CG’s Story 01/30/25

Exactly two years ago today, I found myself fleeing an unsafe living situation, having a mental health crisis, and being unceremoniously fired from my job. After maxing out my credit cards staying at a hotel for a week, followed by a two-week psychiatric hospitalization, and then a month at a sober living without any phone, car, or visitation “privileges,” I managed to land a bed and home at LA Recovery Connect. 

I arrived at LARC house with a mountain of debt, a new psychiatric diagnosis, just over 30 days of sobriety, and a very short window of unemployment benefits. To say it was a terrifying and overwhelming time would be a huge understatement—I did not know if I would be able to work again, trust my mind, or remain clean and sober.

I have absolutely no idea what I would have done if I hadn’t found LARC, its loving founder and community, and the most amazingly forgiving rent payment in town! I slowly began the long and painful process of recreating my life with the daily encouragement and support I received from Thea, the LARC community and Board of Directors, and my roommate, another woman in recovery trying to rebuild her life.

The ten months I was able to live at LARC, and the year since I moved out and into a shared apartment, haven’t been easy—my life still requires quite a bit more healing and rebuilding, but it’s good. I have made small but consistent strides toward paying off my hospital bill, the IRS, and one credit card at a time. I am sober and actively involved in 12-Step Recovery. I have a job for a nonprofit, also in the recovery space, where I get to show up and know my work is valued. My mind is steady and clear, enough for friends, family, and colleagues to ask for my opinion and counsel. And I needed all of the support, love, grace and dignity afforded me at LARC for any of that to be possible.

~C.G.