It is without hesitation that I share the clinical practice I will pursue upon graduation as a PMHNP is one in an in-patient substance abuse treatment facility doing direct patient care. I am a person living in long term sobriety and over the past fives years I have gained a passion for working with the substance abuse population and I have developed a longing to do my part with this vulnerable patient population. I feel my experience up until this point has prepared me specifically for this work. I entered my new, sober life the same month the country seemingly shut down from COVID-19. While I was starting my own journey to health and recovery I watched as the healthcare world struggled and the mental health world seemed to spiral into an even more desperate state. Twelve step fellowship meetings were taken away, yet liquor stores remained open and “essential.” Of all the years working in the emergency department setting, caring for countless patients with psychiatric crises and substance abuse struggles, it seemed after COVID-19 began the number of these mental health emergencies increased ad infinitem. Having personal experience of being in recovery has given me a unique perspective in my vocation and given me a newfound purpose by being of service to women seeking the beautiful life recovery has to offer. I believe my personal experience will only enhance my ability to connect with patients as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I bring an element of understanding substance abuse disorders in a way no book, class or degree can teach. I spent the first decade of my nursing career watching people die in the emergency department of alcoholism and drug addiction, without a clear understanding about the disease. I feel there are some amazing providers out there assisting the mental health and substance abuse patient population, however the ones I have always been drawn to are the ones who have experienced the pain and suffering of the afflictions themselves, and most importantly, found a way out. It has given me a level of empathy and compassion for these patients that I never would have achieved without my own past struggles. The first action I took was deciding to become a nurse practitioner in the substance abuse field, as to not waste the personal trials and subsequent triumphs I walked through in my own addiction. There is a huge need for education among healthcare providers in understanding the disease of addiction, and I have begun this endeavor by lecturing at the state conference for Texas Association of Addiction Professionals, and having productive dialogue on how to better educate the healthcare community. Continuing education to the public in hopes of lifting the shame and stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse is also vital. Increasing awareness of how prevalent a problem this is through social media posts, conducting community events and volunteering my time (all of which I participate in currently) are ways to reach our society at large. I also consider living my recovery out loud is important, as many people have an idea of what someone struggling with mental health issues looks like, and they need to see someone living this life successfully to have hope it is possible to change. I plan to continue all of these responsibilities, whether as a nurse practitioner or a person living in recovery, as I feel it is my duty as someone who found a way out of my mental health nightmare. I genuinely appreciate your time and consideration on my behalf!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi I am proud to share with the committee that I am a person living in long-term recovery and my sobriety date is April 3, 2020. I got sober the month the world shut down due to the pandemic and recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” I started attending a recovery fellowship, asked a woman to be my sponsor and surrendered completely to my new life in recovery. This woman gave me a gift that no money could buy and opened up a life for me that I never thought possible. She gave me the gift of her time, wisdom, and shared with me how she found a way out of her own struggles with alcohol, all the while showing me how to give that same gift to other women. Working my recovery program not only gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with alcohol, it absolutely changed my outlook on the world. I began a life of service to others in a way I never had before and I began practicing the recovery principles in all of my affairs, which has led to a life I cannot adequately describe in words. I began experiencing a new freedom and happiness, and a level of peace and serenity I had never known. Thanks to the example she set for me, I now sponsor women, carry recovery meetings to facilities, speak at recovery events and I have the privilege of working with patients struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues both in the emergency room setting and at a residential mental health facility. A burning desire continues to grow in me for helping others suffering from addiction and mental illness and I never say no when asked to be of service to a woman still struggling. You see, in recovery we only get to keep what we have by giving it away, and we do so by being of service to others still struggling. My own story of triumph has become my greatest asset as a nurse and soon to be PMHNP. I see our world shifting in a radical way regarding mental health, substance abuse, and the stigma that surrounds it. I get the opportunity to share my experience with others regularly, educate healthcare professionals, and it feels amazing to do my part to help lift the stigma against mental health. I witness miracles in others daily and it all started with the miracle that happened in my own life. Now as I embark on my MSN-PMHNP program I will gain further insight on how I can care for mental health and substance abuse patients in a more advanced way and connect with them through my own experience in a way no degree has taught me. I will also continue my recovery service work and give people hope they can find this beautiful way of life for themselves. I will continue to show others that people can, and do, recover. I am the first member of my family to earn bachelor’s/master’s degrees, and I’ve paid for my education each time I’ve completed a program. Without scholarships, and other means, these opportunities wouldn’t be possible. For this reason I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to share a part of my journey with you and to shine a beautiful spotlight on a woman who gave me the greatest gift of kindness I could ever receive.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi I am proud to share that I am a person living in long-term recovery and my sobriety date is April 3, 2020. I got sober the month the world shut down due to the pandemic, as recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” I started attending a recovery fellowship, asked a woman to be my sponsor and surrendered completely to my new life in recovery. This woman gave me a gift that no money could buy and opened up a life for me that I never thought possible. She gave me the gift of her time, wisdom, and taught me how to give that same gift to other women. Working my recovery program not only gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with alcohol, it absolutely changed my outlook on the world. I began a life of service to others in a way I never had before, which has led to a life I cannot adequately describe in words. I began experiencing a new freedom, happiness, and an unparalleled level of peace. Thanks to the example set for me, I now sponsor women, facilitate recovery meetings, speak at recovery events and work with patients struggling with mental health professionally. A burning desire continues to grow in me for helping others suffering from mental illness and I never say "no" when asked to be of service to a woman still struggling. In recovery we only keep what we have by giving it away to those still suffering. I live my recovery out loud for many reasons: I know the naïveté that exists in the society we live in today and my hope is to help change this through education. It took walking through my own struggles, finding a way out, persevering through those trials, to help me understand that addiction is not a moral failing or lack of will-power. I know the judgment that takes place in healthcare settings regarding mental health because I have been the direct recipient of it. In spite of my healthcare experience, education, certifications, etc., I was bypassed due to the fact of being in recovery. I continued forward, not letting these rejections deter me, but rather making me more determined to show the world people are capable of change. My experience has only made me a more compassionate, empathetic nurse and only furthered the lengths I will go to in order to advocate for someone in need. My own story of triumph over mental health struggles has become my greatest asset. My ability to know first hand what these patients are walking through is an opportunity I feel I don't have the right to waste. I see our world shifting in a radical way regarding mental health and the stigma that surrounds it. I get the opportunity to share my experience with others, educate healthcare professionals, and do my part to help lift the stigma surrounding mental health. Now as I embark on my MSN-PMHNP program I will gain further insight on how to care for mental health and substance abuse patients in a more advanced way, connecting with them on a deeper level through shared experience. I will continue my personal recovery service work and give people hope that they, too, can recover. Thank you for the opportunity to share part of my journey and to shine a beautiful spotlight on what a life in recovery and service to others can offer.

My life in recovery is what led me down the path to pursue a MSN with a focus on psychiatric/ mental health nursing. I chose to enter sobriety the same month the country seemingly shut down from COVID-19, when recovery fellowships were forced to close t heir doors yet liquor stores remained "essential." I surrendered my old way of life and of thinking on April 3, 2020 when I got sober. My recovery program not only gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with substances, it absolutely changed my outlook on the world and how I live in it. I began a life of service to others in a way I never had before and I began practicing the principles in all of my affairs, which has led to a life I cannot adequately describe in words. I began experiencing a new freedom and happiness and a level of peace and serenity I had never known. I have never been healthier emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, and my passion in life is to help others find this freedom too. I sponsor women, I carry 12 step meetings to treatment facilities and I have the privilege of working with patients at a residential mental health facility. I practice recovery principles in all areas of life and mentor other women in doing the same. I also mentor nurses with mental health issues and help guide them into recovery and rebuilding their career. I believe my experience of being in recovery for the past four and a half years is my greatest asset in forming a connection with those seeking help. I bring an element of understanding substance abuse disorders in a way no degree can teach. I spent the first decade of my nursing career watching people die of alcoholism and drug addiction, without a clear understanding about the disease. I feel there are some amazing providers out there assisting the mental health and substance abuse patient population, however the ones I have always been drawn to are the ones who have experienced the pain and suffering of the afflictions themselves, and most importantly found a way out. It has given me a level of empathy and compassion for these patients that I never would have achieved without my own past struggles.

I am very proud to share with the admission committee that I am in recovery. I got sober April 3, 2020, at age 40, and the same month the country seemingly shut down from COVID-19. While I was starting my own journey to health and recovery I watched as the healthcare world struggled and the mental health world seemed to spiral into an even more desperate state. Twelve step fellowship meetings were taken away, yet liquor stores remained open and “essential.” Of all the years working in the emergency, caring for countless patients with psychiatric crises and substance abuse struggles, since the pandemic the number of these mental health emergencies have reached an all-time high. It is clear to me that with my two decades of nursing experience combined with having found a way out of past struggles I am meant to help others find their way out too as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My plan is to practice in a rural county where there is a lack of access to mental healthcare. There is always a slight hesitation when sharing with strangers that I am in recovery due to the stigma that still exists in our society, but I do because I feel a responsibility of showing others that people can change, and for the better. Recovery has shown me a new freedom and happiness, a level of peace and serenity I had never known, and a new attitude and outlook on life. I didn’t know when I first entered recovery that it would end up being so much more about changing what needed to be changed about myself, not just eliminating alcohol from my life. I often tell people I would not even go back to the person I was before I entered recovery, because recovery has made me into the person I feel I was always meant to be. I have never been healthier emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, and my passion in life is to help others find this freedom too. My three kids have a sober, present mom today and I have the most supportive, loving people in my life. The gratitude I have for my newfound life has inspired me to live a life of service towards others. Currently I sponsor women, I carry recovery meetings to treatment facilities and I have the privilege of sharing my experience, strength and hope with patients I care for daily in the ER and a residential mental health facility. I also mentor nurses struggling with their mental health and lead a healthcare professionals recovery group weekly. In addition to my service commitments and caring for my kids I work full-time in nursing. I have been on my own financially since I was 18 and every degree I’ve earned has been financed on my own and through the help of scholarships like these. Every step through my educational journey has brought me closer to this moment and every penny I’ve paid has been an investment in doing my part to wipe away the stigma of mental health and continue making a different in the people who’s paths cross mine. My personal experience has enhanced my ability to connect with patients and what once was my darkest season of life has become my greatest asset. I have been given a level of empathy and compassion for these patients that I never would have achieved without my own past struggles. Today there is nothing I love more today than sharing my experience and knowledge with others who are struggling and showing them people can, and do, recover.

My name is Natalie Muncy and I am beginning a MSN-PMHNP program. I come with over 20 years of experience in ER/psychiatric nursing and am one of only 43 Certified Addictions Registered Nurses in the state of Texas. I have three beautiful children: Isabella, Severen and Sarai. After my husband divorced me unexpectedly I turned to alcohol as a way to escape the pain and humiliation I felt. I will never know the reason why my drinking crossed over the line into addiction but I certainly wasted a couple of years trying to figure out why. I don’t come from a family of substance abusers, nor did I have any knowledge about addiction being a disease. It was instilled in me that asking anyone for help or looking weak were radical and unacceptable options. I struggled internally with why I couldn't fix this on my own and felt alone in the world even in a room full of people. I was a single mom, working in the ER caring for others 12 hours a day and was one of the primary caregivers for my dying father before he passed from FTD. Self-care was not a familiar concept, and beyond that it felt selfish to do anything for myself. This lack of regard for myself led to my demise. The drinking got worse and I ceased being able to recognize who was staring back at me in the mirror. I reached a point on April 2, 2020 that the pain of my internal condition pushed me to crawl outside my comfort zone and ask for help. That pivotal moment in my life, where I admitted defeat and accepted help, changed everything for me. I sought out help from a local 12-Step recovery group and my life was catapulted into what I would describe as the fourth dimension. I got sober the month the world shut down and recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” The steps and the program not only gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with alcohol, it absolutely changed my outlook on the world and how I live in it. I began a life of service to others like never before and I began practicing the recovery principles in all of my affairs, which has led to a life I cannot adequately describe in words. I began experiencing a new freedom and happiness, peace, serenity and a new outlook on life. I have never been healthier emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, and my passion in life is to help others find this freedom too. I sponsor women, I carry 12 step meetings to treatment facilities, I speak at recovery meetings and I have the privilege of working with patients struggling with mental health and substance abuse professionally. It has set me on a path I couldn’t have imagined 5 years ago, and catapulted me into a passion for helping others suffering from addiction and mental illness. Simply put, recovery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I believe my personal experience will only enhance my ability to connect with patients as a PMHNP. I bring an element of understanding mental health/substance abuse in a way no degree can teach. I am humbled that I found recovery and desire to share that freedom with others. What I once saw as my darkest season of life has now turned into my greatest asset to help others. Thank you for the opportunity to share part of my story with you!

April 3, 2020 I embarked on a journey in recovery that would never leave me the same. I surrendered my old way of life with alcohol and my old thinking and commited to a 12 step fellowship and pursue a life in recovery. I got sober the month the world shut down and recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” Recovery not only gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with alcohol, it absolutely changed my outlook on the world and how I live in it. I began experiencing a new freedom and happiness, a level of peace and serenity I had never known, and a new attitude and outlook on life. I often tell people I would not even go back to the person I was before I entered recovery because recovery has made me into the person I feel I was always meant to be. Recovery taught me self-care cannot be optional and I have never been healthier emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, and my passion in life is to help others find this freedom too. If I am not caring for my own mental health I won't have anything to give the people I care for, including my kids and the patients I meet daily. I am especially intentional with prioritizing my self-care while I am juggling school with my other responsibilities, and this looks like adequate sleep, regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, time for spiritual growth daily, regular check-ins with my sponsor and recovery meetings. Even while in school I prioritize time to sponsor women, carry 12 step meetings to treatment facilities, speak at recovery meetings and I have the privilege of working with patients struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues both in the emergency room setting and at Healing Springs Ranch (a residential mental health/substance abuse dual-diagnosis facility with an emphasis in treating past trauma). It has set me on a path I couldn’t have imagined 5 years ago, and catapulted me into a passion for helping others suffering from addiction and mental illness. Simply put, recovery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I still experience a brief hesitation when I contemplate sharing with strangers that I am in recovery due to the stigma that unfortunately still exists in our society and especially within our healthcare organizations. However, the hesitation always goes away very quickly and the reason is quite simple to me: I believe in a way of life that puts recovery at the pinnacle of what is most important. I have been the direct recipient of judgment and stigma from others, but recovery has allowed me to continually move forward and be an example for others of what successful rehabilitation looks like. I consider myself an advocate for recovery and feel my true purpose in life is to spread hope to others that recovery is possible for anyone. My experience has taught me that when one door closes there is usually something else I am meant to be doing and I find acceptance in all situations I walk through, even when I’m judged based on my past as I know it doesn’t define the person I am today. This is why I have an immense amount of gratitude for this opportunity to share a little of my story with you, and to fulfill my dream of becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner so I can play my part to help others achieve victory in their battles as well.

4.3.20 I started my journey in recovery, during COVID-19 when recovery fellowships were forced to shut down but liquor stores remained open and "essential." Working the steps gave me almost instantaneous relief from the need to change the way I feel with alcohol and drugs and changed my outlook on the world and how I live in it. I began a life of service to others in a way I never had before and I began practicing the recovery principles in all of my affairs, which has led to a life I cannot adequately describe in words. I experience a new freedom and happiness daily, a level of peace and serenity I had never known, and a new attitude and outlook on life. I practice my spiritual program, participate in service regularly and live a life of attraction rather than promotion. I often tell people I would not even go back to the person I was before addiction as recovery has made me into the person I feel I was always meant to be. I sponsor women, I carry 12 step meetings to treatment facilities, I speak at recovery meetings and I have the privilege of working with patients struggling with mental health and substance abuse professionally. It has set me on a path I couldn’t have imagined 5 years ago, and given me into a passion for helping others still struggling. Recovery has healed me wholly. Simply put, recovery is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~C.S. Lewis It has been my experience that no one gets through life completely unscathed from some form of trial or tribulation regarding mental health. It has also been my experience that real character growth comes from how we face and walk through these adversities. Society is making slow progress at making people feel more comfortable about reaching out and asking for help when they are struggling with mental health illness, but we have a long way to go. After a very unexpected and devastating divorce I began using alcohol as a way to escape the pain, humiliation and feeling like an utter failure. I was an ER nurse, mom of three, and the added shame of exposing my kids to this disease only intensified the pain. "Don't you love your kids enough to get sober?" people would say, but what they didn't and couldn't understand was that once I crossed the line into addiction it ceased being a choice. It was instilled in me as a child that asking anyone for help or looking weak were radical and unacceptable options. I was trying to maintain caring for my children, caring for emergencies all day at work, and caring for my father before he passed of dementia. Self-care was not a familiar concept, and beyond that it felt selfish to take time for myself. This lack of regard for myself led to my demise. The drinking got worse and I ceased being able to recognize who was staring back at me in the mirror. I was riddled with constant anxiety, depression, and felt like I had a front row seat to watching my life spin out of control. I reached a point on April 3, 2020 that the pain of my internal condition pushed me to crawl outside my comfort zone and ask for help. That pivotal moment in my life, where I admitted defeat and accepted help, changed everything for me. While the world was falling apart and entering quarantine from COVID-19 I began my mental health journey, finally addressing my past traumas with professionals, and started working with a therapist to supplement the steps I was working. I got sober the month the world shut down and recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” Seeing where I had been selfish throughout my life was vital to becoming the person I feel God meant for me to be. I realized was in the past I was deluded by certain mindsets and behaviors, not realizing there were impure motives behind them. I never learned the value of facing negative emotions, processing them and moving forward with healthy coping tools, until I was forced to in order to save my life and recover from the seemingly hopeless state of mind and body that alcohol created in my life. Simply put, recovery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I did not know how an honest self-appraisal would heal me in ways I didn't even know I needed. It was painful to revisit the ways I had wronged people, have my character flaws revealed, and make amends. However, through taking these actions I noticed my anxiety lessened, my depression lifted, relationships were repaired and life took on new meaning. My relationship with my children has never been better and they get to have a sober, present mom supporting them. Every morning I wake up it is necessary for me to relinquish control and ask for God to reveal His will for my day and for the willingness on my part to carry that out. I find this is the key to true joy and genuine peace in my life. Things don’t always turn out the way I envisioned but they always turn out the way they should. I am intentional about staying out of my own way, allowing God to reveal His will. It is evident how my experience of being in recovery has really set my nursing practice on a new plane. My own mental health trials has brought an understanding of addiction and mental health struggles in a way nothing else has; empathy and compassion for mental health patients that I never would have achieved. Others may see my past as a liability, but my ability to overcome those trials has become one of my greatest strengths. It is not lost on me how fortunate I am that I found a way out when so many others have not. I choose to live my recovery out loud today so others might not suffer alone in silence. I get the opportunity to share my store with others, educate healthcare professionals on mental illness diagnoses and treatment modalities, and be an advocate for self-care and the importance of addressing one’s own mental health. I get to witness miracles in others and it all started with the miracle that happened in my own life. I get to be an example for my children today and help them navigate their own lives using recovery principles. I get to experience a growing relationship with God like never before. I feel a calling to help others achieve the same. So now I set forth on the path laid out for me, pursuing my Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and holding firm to the truth in those wise words C.S. Lewis spoke many decades ago. I have a dream of doing my part of helping others achieve the same freedom afforded to me through recovery. I have the privilege of helping others set their own goals and dreams, as someone so graciously did with me. Perhaps most importantly, I get to help them believe they can achieve them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to share a part of my store with you and the dreams I have to help those still suffering.

For 20 years in the emergency department I have had a front row seat to view how integral mental health is to one’s overall health. I could speak of the countless tragedies I've seen, many of which stemmed from lack of mental health. Mental health is a vital part of a holistic view of overall health. It dictates how we interact with the world around us, in every area of our lives from work to at home with our families. How we make choices, how we relate to others and how we view ourselves are ultimately all affected by the state of our minds. When we neglect to care for that aspect of our health the consequences can be seen in the form of physical manifestations, diseases, and mental illness. Mental illness does not discriminate against socioeconomic status or race, and because of the stigma that still exists so many are too filled with fear to reach out for help. We live in a world constantly pressuring us to do more, be more, achieve more, all at the expense of your mental wellbeing. I bought into the lie, and all I’ve known my whole life is how to care for others. I have learned that if I don’t care for my own mental health I won’t be effective in caring for anyone else, whether in my home or in my profession. After receiving the devastating and very unexpected news that my husband had filed for divorce after 14 years and three children together, I began using alcohol as a way to escape the pain, humiliation and feeling like an utter failure. I see now it was a coping mechanism, an escape, and one that seemed perfectly acceptable socially. I ceased being able to recognize who was staring back at me in the mirror. I was riddled with constant anxiety, depression, and watched my life spin out of control. On April 3, 2020 the pain of my internal condition pushed me to crawl outside my comfort zone and ask for help. That pivotal moment in my life, where I admitted defeat and accepted help, changed everything for me. I began addressing my past traumas with professionals, and started working with a therapist. I got sober the month the world shut down; recovery fellowships were forced to close while liquor stores remained “essential.” I began experiencing freedom, peace and serenity I had never known, and a new outlook on life. Today my self-care routine are not optional. I set aside time daily for prayer and meditation to enlarge my spiritual life. Regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep are vital. Regular meeting attendance in my recovery homegroup keeps me balanced and emotionally sober, which I’ve learned is just as important as my physical sobriety. Balance might be the biggest change I’ve made, always making sure I have adequate time to spend with my kids while balancing the responsibilities of school and my professional life. My ability to overcome trials and maintain mental health has become one of my greatest strengths. What I used to see as the darkest season of my life has become an asset I can use to help others. I teach mental health education and self-care to patients at a dual-diagnosis residential treatment facility, and share with them my past experiences so they may find relatability and experience hope on their own journeys. As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner I have dreams of continuing my journey of helping others prioritize their mental health and freedom!

Fishers of Men-tal Healthcare Scholarship “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~C.S. Lewis It has been my experience that no one gets through life completely unscathed from some form of trial or tribulation regarding mental health. It has also been my experience that real character growth comes from how we face and walk through these adversities. After a very unexpected and devastating life event I began using alcohol as a way to escape the pain, humiliation and feeling like an utter failure. I crossed the line into addiction and for the first time in my life I encountered a problem I could not fix using my own will power. I was raised to have a strong resolve and it was instilled in me that asking anyone for help or looking weak were radical and unacceptable options. I was taking care of my three children on my own again, caring for people in the ER, and was caring for my father before he passed of fronto-temporal lobe dementia. Self-care was not a familiar concept, and beyond that it felt selfish to do anything for myself. This lack of regard for myself led to my demise. The drinking got worse and I ceased being able to recognize who was staring back at me in the mirror. I was riddled with constant anxiety, depression, and felt like I had a front row seat to watching my life spin out of control. I reached a point on April 3, 2020 that the pain of my internal condition pushed me to crawl outside my comfort zone and ask for help. That pivotal moment in my life, where I admitted defeat and accepted help, changed everything for me. While the world was falling apart and entering quarantine from COVID-19 I began my mental health journey, finally addressing my past traumas with professionals, and started working with a therapist to supplement the steps I was working. I got sober the month the world shut down and recovery fellowships were forced to close their doors while liquor stores remained “essential.” Seeing where I had been selfish throughout my life was vital to becoming the person I feel God meant for me to be. I realized was in the past I was deluded by certain mindsets and behaviors, not realizing there were impure motives behind them. I never learned the value of facing negative emotions, processing them and moving forward with healthy coping tools, until I was forced to in order to save my life and recover from the seemingly hopeless state of mind and body that alcohol created in my life. Simply put, recovery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was someone who grew up with a strong faith, never doubting that God existed and wanted me to fulfill my potential in this world. It became clear to me through working with mental health professionals that somewhere along the way I started taking credit for what was happening in my life instead of acknowledging it was God all along who made it possible. I was driven by self-will and the more I accomplished the less I had time to engage in prayer, meditation and seeking what God’s will for my life was. Without even realizing it I started drifting away from a spiritual connection with God and I slowly sank into the illusion that I was in the driver’s seat of my life. Peace and serenity eluded me and I had no idea the amount of anxiety and depression was self-induced. I did not know how an honest self-appraisal would reconnect me spiritually. It was painful to revisit the ways I had wronged people, have my character flaws revealed, and make amends. However through taking these suggested actions I noticed my anxiety lessened, my depression lifted, relationships were repaired and life took on new meaning. My relationship with my children has never been better and they get to have a sober, present mom supporting them. My relationship with God grows deeper through prayer, meditation and constant service to others. Every morning I wake up it is necessary for me to relinquish control and ask for God to reveal His will for my day and for the willingness on my part to carry that out. I find this is the key to true joy and genuine peace in my life. Things don’t always turn out the way I envisioned but they always turn out the way they should. I am intentional about staying out of my own way, allowing God to reveal His will. It is evident how my experience of being in recovery has really set my nursing practice on a new plane. My own mental health trials has brought an understanding of addiction and mental health struggles in a way nothing else has; empathy and compassion for mental health patients that I never would have achieved. Others may see my past as a liability, but my ability to overcome those trials has become one of my greatest strengths. It is not lost on me how fortunate I am that I found a way out when so many others have not. I choose to live my recovery out loud today so others might not suffer alone in silence. I get the opportunity to share my store with others, educate healthcare professionals on mental illness diagnoses and treatment modalities, and be an advocate for self-care and the importance of addressing one’s own mental health. I get to witness miracles in others and it all started with the miracle that happened in my own life. I get to be an example for my children today and help them navigate their own lives using recovery principles. I get to experience a growing relationship with God like never before. I feel a calling to help others achieve the same. So now I set forth on the path laid out for me, pursuing my Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and holding firm to the truth in those wise words C.S. Lewis spoke many decades ago. I have a dream of doing my part of helping others achieve the same freedom afforded to me through recovery. I have the privilege of helping others set their own goals and dreams, as someone so graciously did with me. Perhaps most importantly, I get to help them believe they can achieve them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to share a part of my store with you and the dreams I have to help those still suffering.