Cultivating self-compassion is an essential aspect of addiction recovery but it takes time, dedication, and hope.

Cultivating self-compassion is an essential aspect of addiction recovery but it takes time, dedication, and hope.

Cultivating self-compassion is an essential aspect of addiction recovery but it takes time, dedication, and hope.

Cultivating self-compassion is an essential aspect of addiction recovery but it takes time, dedication, and hope.

Kat makes a triumphant comeback and Gabbie Wynschenk shares a few tips on how to navigate dating in recovery.

We've changed a lot since we opened in 1998 but our goal has always been the same — to help each person that walks through our doors transform their life. We're kicking off the new year with an updated, refreshed version of the alumni newsletter!

For years, Elsie coasted on the edge of drinking every night and appearing sober. Until that edge became thinner and thinner and she had to reveal her secret to her loved ones.

I’m Alison B and I’m an alcoholic and addict. My sobriety date is November 18, 2020. If I could define what my recovery means to me today, I would say, freedom. It’s freedom from a hopeless state of mind, freedom from bondage of self, and the freedom that comes with a new way of living. […]

For National Recovery Month, we reached out to alumni to hear their inspiring recovery stories. See Aleksa's and Jean's here.

My name is Bob L. and my recovery date is May 31, 2018. My journey has unique details, but the gist of it you have heard a thousand times before. I am the oldest child of a large family and was raised by two loving and supportive parents. Unfortunately, addiction exists throughout both my mother’s […]

Patti T. As I write this, I am coming up on one year of sobriety. Mountainside saved my life. I never felt I had hit a rock bottom, but now reflecting over the past year from a sober and clear mindset, I know that I did. My daughter had cut me out of her life, […]

Life without active addiction is not what I thought it would be. I had expectations of not being able to make it through life without drugs and alcohol. I thought I would have FOMO at the next party, picnic, or concert. How could I possibly manage my trauma and accept my own toxic behaviors without […]

Kati L. Sobriety Date: 4/13/2021 Today I am a grateful alcoholic. I live a life of freedom. Sober freedom. When I entered Mountainside, I was scared and fragile. I was misunderstood. I didn’t know who I was. I will not deny the fact that I was on my death bed—mentally, physically and spiritually. But that […]

Adam W. Hi. My name’s Adam and I am an alcoholic. My sobriety date is November 18, 2017. I was an active alcoholic for 15 years. At the end of those years, I was alone, living in a small room I barely ever left, drinking constantly. I couldn’t stop drinking even if I wanted to. […]

Sam C. The single most important thing that I have learned in my life is honesty. It’s the foundation of life itself. Not only in recovery, but with everything I do on a daily basis. I finally had to become honest with myself about my alcoholism. With the help of Mountainside and all the people […]

Mike G. Hi, my name is Mike G. and I am a grateful recovering addict. My life of drug addiction started more than 20 years ago when I was just 13 years old. Like most, it started small and gradually progressed. By the time I was 18 I was fully hooked on opiates and any […]

Welcome to the February Alumni Connections Newsletter! In the video below, Director of Recovery Experience Pat McCarthy, sits down with Rachel White to discuss his new role at Mountainside and a few fun facts as well. As a person living in long-term recovery, Pat draws from his own personal experiences to develop strong bonds with […]

I am honored to share my story with you all in this edition of the “Mountainside Connection”. I want to begin this story by admitting that when I started my sobriety journey at Mountainside, I was unable to grasp everything that I needed to stay sober my first time at rehab. I unfortunately (or fortunately) […]

Hi there! My name is Alli and I am a grateful recovering addict. I knew I had a problem years before I stepped foot into Mountainside. I thought I could “fix” or “control” it and tried EVERYTHING. In time, I became withdrawn from my own life. My relationships with family and friends were suffering and […]

Hi, my name is Ryan Y. and I am from Connecticut. I am pretty sure I have had an addictive personality ever since I was born. I always tried to fill that empty void inside me with more love, attention, toys, friends, money, and material things. That carried into my life as I grew older, […]

What happens now? I had no idea what would happen when I walked out the door at Mountainside after 30 days. I already missed the people I had met in Resi and the safety and comfort of the alcohol-free world at “The Mountain.” I was so unsure of myself and my life, and my sobriety. […]

I was full of renewed hope the day I left Mountainside in October 2015. It was my 2nd rehab in the same year! This time felt different because, at Mountainside, they helped me find ME. I was a recovering alcoholic, wife of another recovering alcoholic, mother, and a new Nonna (grandma). Life ahead looked and […]

Hi everyone! My name is Wendy Van Buren, and I work with Kendall and Rachel in the Alumni Department. I have 28 cumulative years of sobriety, and as some of you know from hearing my story in meetings and IOP sessions, I experienced a relapse a few years ago. I chose the topic of self-love […]

I walked into Mountainside knowing I MUST get sober. I was willing, I was coachable, and I was honest. I told secrets that I had kept hidden for almost two decades. However, I was skeptical when the incredible staff and teachers said that my life would change for the better beyond what I could ever […]

When I walked into Mountainside on July 31st, 2016, I did not know my life would change forever. I spent over four months at Mountainside from detox through inpatient and extended care and then moved out to Denver to sober living and my life took off. I have been sober for just under five years […]

Greetings! My name is Sue D. and I am a Mountainside alum.Before I went to Mountainside in the winter of 2018, most of the daily decisions I made were around alcohol. When to get it, how much, how to hide it. Eventually it just became easier to drink alone. When I came to Mountainside I […]

Dear Mountainside, As I look back to the week of May 31, 2020, I remember what it felt like to hit my “rock bottom.” I was lost, full of despair, and spiritually bankrupt. It might not be what society thinks is rock bottom, but it was my own personal take on it. I fully admitted […]

Hi Mountainside Community, I hope all of you are healthy and well as we are (HP willing) turning the corner on this pandemic. I’m excited to welcome you to this edition of the Mountainside Connection. As all of my cohort in December 2019 know, I may have agreed to come to Mountainside willingly but was […]

Dear Mountainside Alumni, Before I became sober, I would only help others if I thought it would benefit me. As time went on, and I began to change my life for the better, helping others started to take on a whole new meaning. Today, I am excited about the opportunity to make a difference in […]

Happy New Year, Mountainside Community! Here we are, in 2021. Whatever your journey has been, you’ve made it this far – and Mountainside has played a role in your recovery. As I write this, of course, we are still in 2020: in the throes of a Covid resurgence, wrapping up what has been a year […]

I spent most of my youth as a people pleaser. The idea of authenticity was challenging for me. I always wondered where I fit in and what people thought of me. I was afraid to speak my truth and be the person I wanted to be. Learning how to speak my truth has been one […]

My journey began on a chilly Sunday morning in the backseat of a rental car. My brother-in-law was driving. We headed into the beautiful Berkshires — a place unlike any other that I had ever been to. My mind still in a fog from my final bender the night before. It seemed so surreal yet […]

My journey to Mountainside begins much like yours. A story of trauma, agonizing guilt, fear, anxiety, and pain that was self-inflicted and from others. I say this not to compare my story to yours, but to remind you that you are not alone. When Mountainside’s Alumni Team asked me to write my story, I was […]

My spiritual awakening occurred in a marriage counselor’s office in Spring 2018. My husband and I were attending counseling together, and things weren’t going well. I felt like nothing was getting better and like I was being blamed for all the problems in our marriage. I didn’t like our therapist, so I never expected her […]

After enduring a verbally abusive marriage and a murder attempt on my life, I lived on the sly, sneaking alcohol. My drinking could be compared to being on a slow, steady IV drip, not of medicine, but rather of Merlot and Chardonnay. On December 14, 2016, my life changed forever. Newly married, my loving husband […]

One Day At A Time… five small words that mean so much to me today, yet five small words I couldn’t grasp the meaning of for so long. How was I supposed to stay sober One Day at A Time when I couldn’t stay sober for one hour at a time? For close to 10 […]

Did I make the right decision? Was it best to leave people, places, and things behind? Was it a good idea to get sober? I don’t know what the outcome would have been if I didn’t get sober when I did. Here’s the truth: for two decades, my life was consumed by drugs and alcohol. […]

Hey all! I have about twenty-one months of not drinking and sixteen months of solid sobriety. After I left Mountainside, my life was in turmoil. I was trying to gain back my daughters’ trust, my wife wanted a divorce; we were not living together and wanted to sell the family house. We managed to sell […]

Just 18 months ago, I was a hopeless alcoholic and drug addict. I hit bottom so hard that I became suicidal on a day-to-day basis. I was isolated from my family and lost almost everything. I knew that I had two options: to die or get help. Recovery for me started at Mountainside, on September […]

When we first enter recovery, it’s new and exciting – unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before. Living life in sobriety after wasting years on addiction is exhilarating, and we want more. But what happens after the novelty of recovery wears off? Complacency in recovery is not uncommon but can become dangerous if you let it […]

As of January 1st, 2020, I will officially be one year sober. Thinking back on this past year, my life has changed for the better — dramatically, like I would have never expected it to. I came into Mountainside broken and defeated. I had just lost my brother from an overdose, but even that was […]

As I sat at my grandparent’s house completely stuffed after a Thanksgiving feast, I was not only stuffed with turkey and mashed potatoes, but I was filled with gratitude. I wish I could say I feel this way all of the time, but for me, it comes in sporadic bursts and this was one of […]

Thanks for the Memories. It’s so wonderful to look back over the last 5 years and see the growth in our Alumni Program. I remember when I first began my journey at Mountainside — I walked into a blank canvas of opportunity. I had no idea how I would reach the thousands of alumni, but […]

I was watching the sunset, in my beach chair, sipping on a hot cocoa in my backyard the other day. The sky was so colorful, filled with pink, purple and orange hues. It was so beautiful. I do this from time to time, contemplating life in the silence. To just be, with no distractions, no […]

In May 2008, I was mentally and physically defeated. Surrounded by conflict – both internal and external – I came to the realization that I no longer wanted to continue living the life I was living. There were many things that happened over the course of three days that made it clear that the path […]

Finding consistency can be difficult. It seems that once you get into the groove, something comes along to throw you off-center. Life happens, priorities shift, and some days, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to get everything done. With so many changes happening around us, taking time to practice self-care is key. Sometimes, […]

There is this notion that I have been hearing repeatedly lately. It is something that I have watched people hide behind in recovery. It is the idea that we are broken. That we have pieces of us that are damaged or fractured. This is a fallacy. It is something that we are told or tell […]

I recently made the choice to take a staycation. Typically, I don’t stop. I am on the move constantly. I haven’t taken a break from life to just “be” in what seems like an eternity. Over the past several months, I found myself wanting to be still. I am not sure exactly how it happened. […]

This month, I will be celebrating 11 years in recovery. It seems like only yesterday that I walked through the doors of Mountainside. When I arrived here, I hadn’t worked in over a year, was broke, lost all my friendships and my partner of 3 ½ years. I had no idea how to live, had […]

I was standing in my laundry room when out of the corner of my eye I saw the most vibrant sunset. Without even thinking, I threw on my shoes and ran outside. I stood in silence appreciating the gift the universe handed me. When I was drinking or using, I willingly gave those precious offerings […]

Do you ever have those moments where something becomes so clear that you physically just pause, and sit with the thought for a moment? You begin reflecting on what you just uncovered to take it in and let it be absorbed. I love those moments. Those are the flickers of light that are essential for […]

For so many years I have said, “I hate the cold weather.” As winter approaches, the days are shorter, it’s darker and everything is void of color. For me it is typically a time to hibernate, to allow my depression to kick in. I have come to realize a change in mindset can make all […]

What is a New Year’s resolution? Well, if you ask Siri, it is a tradition in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life. Recently, I found myself stuck in an old pattern of focusing on the qualities I deem to be […]

Mountainside family! We thought we would shake things up a little as the year ends by having Mountainside alumni take over the December newsletter. This issue was written for us, about us, and by us. I’m Amy L., class of summer 2016, takeover editor. I am humbled and honored to be writing this. Jessica has […]

At times, life seems like an endless list of responsibilities. To-do lists, schedules, obligations ⎼ it can get overwhelming. There are days when I want to cancel, avoid following through, and even ignore phone calls. As someone who plans events, I know how much work goes into everything. I recognize that my lack of follow-through […]

My life is crazy busy ⎼ meetings, events, family, friends, travel ⎼ sometimes it can seem overwhelming. But on the flip side, when I have free time, I don’t know what to do with it. Looking at my life, you would think that it’s full. That I am surrounded by excitement and adventure. The reality […]

Anyone who knows me knows that I love recovery. I enjoy talking about my experience and am no longer afraid to let people know that I am in recovery. But it wasn’t always like that. In the beginning, I was worried about what other people thought or that I would be judged. Is there a […]

Being involved in things I enjoy is what keeps my life exciting. Activities like attending a concert, going to the gym, showing up to help a friend, or being active outdoors help to fill my spirit. I couldn’t imagine recovery without doing the things I love, but it wasn’t always that way. Early recovery was […]

For my birthday this year, I decided to buy myself a solo trip. I had never traveled alone to a distant country, so I relied on my travel agent to use their expertise to place me in the perfect location. They chose Ladakh, India, one of the safest places for women to travel alone. What […]

Recently, I became so closed off to the world around me that I was missing out on all the amazing signs the universe was sending my way. I wasn’t living with my heart. I was living in a space of self-pity and doubt, and that ever present “I’m just not good enough” kept taking over. […]

The Alumni Trip to Mexico was a success. It was something I had been looking forward to for months. Each day would be an adventure ⎼ a chance to see something new and experience a new culture. All the planning and preparation was about to unfold before me. I thought I had covered all my […]

I can’t quite pinpoint the moment when it happened. It was a gradual progression, but slowly I began feeling whole. Something inside of me changed. Things seemed clearer. I felt lighter. And regardless of what was going on around me I could only find the positive in anything and everything. I began to realize what […]

When I first got sober, I couldn’t have a basic conversation with people. If you said “hi” to me or even looked in my direction, I would crawl out of my skin. I was incapable of making connections. I was the person who made everyone else in the room uneasy just because I was in […]

With the freezing temperatures and snow, I tend to want to go into hibernation. If you are like me, then you understand the struggle of someone who dislikes the cold. But this year, I am determined to not fall prey to the season. So, what have I been doing to tackle the winter blues? Hanging […]

The holidays have come and gone and as life continues to happen, it is important to take a few deep breaths and re-center yourself. Leave behind the stress and chaos of last year behind, and focus on allowing goodness to flow into your life.

After last year’s trip to Costa Rica, I decided that I was going to make adventure and travel part of my life. I was going to get in touch with my adventurous side: see new places, meet new people, and live my life to the fullest. Recently, I took a trip to San Diego. While […]

What are you doing in your life today that is amazing? Through the #GoBeyond campaign, we will be able to recognize your achievements by celebrating your successes and the steps you take every day to reach your true potential.

What if I told you that anything was possible? That all your hopes and dreams could become a reality? Over the last year, I have made significant changes by becoming clear on what I want to achieve for myself. I began to work on my thinking, health, and the circle that I surround myself with.

Establishing a support system in my early recovery was an important – if not the most important – component of my long-term commitment to recovery. I remember being resistant to this piece of the puzzle time and time again. I thought I was different, that I did not need anyone to help me. What I […]

Every year, from birth until I was a teen, my family and I traveled to West Virginia to visit my grandparents on their 200-acre farm, set on a dirt road in the mountains. The land was filled with animals, a party line telephone, one television channel, a radio station (more like just static), and no […]

If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got. Recently, I had to make some changes that I knew were going to be beneficial to my health. You see, I am one of those people that yo-yos. I shed 20 pounds; I gain 20 pounds. Little by little, I start […]

Pura Vida! Pure life – that is exactly what I experienced on my first ever alumni trip. Being immersed in Costa Rica’s culture for eight days, I began to embrace this idea of living the simple life and the idea of going with the flow. The journey was filled with adventure, volunteerism, and nature. Each […]

Recovery for me has been a journey of self-discovery. When I put down drugs and alcohol, I had no idea who I was. I was still on a mission to reach outside of myself to replace a void – shopping, relationships, food, whatever would give me some sort of instant gratification. I didn’t know what […]

Spring! This time of year brings a feeling of change. Open the windows, clean out the clutter, and make everything fresh again! Winter is the longest season, or at least it seems like it. There is something about hearing the bird’s chirping, and seeing the squirrels back in action that makes my heart feel some […]

Leaving treatment, for me, meant changing everything. I hadn’t worked in over a year. I went from being a successful business woman to being someone who was driving around with all my belongings in my car. I knew when I left Mountainside that I wanted to change my career. But how?! I had some volunteer […]

Loving myself is not something that comes naturally. Each morning when I wake up, the first thought that usually comes to my mind is negative. I don’t know why this happens it just does. I am programmed to be a negative Nelly. I have to lay in bed with my eyes closed and refocus my […]