Wine Country Times

Stephanie Heil knows too well the toll addiction takes and how long the road can be to recovery. Now, she's using her own experience to help others in her new role as case manager at Women's Recovery Services.

For much of Heil's life, addiction was what she knew. She came from a family that struggled with addictions, and over the years, she lost relatives to substance abuse. "I started experiencing countless family members passing away, which was really traumatic," she told the Wine Country Times. "And so, unfortunately, what I did is I started to do what I was taught when I was young, and I started to kind of numb out the pain."

Heil says she never had any intention of becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs. "I became a full-blown opioid addict, which is terrifying," she said.

She nearly lost her children, one of which had been officially placed in permanent foster care while she battled legal and substance issues, including serving jail time. Eventually, she entered a six-month treatment program in Athena House, a sober-living facility. After case workers saw her effort to get sober, combined with the work she had done to keep her daughter in her life, the two were reunited. Heil then began the transition into helping others in similar life circumstances.

"When you have people that work in our field, they understand deeply ... because they've been through it," she said. "It really helps pull them out of that place."

From her time at Athena House, she became a overnight support staff member at the facility, then when it closed she worked in drug court, now fully on board with the idea of helping others at risk from addiction.

Heil said she never expected "to be able to move forward and create a new life for myself and other people, you know, invoke hope."

It's been just as important for her relationship with her four children, she added.

"I've been on this journey, and, like my kids, have watched me as I go, which has been the biggest blessing, watching me be resilient and fight and be honest and transparent about all these things that have transpired to get me to this point," she said.

With the closing of Athena House, Heil wasn't sure what was next for her, but she found out that Women's Recovery Services Executive Director Diane Madrigal was looking for a case manager.

"I said, 'why not try?' and I put in my resume," Heil said. "I had an interview and she hired me. Now I'm back to doing the work I love."

Women's Recovery Services provides shelter for 52 women and children. It runs on donations to provide shelter, food and counseling for its residents, as well as diapers for babies and protection from abuse. To donate, visit its website here. WRS also hosts fundraisers through its Facebook page.