LAKEWOOD – A new addiction recovery facility is already changing lives on a regular basis.
Holly’s father was addicted to drugs and alcohol. She grew up watching her father battle substance abuse only to find herself in an abusive relationship with her now ex-husband. Holly’s struggles eventually led her to turn to cocaine and heroin to cope.
“For three years, I lost everything. My child was taken away by Division of Youth and Family Services. I gave up everything, and I didn’t care. I lived out of my car for four months,” she said.
Holly was later arrested in 2014, a turning point in her life in more ways than one. The judge directed her to Turning Point, a drug and alcohol treatment facility, where she began the slow and steady process of overcoming her addiction.
“What my counselor did in 28 days, other people couldn’t achieve in years. She allowed me to cry for two hours until I felt all the pain I had experienced throughout my life,” she said. “Turning Point provided structure. It was that routine that I needed. It was an amazing experience. It was not easy, but it was needed. When you are coming through an addiction, you need that routine.”
Holly’s experiences are the epitome of a success story. Today, she is a peer recovery specialist with the Mental Health Association while she works to become an addiction counselor. She regained custody of her son, added two daughters to her family, and is engaged to be married.
“Stories like Holly’s are so rewarding and encouraging to our staff of professionals as they do the hard work of guiding our clients toward recovery,” said Thomas Brady, Turning Point’s COO/CCO.“We have a variety of resources that we can tailor to our clients’ needs to further their journey toward regaining their lives.”
Turning Point’s newest facility opened up recently in Lakewood on March 7, located adjacent to the RWJ Barnabas Monmouth Medical Southern Campus in Lakewood. This new facility is working on tackling addiction in one of the highest ranking counties for substance abuse.
“According to 2017 statistics from the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the latest available, Ocean County was ranked first in the state for the number of substance abuse admissions, 7,527, and neighboring Monmouth County ranked fourth with 6,198 cases,” stated Robert Detore, Turning Point’s CEO.
“There is an urgent need for the professional services of an organization like Turning Point,” said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer. “The Prosecutor’s office welcomes Turning Point as another weapon in our arsenal that we can use to fight this epidemic of alcohol and substance abuse.”
For more information, contact Turning Point at 732-202-8061 or visit TurningPointNJ.org.
