I graduated Canyon Crossing Recovery mid-July of 2017, and thanks to the tools I gathered and learned while I was there I have not had to pick up a drug or a drink since. This past year has been eventful. I have lost family members and good friends this past year. Not all of them have been drug or alcohol related, but I still struggled emotionally. Due to learning how to walk through grief at Canyon I was able to walk through it again and again without using. There were some other life changes and struggles that took place as well, but I was able to pick myself back up without using because of what I learned while I was in treatment. The basics they teach you at Canyon Crossing were like reflexes for me when I have stumbled in life. I also have been blessed beyond what I could have imagined for myself before coming into recovery. I have a solid emotional connection with a boyfriend who treats me with respect. I have a family who continues to support me and answer my phone calls. I have friends today who do not cosign my sick behaviors, and who call me out when it is needed. I still work with a sponsor, go to meetings, and work with sponsees. Some of the most rewarding experiences I have had have been working with these girls and taking them through the steps. The responsibility from being a sponsor helps me stay accountable as well as sober. The biggest thing that has happened for me since I have been out of Canyon has been going back to school. Going back to college has been a huge dream for me from the moment my head started clearing, and I realized that I did want to create a future for myself. As I am coming up on the end of my first semester, I feel very confident. I’m doing well in my classes and can devote time to my studies. I do work a full-time job, so I am only going part-time, but I’ve learned how much I can handle and what I need to cut out of my life in order to make this dream happen. I do not believe I’d be where I am at today if it was not for everything that Canyon Crossing taught me about life.
-Jess Reynolds-
Canyon Crossing Recovery Alumni