March 5th, 2019 was the one year anniversary of the opening of Herren Wellness in Seekonk, MA! We are proud of our growth and accomplishments this first year, but what better way to celebrate our anniversary than with our former guests’ own words about what their life is like in recovery.
“Our accomplishments belong to our guests and families, our amazing team and the Herren family.”~ Lori McCarthy, Executive Director, Herren Wellness
Here is James’ story:
“When I landed on the doorstep of Herren Wellness at Jacob Hill I was completely unaware of how profoundly my life was going to change. I was at the tail-end of a downward spiral that had started a couple of years prior.
I had 8 years of sobriety before, and without any sort of residential care. My life in recovery had been indescribably wonderful before it took a turn for the worse. But I did not know, nor could I have begun to imagine, the utter happiness of life as I’ve come to know it now because of the Herren family.
My life was in total shambles. I was without employment. The relationships I still held were torn by my addiction and neglect. I was incapable of truly caring for anyone but myself, which I did very poorly. My character had become abysmal. I had become a shell of a man, someone I despised. I could not change myself; my addiction left me without hope. I could not stop drinking.
But all this began to change, rather quickly and drastically, the day I chose to stay at Herren Wellness.
The grounds, the facilities, the groups and activities were, and continue to be, outstanding. Truly, everything at Herren Wellness is special. Yet many of these things can be replicated.
People, however, cannot.
The group of people that Chris Herren has gathered around him are beyond equal. Their knowledge, dedication, the way they continue to go above and beyond for guests and for each other is something I’ve never seen nor experienced anywhere. I will be indebted to them as long as I live.
I think perhaps I could’ve stayed successfully sober without coming to Herren Wellness. But that would have meant selling myself short a hundredfold. Because I know beyond a doubt it would not compare to the sobriety I enjoy now. I never would have attained such a level of deep joy in life.
Never would I have found such meaning and purpose on a daily basis. Never would I have been so free to choose the things that truly contribute to my wellbeing. I would not and could not have healed from the deep wounds we all have within.
Never have I been so content; never has my heart been so at peace; never did the thought even enter into my mind that life could be this good, that I could be this good. I experience all this every day, but best of all, I see it in the faces of my loved ones. They see how I’ve changed, and the light in their eyes is proof that they have changed in turn.
Herren Wellness did not just save my life―it gifted me with a life beyond anything I ever dreamt.”
How Herren Wellness Can Help
We understand that early recovery – from anything – is a difficult time full of a range of emotions. We work with guests to create a whole-health action management plan, allowing them to discover and explore many opportunities in recovery. We help foster healthy habits and routines, including nutrition, fitness, sleep hygiene, creative exercises, mindfulness practices, and group activities that allow guests to reconnect with the things they love or discover new interests.
We work with guests to create a meaningful and sustainable aftercare plan that includes healthy habits and routines that are meaningful to them. When you come to Herren Wellness, you become part of a vibrant and thriving community that doesn’t end when your stay ends. You become part of the Herren Wellness family.
