his life, didn’t care what the outcome was.
“This guy on the right cares – cares what’s going to happen in life. Has new meaning to life. I want to thank Pam for that. If not for this program, who knows where I’d be sitting.”
During their time at A Forever Recovery, clients develop a new kind of family through the bond of getting better.
From the top down, the caring nature of the staff is the driving force of that development.
“I want to thank Damon for picking me up that first time that I left,” said Seth, who attempted to leave the facility twice.
“You know, Damon, when you brought me back, man, if it weren’t for that two-hour talk that we had in the lobby, I probably would have left. If it weren’t for that discussion, I probably would have not even made it. The A Forever Recovery staff really helps.
“So it all started with you, man. I want to thank you for that.”
