Author archive for Gina Haines

Each person that goes through our program has a unique story. We wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to each of our 2018 Climbers.

Meet Tyra

Tyra | Seattle Women

A Seattle native, 26-year-old Tyra found her way to Recovery Beyond after hitting rock bottom. “I was hopeless, and living in a car,” she said, “I was pregnant with my second child and fighting to get my oldest back.” Staying clean and sober with support from colleagues and staff at the program has opened up new doors for her, and she is optimistic about the continued opportunities she will experience in this program. “This is an amazing opportunity and staying clean will bring more opportunities like this my way.”

Meet Nicky

Nicki | Seattle Women

41-year-old Nicky hails from Sartell, Minnesota and has lofty goals for her life in and beyond the recovery program. “[I want] to climb Mt. Rainier, run Ragnar, Sparta, and a half marathon.” Besides these incredible physical feats, she wants to help remedy her relationship with her family and find peace within herself through the support network of Recovery Beyond and the strength of her own spirit. There is no doubt that her passion, faith, and desire for change will help her achieve these goals and more as she strives to become “more of who God designed me to be.”

Meet Michelle

Michelle | Seattle Women

Hope and acceptance are two of the most quintessential human desires – something we all search for in moments both big and small. Hope is also what drew Michelle, a Californian transplant, to the Recovery Beyond program. “[I have] a need to know that I am not useless and unloved. I hope to learn to not hate who I became, and to learn how to be happy and live life to the fullest,” she says. Staying sober with the support of the climb team and building a foundation of healthy friendships offers her that beacon of hope – of finding her own value and learning who she is in Christ.

Meet Sarah

Sarah | Tacoma Women

For Sarah, a native of Spanaway, motherhood was the best motivation to turn her life around. “I have these two beautiful children that I wasn’t being the best mom I can be to so I was willing to try anything,” she said of joining the Climbing Out climb team. 30-day-programs had failed her before, and she had to hit rock bottom before finding her way here. “[The Climb Team] is a commitment I’m sticking to!” she says, “It is a healthy replacement that gets me motivated to be strong and healthy.” Her goals outside of the climb itself include pursuing a career as a substance abuse counselor while exploring God’s truths and plans for her.

Meet Julie

Julie | Tacoma Women

30-year-old Julie from Parkland, WA takes a God-centered approach to her climb. She feels a closer relationship with God brought her into the program and will continue to guide her through the challenges and trials ahead while she builds relationships with others and grows to “be a light in the world.” When asked why she wanted to join the climb team, Julie replied, “Going through things you never thought you’d go through will only take you places you’d never thought you’d go,” an apt message about climbing mountains in both the physical and emotional world.

Meet Jessica

Jesica | Tacoma Women

Jessica of Puyallup believes that God brought her to the Climbing Out Program. “I needed to get clean and sober so I wouldn’t lose my children, so I wouldn’t lose my relationship with God, who loves me unconditionally even through my dark days. He brought me to the program.” Along with pushing herself physically for the climb, she hopes to maintain awareness and control over her addiction while rebuilding relationships with her family members. She is particularly excited about working together with the climb team, saying, “I get to be around other people going through similar things, and I get to step outside my comfort zone, and push my body in ways that it’s never been pushed. The climb team is a beautiful group of people there to encourage each other.”

Meet Colin

Colin | Seattle Men

Originally from Sacramento, CA, Colin believes the physical challenge of training for the climb and becoming physically fit will be a source of support in his recovery. He came to the program after growing tired of the life he was living, and hopes to get sober and make changes in his life.

Meet Chris

Chris | Seattle Men

At the age of 27, Seattle native Chris has already lived through more than many, including a stretch of homelessness and drug addiction that “nearly took my life,” he says, “After me realizing that 3 years had gone by and I had freely given away everything for that next high, I knew I needed a change and that change had to include God in my life.” He came to the Climbing Out program seeking a better relationship with God, a foundation in sobriety, and hoping to climb mountains and someday run marathons. He considers the fellowship of the program to be one of its major strengths. “Being a part of something bigger than yourself is a true blessing.”

Meet Joe

Joe | Seattle Men

Joe, a 28-year-old hailing from Longview, started using painkillers at a young age, which quickly turned to using heroin and nearly landed him on the streets. To avoid homelessness, a former counselor recommended he seek out the services of the mission, and the rest is history. He hopes to use the Climbing Out program to build a strong network of sober support, build a relationship with God, and mend his relationship with his family. “Through the climb team I’m able to meet many people in recovery, have spiritual experiences in nature, and instill discipline,” he says.

Meet Edward

Edward | Seattle Men

48-year-old Seattle native Edward hopes to use the recovery program to make significant changes in his life, ranging from strengthening his relationship with God to finding and securing housing and a job. His experience with the climb team is helping him learn teamwork and discipline. “The training is great experience,” he says.

Meet Christian

Christian | Seattle Men

Christian hails from Auburn, Washington, and is using the recovery program to dig at the roots of his addiction in hopes of creating lasting change. His goals include getting his depression under control, digging into how his thinking processes influenced his life circumstances, and learning more about religion and how it has and will impact his life. He looks forward to working with, learning from, and gaining inspiration from his teammates. Of the climb program itself, he says, “It is a healthy hobby that is fun and inspiring to go along with some of the more heavy psychological things I am working on. [It] gives me a feeling of accomplishment as I work on personal goals.” The intentionality with which Christian pursues his recovery are sure to serve him and his teammates well along the way.

Meet Tom

Tom | Seattle Men

Tom, a 27-year-old from Bothell, found his way to the Climbing Out program offered by Recovery Beyond after a scary wake-up call. “I relapsed and ended up in the ER with alcohol poisoning,” he said. He hopes that with the help and support of the CADRE program he will be able to maintain sobriety through the course of the program and beyond. Tom is looking forward to the climb, saying, “It gives me a fun goal to work towards, and a once in a lifetime experience.”

Meet Jason

Jason | Tacoma Men

22-year-old Jason was raised in Las Vegas and cites family as a major motivator for him in the recovery program. “My mother was struggling and trying to help me at the same time,” he says, “I’m not the uncle, brother or son that I want to be.” He struggled to find work due to his addiction, and hopes that with the recovery program he will be able to find a career to pursue and further his education. Jason’s compassion shines through when he speaks about hiking with the climb team. “I like to stay back with people who struggle a little bit because I believe it helps to have someone with you motivating them.” To him, the recovery program represents a change to continue to forge these meaningful connections with others and a new lease on life. “To me, I wasn’t present in my own life. I would be alone forever if I didn’t come here.”

Meet Chris

Chris | Tacoma Men

Chris is a Tacoma native who has hopes of someday pursuing a career in fire and rescue. With the help of the climb team and recovery program he hopes to boost his self-esteem, discover new coping mechanisms, and focus on tools to build better relationships with others.

Meet Stephen

Stephen | Tacoma Men

Stephen is a 40-year-old local who is working on centering himself and his life around God. He was brought to the program in hopes of bolstering his recovery from alcoholism and to become a better father and husband. He hopes the climb team will help him build better relationships with people by building trust and learning to work as a team to achieve goals.

Meet Jason

Jason | Tacoma Men

Born to a preacher in Burien, Jason credits his early success in life to his foundation in faith, one he hopes to return to through the recovery program. Of his life, he says, “Due to my imperfections and following temptations I became aware I had no more ability to manage success in a responsible way. I needed help, & by my faith, I think it brought the Mission to me.” By building his faith in the company of like-minded others on the team, he hopes to access a new level of spirituality. He sees the climb as both a physical and metaphorical opportunity to rise above. “I will literally have the opportunity of a lifetime, to experience in a physical and mental way, the epic goal & reward of reaching a mountain top!” he says, “My success depends on similar principles to my recovery.”

Helen Keller said – “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”

We do have so much to be grateful for. #Giving Tuesday is a follow-up to the mass purchasing behavior we exhibit on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Its purpose is to focus our attention on deserving non-profits who do so much to help our community; more than we know or can calculate. It’s a two-way street, we support them and they provide an outlet for issues we are passionate about, but may not have the time to get actively involved with. Regardless of your reasons, supporting these groups provides for needs that otherwise would go unmet. People depend on non-profits to fill the gap left where social services offered by our government agencies leave off. These same non-profits depend on public donations to keep their doors open and welcome those in dire straits.

This year we are proud to be part of that group of non-profits providing a lifeline to those trying to escape the pull of addiction; people who don’t have anywhere else to turn. Like other non-profits, we can’t survive without the generosity of people of good will. People who know that by becoming a more caring community we can do tremendous things.

Why is giving a good thing? The heart is a muscle that needs to be exercised to be healthy and working up to capacity. Our ability to give is one measure of how well our heart (and conscious) is working. There have been many studies touting the benefits of giving and volunteering time; apart from the physical and emotional benefits, the connections we make are very rewarding for those we serve. These social connections are very good for us, too. They keep us engaged and learning; while providing support for others, they help us gain or strengthen skills. During the holiday season, it’s good to assess where we are giving and where we could be giving more of our treasure or our time. It is ‘with and through community’ that we can make the largest impact; where we can share the wisdom we have gained and offer consolation for those who are working to regain control of their lives.

Please consider the many ways you can become part of our Community of Compassion. Compassion is defined as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Recovery Beyond’s goal through our Community of Compassion members is to make homelessness due to alcohol or drug addiction a thing of the past. We assist with a therapeutic approach to sustained recovery and reentry into society during our 10-month program. Please find joy in giving to the non-profits of your choice. Our Climbing Out Program is one place that will make good use of your donations.

Learn more about what we do at Recoverybp.org to get involved or to get help.

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Our first movie night was held on September 17th at Mary, Queen of Peace Church in Sammamish, Washington. This event kicks off our fundraising cycle for the next program year which begins in October.

We had the opportunity to tell the Climbing Out story to people who were very interested in helping those struggling with permanent housing and the reasons for it. Addictions of all types drag people down. Addiction destroys self-esteem, relationships and families, and causes a host of physical, emotional and mental problems. The Climbing Out program offered by Recovery Beyond offers a holistic approach to the needs of each individual. This approach addresses the priorities in the next stage of treatment and recovery. Working with our partner missions, we can accomplish more in the year or two when we join together in working with clients.

Our volunteers and mentors walk the journey with our clients as friends and a source of wisdom, experience, and support. These relationships are a very significant part of achieving long-lasting results. We can’t thank our volunteers enough for the love and care they provide.

While we are still developing a full set of metrics to track progress and overall success, we know that the Climbing  Out program works because our clients are the proof. Not only do they complete their treatment program, but many come back joining next year’s program as a volunteer and mentor; supporting others through the perilous journey to sobriety. This Community of Compassion is what you join when you support us with your ongoing gift of time, treasure or equipment.

Some of the program participants attended this event; sharing their story and the impact the program had in their lives. We hope that this message of hope shared through personal stories in the film will foster increased giving offering grow the programs Recovery Beyond sponsors.

They say ‘you can never go home’, but that’s exactly what we are doing. This fall the Climbing Out of Homelessness Program will return to Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Our partnership with UGM began in 2011, based on a need to enhance the addiction recovery program. Taking a crazy idea that shakes up the perception of people by endeavoring to climb a mountain. Little did we know at the time, what a great metaphor that would become, both figuratively and literally. This isn’t just another physical fitness program; it’s a community way of helping our neighbors overcome the challenges of all types of addiction. Help us celebrate this homecoming by making a tax deductible donation today.

Consider joining our Community of Compassion. By making an ongoing monthly donation of $20, you can give a new way of life for our program climbers. There are many ways to give, please see other suggestions on our website at https://recoverybp.org/how-you-can-help/

Changing the face of homelessness is really up to us. We support climbers in a number of ways. You may already be supporting one of the missions doing great work to alleviate addiction and its consequences. Our Climbing Out of Homelessness program helps make long lasting change possible. A community of compassion and support makes all the difference for the success of recovery. None of us achieve anything significant without the support of community. Our community is the key to this wonderful transformation.

On Saturday, August 12th our climbing team gathered for the pre-climb dinner at Wild Berry Restaurant in Ashford, Washington at the base of Mount Rainier. The next morning this jubilant group would start the final climb of the year, up 14,411 feet of Mount Rainier, one of the highest peaks in the continental US.

To say they were excited would be a gross understatement. To say that they were amazed at the 10 months of progress they had made would be much more truthful. As a group, the program and volunteer climbers were in a state of awe. Even though the actual climb was a day away, this was the culminating event; the place where each person was recognized for how far they had come and for the truly wondrous person they were becoming.

The relationships that form on this journey of healing to wholeness are the most satisfying and predictable part of the transformation each person has undergone. I chose this headliner quote from Matthew Kelly because it sums up the essence of our whole approach to partnering in the treatment and therapy that each person needs to find during their recovery process toward the life they were meant to live. Truly “when we reveal our faults and failings, … people do begin to love us” and at a much deeper level. Perhaps even for the first time in our lives.

“When we reveal our faults and failings, … people do begin to love us” – Matthew Kelly

Maybe in a way that we are now more prepared to accept; in our brokenness we begin to understand why we need each other. The love expressed was deeply humbling and beautifully expressed. Sometimes it’s in the little things that happened during preparatory events or it was in the deep bond that had formed from personal needs being meant on both sides of the relationship. Other times it was in the deep and trusting bond that helped someone realize the potential for good they had inside.

The value of each life and the contribution one can make, no matter when you start. The realization was a huge part of the transformative process the Climbing Out program tries to offer.

The mere fact that ‘strangers’ bonded so completely and that the transformations we witness are so astounding, is a blessing. A blessing for all who are part of this program and who are able to view the changes, the challenges and glorious successes our climbers spoke about Saturday night.

Life is very hard for someone who ends up on the streets homeless after experiencing the tragic impact of drug or alcohol abuse. This outcome is not what they planned or even what they wanted; but the ability to climb out of that situation takes the same drive, guts and effort that is does to climb a 14,000 foot mountain.

As a society, we do not make it any easier for them either. As a society, we are to blame oftentimes for the series of blows that causes someone to fall this far; and we are also responsible for providing the solutions to help this pattern be reversed; to even prevent it from happening to others to begin with.

Recovery Beyond’s mission is “To develop, fund, and deliver programs, services, or items that complement the efforts of established recovery/homelessness programs in unconventional ways.”

We ask you to join our Community of Compassion by becoming involved, by helping us continue to expand and offer programs that actually are getting results to help even more people and offered through more missions. Please visit our donate page to see who you can be responsible for delivering winning solutions.

More about the climb’s outcome in our upcoming newsletter and later blogs. Sign up to receive our newsletter below.

Make An Impact, Get Involved. Change Lives Today.

Photo credit:  Art Wolf

Recovery is what we are all about, developing the right physical, emotional, relational and spiritual framework with a good measure of resilience to keep addictive behaviors in check. While each person’s path to recovery is unique, there are certain actions that determine the overall success of treatment and the endurance needed for long-term recovery.

Recovery Beyond works in partnership with missions who offer drug, alcohol and other addiction recovery programs. We focus on the other gradients of the individual’s life not covered by the missions to help participants understand and heal the causes and effects of past behaviors, friendships and social structure that led to their current situation. This process assists in determining what is helpful and not helpful in moving forward to a life of sobriety. Oftentimes people just need to learn how others cope with life’s messiness. No one has a simple life; trouble goes hand in hand of living as a human being. Everyone experiences pressures, failures, trials and disappointments; we all need to learn how to negotiate these pitfalls and to grow as a result. It’s the decisions we make and the actions we take that determine whether we come through the experiences stronger and better prepared to live well. This does not happen all by itself.

I like to think about this as taking care of the ‘big rocks’; the really important things in life; the areas we need to experience before we can grow. Recent research we undertook with past program participants found that a high percentage struggled with spiritual issues. This struggle produced a great deal of uncertainty, doubt and insecurity which eventually lead to abusing alcohol, drugs or involvement in other addictions.

We can’t always see beyond the big rocks, even when they are right in front of us. Sometimes just recognizing what they are is a major challenge all on its own. We need people who love us to mentor and provide wisdom or insights into what is happening and why. Sharing a personal story is the best way to relate and work through the work of unraveling the tangled web weaved in error. That’s why what we have been doing for six years has obtained very respectable results; the last three years measured at 85% sustained sobriety. It truly is taking one day at a time and asking for help when life becomes overwhelming. Our community of caring replaces damaged relationships or dysfunctional family patterns and allows a path to nurturing healthy relationships and building a new support system.

So what can you do to help?

We are expanding to another mission in the fall; watch for an upcoming Recovery Beyond ‘Movie Night’ this fall, where we share the story of our 2013 climb and the lives of those who addressed life’s big rocks. Some will be present to talk about their journey.

Recurring donations is the easiest and best way to become part of our team. Other ways to give include:

• Donating new or gently used climbing equipment and clothing. Everything our climbers use is either donated or purchased for them. See our website for ideas and the types of equipment needed.
• Time – we have a strong group of dedicated volunteers who help on the all the outings to get climbers ready for the major events and to exercise or work out to assure the endurance needed to climb mountains. As we expand to another mission, there will be more openings available.
• Encourage one of our program climbers; our website makes it easy to reach out share your story and help someone else lead a more fulfilling life.
• Finally, pray for each person’s success. Remember the spiritual hole is usually the hardest one to fill. It is in the love shown daily by our wonderful team of volunteers that leads others to developing a life of faith and a means to putting the big rocks in the right order.
  Please join us today.

“The single biggest variable that’s correlated with adult homelessness is childhood maltreatment, childhood abuse, abandonment, trauma and neglect.” Mike Johnson – Rachel Belle article, July 27, 2016