Testimonials
"I entered Amethyst House in April, 2015. I went there in desperation. I had no hope. Amethyst offered me support and a routine I needed to get back to living my life. Slowly my life started to get better. I repaired relationships I thought were gone - with my family, children, and friends. I learned to become a mother, daughter, employee, and friend. I became accountable and trustworthy. I can look in the mirror today and like who I see looking back at me. Amethyst House saved my life."
I entered the men’s Amethyst House after being released from serving 82 months in the Indiana Department of Corrections. What got me there, both in prison as well as into Amethyst House? Choices! Choices made not by me but my addiction to crack cocaine. I had surrendered my will to what I now accept as a disease that I’ll have for the rest of my life.
Many times, I failed at staying clean by simply not using. And each and every time I failed, returning to jail and prison. I had allowed this disease to take me places I didn’t want to go. To hurt people that I didn’t want to hurt. To do things that I didn’t want to do. One of the results of this was nearly 27 of the last 30 years incarcerated. I knew I needed help. I knew I wanted help. Many don’t understand what took me so long to get to the point of finally being on the road in recovery. The reason I say in rather than on is because today I know it’s a road I’ll be on as long as I live, practicing the principles and steps I’m learning from those who have gone before me and from those who walk along beside me.
Amethyst House didn’t take away my faith in who I see as my Higher Power which is God, His Son I believe to be Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Amethyst House taught me to realize and embrace the core of real recovery which is in God as I understand him.
I believe one of the biggest obstacles they taught me to face was myself. My way of thinking had become so institutionalized. The way I saw and impulsively dealt with things were my enemy, amongst many. It was like being imprisoned even though I was home. I appreciate the fact that Amethyst House didn’t allow me to slip through the system. They didn’t lose sight of me even though I was a “model resident” at the house. They stripped me of those facades, not allowing me to hide behind performance. But out of what I believe to be genuine love for me as a person today, they attacked my disease, which was trying to get me through that program unnoticed. There were times I had thoughts of going back to prison, serving the rest of my time because I was so lost in myself I saw their help as a personal attack, and I felt targeted. In my own head, I was making myself a victim when I wasn’t.
Today, Amethyst House is an ingredient in the mortar that makes up my foundation. That’s not taking away from my Higher Power. That’s acknowledging him through them. In them.
Amethyst gave me pride and acknowledgement of self-worth while eroding arrogance and the feeling of being alone. They taught me how to be aware of my thoughts and to make sure I knew how and when to use the tools of recovery in my everyday life. I also got confidence in recovery that it truly works. Today, I own a moving company here in Monroe County, thanks to the structure and accountability I got and still receiver from Amethyst House today.
I graduated from the Amethyst House in 2016, but I know that I have got it, but I’ll keep getting it and that I must continue to just do the next right thing. I especially want to thank Dan, Shelby, and Annie. Those who I thought in my mind were trying to pull me down were actually lifting me up.
Many times, I failed at staying clean by simply not using. And each and every time I failed, returning to jail and prison. I had allowed this disease to take me places I didn’t want to go. To hurt people that I didn’t want to hurt. To do things that I didn’t want to do. One of the results of this was nearly 27 of the last 30 years incarcerated. I knew I needed help. I knew I wanted help. Many don’t understand what took me so long to get to the point of finally being on the road in recovery. The reason I say in rather than on is because today I know it’s a road I’ll be on as long as I live, practicing the principles and steps I’m learning from those who have gone before me and from those who walk along beside me.
Amethyst House didn’t take away my faith in who I see as my Higher Power which is God, His Son I believe to be Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Amethyst House taught me to realize and embrace the core of real recovery which is in God as I understand him.
I believe one of the biggest obstacles they taught me to face was myself. My way of thinking had become so institutionalized. The way I saw and impulsively dealt with things were my enemy, amongst many. It was like being imprisoned even though I was home. I appreciate the fact that Amethyst House didn’t allow me to slip through the system. They didn’t lose sight of me even though I was a “model resident” at the house. They stripped me of those facades, not allowing me to hide behind performance. But out of what I believe to be genuine love for me as a person today, they attacked my disease, which was trying to get me through that program unnoticed. There were times I had thoughts of going back to prison, serving the rest of my time because I was so lost in myself I saw their help as a personal attack, and I felt targeted. In my own head, I was making myself a victim when I wasn’t.
Today, Amethyst House is an ingredient in the mortar that makes up my foundation. That’s not taking away from my Higher Power. That’s acknowledging him through them. In them.
Amethyst gave me pride and acknowledgement of self-worth while eroding arrogance and the feeling of being alone. They taught me how to be aware of my thoughts and to make sure I knew how and when to use the tools of recovery in my everyday life. I also got confidence in recovery that it truly works. Today, I own a moving company here in Monroe County, thanks to the structure and accountability I got and still receiver from Amethyst House today.
I graduated from the Amethyst House in 2016, but I know that I have got it, but I’ll keep getting it and that I must continue to just do the next right thing. I especially want to thank Dan, Shelby, and Annie. Those who I thought in my mind were trying to pull me down were actually lifting me up.
My addiction started at a very young age and got progressively worse. I started trying to get clean when I was 18 and pregnant with my son. I was still in high school and already facing a felony charge. From there the battle with addiction and trying to get clean really began. I started going in and out of jail and being on the run. Every person I meet that I though could help me only took me down a deeper, darker path. I was homeless and didn’t have anything to my name except a backpack with some clothes in it. I had lost almost all my family and was very close to losing the last few I had left. That’s when I went to the Amethyst House for the second time. The first time I went I didn’t make it because I wasn’t ready and I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I wanted to get clean for everyone else and not myself. I didn’t think I deserved a better life because of all the wrong I had done. But I know now that if you want to get sober you have to do it for yourself and you have to know you deserve better and can do better. The people at the Amethyst helped me with that. They save my life, and taught me so much! While I was there I started working on the relationships with my family it took some time but slowly everyone started coming around and believing in me. The most important relationship I fixed was with my son, it feels so good to be there for him, to talk to, to spend time with, and to be a mom. He has told me how proud of me he is. You can’t describe that feeling you get when your child says that! Another important one was with my mom. I started working for her as an electrician and she started teaching me so many things I didn’t think I could do, and remembering how to do it! We have spent so much needed time together and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I meet some pretty amazing people during my time there. I meet some strong amazing women that I built friendships with and could actually talk to and ask advice from. I think the most important things the(y) taught me was to love myself, accept your past but don’t let it define you. They give you the tools you need to learn to live on your own without using. Without the Amethyst House and staff I don’t think I would be where I am today! I have an amazing life now. I continue to be a part of the recovery community. I’m part of the Amethyst Alumni, doing service work to give back in the community. For anyone out there struggling no matter how low you go in life, when you recover you come out better than you can imagine.
“My addiction started at a very young age and got progressively worse. I started trying to get clean when I was 18 and pregnant with my son. I was still in high school and already facing a felony charge. From there the battle with addiction and trying to get clean really began. I started going in and out of jail and being on the run. Every person I met that I thought could help me only took me down a deeper, darker path. I was homeless and didn’t have anything to my name except a backpack with some clothes in it. I had lost almost all my family and was very close to losing the last few I had left. That’s when I went to Amethyst House for the second time. The first time I went I didn’t make it because I wasn’t ready and I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I wanted to get clean for everyone else and not myself. I didn’t think I deserved a better life because of all the wrong I had done. But I know now that if you want to get sober you have to do it for yourself and you have to know you deserve better and can do better. The people at Amethyst helped me with that. They saved my life and taught me so much! While I was there I started working on the relationships with my family. It took some time, but slowly everyone started coming around and believing in me. The most important relationship I fixed was with my son. It feels so good to be there for him, to talk to him, to spend with him, and to be a mom. He has told me how proud of me he is. You can’t describe that feeling you get when your child says that! Another important one was with my mom. I started working for her as an electrician and she started teaching me so many things I didn’t think I could do, and remember how to do it! We have spent so much needed time together and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I met some pretty amazing people during my time there. I met some strong, amazing women that I built friendships with and could actually talk to and ask advice from. It has been 2 years since I got to Amethyst House. I think the most important thing it taught me was to love myself, accept your past, but don’t let it define you. It also taught me to how to have healthy relationships. They give you the tools you need to learn to live on your own without using. Without Amethyst House and the staff there I don’t think I would be where I am today! I am 2 years and 4 months clean and I have an amazing life now. I am happily married to an amazing man who is also in recovery and just short of 3 years sober. We have a home and a beautiful 1 year old baby girl. We are still working on out relationships with our older children and striving for better lives every day. I continue to be a part of the recovery community. I’m a part of the Amethyst Alumni doing service work to give back in the community. For anyone out there struggling, no matter how low you go in life, when you recover you come out better than you can imagine.”
“Amethyst House provided me an opportunity to get back on track in leading a clean and sober life. It did so by providing me a safe and structured environment, and a set of personal goals and milestones which its program helped me achieve. The House’s programs allowed me to deal with substance abuse issues and related problems. Amethyst also put me in touch with a wide range of recovery resources available in the Bloomington Community. As a result of my time in Amethyst, I was able to back into Indiana University working on finishing my education. I have recently celebrated three years sober and am now active in helping others to achieve the same goal in their lives. In short, Amethyst has been instrumental in showing me a new way of life, one that I can say I appreciate a little more every day.”
"Although I am approaching my eighth month of sobriety, which is just the beginning, I consider my participation in Amethyst House and its associated programs as a journey in the proper direction. During my short journey out of the depth of alcoholism I have discovered that by admitting my addiction and adhering to the advice of both the staff and residents of Amethyst House – most of whom have been through situations similar to mine – I am building the foundation for a meaningful and productive life for the remainder of my years here on planet Earth."
"I would strongly recommend the Amethyst House to anyone who needs help and assistance in getting their lives back on track. I have met many amazing individuals through Amethyst, whether staff or residents. It has been an amazing and unforgettable experience. The Amethyst house has given and offered me so… much more than I could have ever asked for. The Amethyst House saved my life."
"I was a resident along with my three-year-old son. I came to Bloomington in a last ditch effort to get off drugs and get my son back. That is all I wanted or expected but have received so much more. I, like many people, had the idea that a half-way house is no place for a baby. I was wrong. This is the perfect place for a mother struggling with the disease of addiction. I am not only a better mother but a better person because of the love, support, and knowledge I have received from Amethyst House staff. Amethyst House is a safe and nurturing environment. I know that having my son with me has been a very important and vital part of my recovery and I believe the same would be true for other woman."