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Rise Above: a podcast from Rogers Behavioral Health takes listeners on a journey of education and inspiration as we sit down with mental health and addiction experts and past patients who are changing how the world views mental health and addiction.
To me, the end of the day, if all that my life and my recovery, when I get to the end of my life, whenever that is, was being loud about it and trying to advocate for people that I've never met before to be able to feel safe enough to make that phone call or go and talk to someone or go to that meeting. Mission accomplished.
Andy:You're listening to Rise Above, a Rogers behavioral health podcast, where we sit down with Rogers experts who are changing the way the world views mental health and addiction. Hello listeners and welcome back to Rise Above, a podcast from Rogers Behavioral Health. I'm Andy Meadow and today I'm joined again by Paige Feller who works closely with women in substance use recovery and helps support the WORTH IT FOR HER initiative here at Rogers. Hi Paige.
Page:Hi Andy.
Andy:So over the last two episodes, we've heard from Christina and Elizabeth. They shared their experiences with recovery, motherhood and the challenges that come with each stage of that journey. Before we jump into the final part of the interview, I wanted to ask you more about the WORTH IT FOR HER program. I mean, we've talked about it before. It supports women with substance use issues, but what is it?
Andy:Is it like a phone number you call? Is it a program at Rogers? I mean, who is it for? What is it?
Page:Absolutely. And yes to both of those questions. So our program is a unique program that is specifically intended for women with mental health and substance use concerns. And beyond that, it's extremely individualized. Our goal is to speak with each woman to learn exactly what their unique needs, goals, priorities are, and then to work with them to create a treatment plan that meets their needs and goals.
Page:To answer your question, it typically starts with a phone call to our WORTH admissions line, which is a separate phone number than our general admissions line, though people can call our general admissions line as well. During that phone call and beyond initial screenings occur, we assess needs and risks on both a priority basis as well as just getting clients in as soon as possible to our treatment program. And then through the initial intake assessment, we make decisions, we discuss options, and again we work collaboratively determine a treatment plan that works for each client that we meet with. And in general we offer a women's specific IOP program that is three days a week. It's on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for three hours each day.
Page:That program is at our Wausau clinic or can be virtual. So we have a hybrid approach to programming depending on where each woman lives, what they're interested in, what their goals are, what their priorities are. And we also have outpatient services specifically for women. Within both the IOP and the outpatient programs, we have a variety of those choose your own adventure options that we have previously discussed. We have a peer specialist who provides peer support and recovery support services to each individual.
Page:We have therapy. We have groups both in that IOP group format and standalone outpatient groups. And then of course we have the psychiatric, medication, services and support, case management, many other options available to women. So short answer to my long winded response to you is yes we have IOP, we have outpatient, we have stand alone. Intensive, intensive outpatient.
Page:So that's that three hours a day, three days a week program that I was discussing.
Andy:I laugh because I have it on my whiteboard to my left here and I could have looked at it, but I figured the listeners at home might need to know what IOP stands for too. Okay, and so this final part of the conversation between Christina and Elizabeth, we've heard both of them talk about in prior episodes how substance use entered their lives and how, you know, going through treatment programs has changed their lives. But now we're going to hear a lot about their like reflection on where they are now and their journey as a whole.
Page:Absolutely. That's one of the reasons we specifically wanted to talk with both Christina and Elizabeth. Their stories in many ways are very different and rooted in a lot of themes like identity and motherhood, pregnancy and postpartum. Many of the same things that we focus on in our program. Our program has a strong strong focus on women that are in childbearing years, women that are pregnant, women that are postpartum, women that are struggling with higher risk needs or substance use in a completely non judgmental way.
Page:And so through both of their stories, we hear bits and pieces of those themes of those patterns, and they both do such a phenomenal job of speaking openly about their recovery journey, the need for individual support that matches their unique needs, the importance of connection and community and identity exploration and coming to terms with who they are, who they want to be. And that's the goal of this program to recognize the unique needs and opportunities of women, to address those unique factors that are relevant to their recovery in a meaningful way. And I think that's exactly what we hear in this final conversation that we have with Christina and Elizabeth.
Andy:That's great. And so now here is the final part of Paige's conversation with Christina and Elizabeth.
Christina:When I came to Harrington for treatment, I walked in there unbelievably broken. I truly felt like I had no worth. I had no value. I was nothing special. I was coming with literally nothing.
Christina:I did not have a dime to my name at the time. I had what I brought with me to detox and then whatever my mom and dad dropped off for me while I was at Harrington. And that was literally that was all the belongings that I had to my name at that time. And something that happened that how I like to to word it is literally changed the entire trajectory of my life because it was at Harrington that I began to understand that I did have value and I had worth. And it began in my intake in the consult room on Harrington.
Christina:And they asked me a really, really simple question. What are your hobbies? I don't know what it was
Elizabeth:about this question, but I
Christina:began sobbing. Not because I couldn't answer the question. I actually broke down because I realized in that moment that I had absolutely no idea who I was. I hated myself and I believed that I did not deserve anything. And so, what the team did there was they poured into me hope.
Christina:They poured into me this belief that I did have value, that I did have worth, that all these things that I thought made up a person's worth and a person's value were meaningless, and that I, for the first time, was able to learn who I was and what I wanted and what that looked like. And that was a direct result of them pouring that into me and empowering me. And so when I got the unique privilege to work as a recovery support specialist at Harrington, the one I went through, that was my mission. And especially with the women that I worked with in my individual sessions with them, one of the key things that we would focus on in the perspective of recovery and working a recovery program was who are you? What do you want?
Christina:And what does that look like? And I think for clinicians who are going to be treating women who have struggled with substance use, that is where you begin. And you begin by pouring that into them until they're able to start pouring that into themselves. And that takes time and it takes compassion and it takes patience and understanding that there's going to be pushback because I absolutely pushed back with my therapist. But I had a therapist who challenged me while also pouring into me and reminding me who I am, even though I didn't know who that was quite yet.
Christina:And now I know who I am. I know what I want and what that looks like and what a gift that was to be given and then to
Elizabeth:be able to give that to other people. I just want to comment on what you just said too, is that that is that pouring of hope and worth and all of that that Christina just shared is super important because I didn't feel that. So I needed to be told it and I needed them to help me find it.
Andy:And we will be right back. Life's changes don't come with a roadmap, especially as we get older. That's why Rogers LifeWell is designed specifically for adults 55 and up, offering compassionate, personalized mental health care when it matters most. With expert support, proven therapies, and a focus on real life challenges like grief, caregiving, and major transitions, LifeWell helps you regain balance and move forward. Your
Page:Recovery isn't always rainbows and butterflies. Recovery can be beautiful. And I'm not speaking from my experience. I'm speaking from all of the incredible people that have shared bits and pieces of their journeys. And it's still messy.
Page:It's still rocky. You've both shared efforts to find new identities, new value, new purpose, new meaning. I would just love to hear a little bit from each of you about what recovery looks like for both of you now as a woman in your own identities.
Elizabeth:Yeah. Well, I've chosen to live it as much as I can. So recovery looks like a really strong support system. I have to surround myself with like minded people. Not a 100%, but it helps because I'm always reminded that, you know.
Elizabeth:I'm fortunate enough to as well have been able to open that gift shop at Rogers, which was a huge full circle moment. But that's where faith really also just continued to play in my life and leading my life from my heart, you know, not my mind so much, but my heart. And my sponsor had told me that, you know, things are right when your head, your heart and your stomach are aligned, that, you know, that's the right thing to do or, you know, you're in the right place because I didn't have that for a really long time. And so as long as I'm feeling like that, I know I'm headed in the right direction. Still trying to manage this business, like it's amazing.
Elizabeth:I love what I do. I'm so fortunate to get to meet so many people going through recovery and that they are willing to share some of them themselves with me. It's brought so many more blessings than I can I ever could have imagined? And they keep coming. And I love that not me, but through me, it's helping people too.
Elizabeth:Whatever it is, you know, my faith, my God, through me and Faith Factory is helping. It's not me, but through me. And that's always been my prayer too, is like to use me to help others. So there's some fantastic parts, you know, and I lean on when things are hard, but running a business is effing crazy. It's a lot, but I love it.
Elizabeth:I love what I do. It's hard, but I love learning and I love what I do. I just have to remember, you know, I have to remember to slow down and take a glimpse at my past, both the good, you know what I mean? The good and the bad. Keep my eyes forward, but then just find that peace and serenity that I found when I got sober.
Elizabeth:And I do. I like to be quiet. I like to just try and sit there in that moment. My car is a great place when no one's in it because it's just quiet and I can recenter and go forward to try and deal with all these one more things, you know, that I feel like it put me over the edge.
Page:I feel like that was by far your most jumbled, messy, authentic, beautiful response.
Elizabeth:Well, you know what?
Page:It's amazing because that's how I am. And I think that's I love it. An important reflection of recovery and that it's an ongoing journey and that there's good, there's beautiful, there's bad, there's ugly, there's a little bit of everything all tangled up into you and your authentic self in recovery.
Elizabeth:Am a jumbled mess.
Page:Love and appreciate. That is not what I was saying.
Elizabeth:No, but I am.
Page:I love it.
Elizabeth:Beautiful jumbled mess. You know, I'm proud of it, actually. You know, I'm a jumbled mess. I don't care. You know, it's just the way that I
Christina:am living life because that's how I have to. Like, I have to survive. And if
Elizabeth:it looks like a jumbled mess, Yeah. Yeah. But I'm still moving forward. I'm still sober, you know, like I can deal with not being perfect and living like a jumbled mess.
Page:I love it. Thank you. You're welcome.
Andy:And we will be right back. For those who serve on the front lines, support should meet you where you are. Rogers FireWatch is a mental health program designed specifically for veterans and first responders. Built by people who understand your experiences, FireWatch offers proven effective care with a flexible schedule to help you work through trauma, stress, and life after service. You've had others backs.
Andy:Now it's time someone has yours at Rogers Firewatch. To learn more, go to rogersbh.org. And now back to the interview.
Christina:The first time that I ever felt that my story was not terminally unique was at a meeting and a woman was sharing. And it was so similar to my story. And she was sharing the parts that I had always been terrified to talk about, had never left my mouth before. And she was sharing this and it was life changing for me. And I remember thinking if more people, especially women, would just talk about this, maybe I would have actually felt confidence earlier talking about this too.
Christina:And so my recovery today it is really centered upon one guiding principle and that is literally what you just said. I am the vessel. This really is not me. I used to tell my residents all the time that I am not still sitting here in front of you alive today just because of me. I'm sitting here alive in front of you guys today, able to talk about these things because I allowed a lot of other people to help me, but also because I finally felt the confidence to start opening up and being honest.
Christina:So, that's why I'm loud about my recovery today. I have no problem being an open book and talking about all the nitty gritty stuff today if it's possibly going to help somebody else or even help another person relate and say, Oh, we
Elizabeth:can talk about that. We can talk about the fact that during active addiction we
Christina:were a mom and all these things were happening and the choices and decisions. It's okay to talk about that. It's normalized. And we can ask
Page:as clinicians.
Christina:You can ask those questions and create a safe space for us to talk about those things. To me, at the end of the day, if all that my life and my recovery, when I get to the end of my life, whenever that is, was being loud about it and trying to advocate for people that I've never met before to be able to feel safe enough to make that phone call or go and talk to someone or go to that meeting. Mission accomplished. Outside of that, is life messy? Yes.
Christina:Things are hard. Yeah, that's messy. And I remember bawling my eyes out on the floor of an abandoned house in Downtown Milwaukee that had no plumbing and no working electricity that we had created our home in at this time. And I remember bawling, praying, literally just praying and begging to have the stress that I have today. Yeah.
Christina:And I have to remember that because on the tough days, I literally have to stop sometimes and remind myself of the places I've been and the things that I've done and the things that I've gone through to get to this point and that this is going be okay. It's hard, but we're going to get through it. Not on my own, but with the help of a lot of other people that are in my support network also.
Page:What would you tell someone who's currently struggling with a similar situation?
Christina:I think the very first thing that I would tell them is that they are more than enough exactly the way they are right now in this moment. If I could go back and talk to 29 year old Christina who was walking in for treatment, I think I would I would sit down with her and I would tell her that she is unbelievably strong and is able to climb any mountain and be able to make it through what feels like it's earth shattering and life ending and that she has a wild capacity to do anything that she wants to do. And I would want to pour that same energy into someone who is struggling the way that I once was. I think that that is just unbelievably powerful and I wish that I could go back and tell 29 year old Christina that today.
Elizabeth:Okay. I would just tell them that I love them. That I see you. I can see you.
Page:I can feel you. It's just true. And, I love you. You know? I just probably that.
Page:I love them. And, like, they're worthy. They're so worthy of life. Thank you both so much for being here, for talking with us, for helping us see little glimpses into your journey, your life, your recovery. We really appreciate it.
Page:Thank you. You're welcome. Thanks for making us feel safe.
Andy:Well, you've been listening to the final installment of Paige's conversation with Christina and Elizabeth. Throughout the series, they've shared their experiences with addiction and treatment and recovery, parenting, and the ongoing work that recovery can involve.
Page:And again, something that stands out so clearly to me in this conversation and previous ones is that recovery looks different for everyone. There isn't one specific path. There isn't any defined timeline or any definition of recovery and success. That's unique to each woman that enters our program, and it's important to us to hear from each woman what that means to them. What Christine and Elizabeth both describe though is the importance of having support, having connection, being open and honest about what they're experiencing and finding that truly non judgmental space to explore who they are beyond their struggles.
Page:And ultimately, that is what WORTH IT FOR HER aims to do and to provide for women who are interested in entering treatment with us.
Andy:So if something in today's conversation or something Paige just said resonates with you, support is available. How can people learn more about the WORTH IT FOR HER program?
Page:To learn more about the WORTH IT FOR HER program or any other treatment options at Rogers Behavioral Health, visit rogersbh.org or call our general admission line at 60411 or our direct WORTH IT line at (844) 582-7827.
Andy:And I'll have all of that stuff down in the description as well, so you don't have to rewind if you're listening. So our thanks to Christina and Elizabeth for taking the time to share their experiences throughout this series. And thank you, Paige, for taking the time to talk with them.
Page:Thank you, Andy. Thank you, Christina and Elizabeth, and thank you all for listening.
Andy:This has been Rise Above, a podcast from Rogers Behavioral Health. Be sure to like and subscribe to be notified of new episodes. And as always, if you or someone you care about is struggling with mental health or substance use disorder, visit rogersbh.org for a free mental health screening. Until next time, thanks for listening.