Meet Us Monday: Rachel, REAL LIFE Alumna

Posted: March 17, 2025 | Author: Real Life Staff

For this #MeetUsMonday, we’re checking in with Rachel, a REAL LIFE graduate and Alumna who continues to inspire us with her journey. Since graduating from our program, Rachel has moved into a home with her fiancé, mother, and daughter, and is working toward becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. She recently completed the 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist training and is now preparing for an internship to earn the required 500 hours of peer-to-peer experience. Rachel comments, “I feel like my addiction and recovery give me a purpose—to help other people. When you get out of the fire, you’ve got to reach back and pull others out.”

While working toward her certification, Rachel is also helping run her fiancé’s moving company, Serenity Moving LLC. In July 2024, she achieved another huge milestone—gaining full custody of her teenage daughter. Their bond is stronger than ever: “She can come to me with anything. I feel like I have a wealth of experience to offer her, and we really listen to each other.”

Rachel has also stepped up to care for her mother, who has battled health issues for years. Now, she feels at peace knowing her family is together and thriving.

Having been through recovery programs before, Rachel shared what made REAL LIFE different for her: “I thought I could do recovery on my own, that I didn’t need anyone’s help—but that’s just not the truth. I need a network. Everything about my life had to change.”

One of the first ways that Rachel connected with REAL LIFE was through the W.A.I.T. program while incarcerated at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail—a turning point in her journey. Reflecting on her transformation, she says: “I thought drugs gave me freedom. But THIS way of life is true freedom.”

Rachel, we couldn’t agree more. We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what’s next!

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