My name is Siobhan. I am a (now)41 year old female from Albuquerque, New Mexico. As of today, April 8,2009 I have 1 year clean & sober!!!!!!

I owe credit for this amazing accomplishment to God, the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous, my friends in & out of the rooms, my sponsor(s), and The Watershed! WHAT A RIDE IT'S BEEN!!!

I arrived at the Shed a broken, battered, angry, scared & doped up little girl. The first few days of Detox I hardly remember, except for not wanting to admit I was an addict. I swore I only used my "meds" for pain. HA! No normal person I know needs over 500 pills every 25 days!!! But there you have it, I'm not normal. I'm an addict.

About the 4th or 5th day, with the help of my counselors, therapists & psychiatrists, I was ready to admit I was an addict. But now what? How do I live? How do I change? How do I fix all the crap I've gotten myself into?

Well I began to get those answers, and SO MUCH MORE from everyone at The Shed- tech's, counselors, adjunct therapists, therapists & psychiatrists. I began to gain the tools I needed to live a much happier, healthier and more serene life. As much as I cursed our rigorous schedule in the beginning, I began to love it at the end! I began to think "Wow, so this is how I'm supposed to REALLY live!". I listened to what people had to say-staff & those kind and wonderful individuals who brought the fellowship and meetings into the facility. I not only listened, I began to apply.

I spent 21 days at Boca Raton, and then upon my Therapist's SUGGESTION, I went over to the PHP program. After approximately 2 months, I returned home, no longer that little girl, but a woman.
I followed directions!! I did 90 meetings in 90 days (more), I found a home group, I managed my medications, I found a sponsor, and I continued my therapy.

Here I am a year later, still going to a meeting every day, I am GSR for my home group, I am on all non-narcotic meds and taking them as prescribed, I talk to my sponsor 2-3 times a week & she and I meet every wed. night to go over step work and attend a women's meeting together, I go to therapy every tues! SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS!!!

I won't lie to you and say it's been easy. It hasn't. I have gone through 2 surgeries, 1 hospital stay, a nasty divorce, my parents' divorcing after 45 years of marriage, etc. BUT I NEVER PICKED UP!!!

I have received many blessings in my life as well! My parents trust me now, I am living comfortably-not paycheck to paycheck, I have a relationship with God, I have AMAZING FRIENDS(some of whom I met and continue to stay in touch with from The Watershed), I am beginning to figure out who I am and accept that, I am beginning to love myself, and soooo much more!!

If you get nothing else from this, please take this with you: It was divine intervention that brought me to the front doors of The Watershed! And Divine intervention that put all those amazing people there at that time to teach me-both staff and fellow patients. It is a learning experience I treasure and am grateful for every day! My life was picked-up, dusted off, given new instructions to follow and the wind put back in my sails!

If you are wondering if you should take that first step..............JUMP!!!!! You couldn't land in safer arms!
Siobhan C., A RECOVERING Addict


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Good Morning, Watershed!

My name is Cathy, and I am a grateful alcoholic. My trip to Florida for treatment was a profound and life-altering experience. Prior to that I had been a near-daily drinker for thirty-two years. I had been attending AA meetings and trying to stay sober for just over seven years, but my lack of willingness and honesty were hurdles I had to overcome. That is where the wonderful counselors, therapists, and participants at Watershed stepped in and helped me get to know myself, as well as my Higher Power.

It was not an easy decision to enter treatment halfway across the country, but I knew it was the "last house on the block" at the time. My self-will would talk me out of any nearby treatment center, so I removed myself from that comfort zone and made the trip to Watershed. While there I underwent profound change and got honest with myself, dealing with issues such as depression, anger, personal trauma, and of course my alcoholism. I took things very seriously as this was my last chance. While feeling at times like a senior citizen I nonetheless opened up in small group and told my story, with a mix of emotions, for the first time ever. What a release!

I continued my treatment by working through the first three steps. Again, I took my time and really got honest with myself - something that was not necessarily easy but certainly worthwhile. During those twenty-some days, there emerged a sense of humility that was previously so elusive in my life. Although my trip home to Nebraska was not without its trials and tempatations, I made it back sober and recently celebrated eight years of sobriety at our local meeting's chip night! This is a life-long venture and I pray that today is again a sober one. I have the pleasure of carrying the message through sponsorship and still attend at least six or seven meetings per week.

To those of you at the Watershed I can only express sincere thanks for helping me make the changes imperative to my sobriety. To the patrons of Watershed I suggest you learn to listen and embrace the experience. Belief in a Higher Power and belief in yourself and humankind will lead to a happy and sober existence. May God bless you all!

In sobriety,
Cathy