Heather’s Journey: From Addiction to Recovery
Heather Ogburn Stokes is the visionary Founder & CEO of Serenity Light Recovery. Her story is a testament to the miraculous power of recovery.
Heather was raised in a loving home, but she often witnessed her mother battle with addiction, anxiety, and depression. This influenced her deeply, and she began using at just 11 years old, searching for a sense of belonging.
Her father was a prominent doctor, and as she grew up, she wanted to make him proud. In high school, she graduated in the top ten percent of her class and went on to attend the esteemed Louisiana State University pre-med. Everything looked great on the outside, but on the inside, she was in pain, and her addiction was gaining traction. She pulled out of college just one semester shy of graduation.
At 27, she hit a bottom when she ran off the road going 70 miles per hour. She now faced 25 years in prison.
The Birth of Serenity Light Recovery
That was a turning point for her. With the support of her family and the legal system, Heather began her journey to recovery.
On her first day of treatment, Heather dropped to her knees, relieved that she didn’t have to run anymore. She put everything she had into recovery and kept fighting for her freedom, proving to the courts that she had changed. She has stayed sober ever since her first day in treatment.
After her personal recovery journey, Heather excelled in sales, but felt a deeper calling to give back. She watched as addiction took away dear friends and family members. Once, she visited a friend in federal prison who suggested she open a treatment center and share what worked for her. Armed with her passionate belief in the miracle of recovery, she envisioned the perfect treatment center—one that could help people like her find freedom from addiction for good.
Meant to Be
At exactly 11:11 PM on October 2nd, Heather received a listing for a historic property that was once the Whistler Hotel in 1895. With its rich history of connection to the local community, Heather saw her dream of a treatment center come to life. After acquiring the property in 2014 and 2 ½ years of dedicated renovation, the Serenity Light Recovery Treatment Center was launched in January 2017.
Heather had always wanted to make her father proud, and now she had. Hugh Michael Ogburn, MD, a renowned physician with over 40 years of experience, joined her mission. He studied addiction medicine under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Koehler Brennan, MD, author of the ASAM Manual, and brought cutting-edge medical expertise to the center. With the addition of Heather’s brother to the marketing team, it became a family mission to guide others towards the light of recovery. Today, Serenity a Light is a place for true healing.
Our Unique Approach: The Best of Both Worlds
At Serenity Light Recovery, we pride ourselves in offering a comprehensive, customized, and holistic approach to recovery. Drawing from both Western and Eastern medical modalities, our treatment is designed to cater to the individual needs of every patient.
We integrate a wide array of treatments including:
Medical Expertise:
High-acuity treatment options for severe cases like liver transplant candidates and those needing dialysis.
Holistic Wellness:
We use breathwork, accu-detox, IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback, BioSound Therapy, detox baths, and self-soothing techniques to help our clients regulate their nervous systems.
Post-Treatment Care:
We offer discharge planning, helping patients connect with providers after they leave, and unlimited recovery coach support. We also hold alumni events so the people who recover with us never lose touch.
Our Legacy
Built on the foundations of a historic site, infused with Heather’s personal journey, and driven by state-of-the-art medical insights, Serenity Light Recovery stands as a beacon of hope for those looking for a way out of addiction. With every individual we help, we honor the memory of those lost to addiction and the resilience of those, like Heather, who find their way back to the light.
