Today we’d like to introduce Natali! She’s our Admissions Specialist and LCDCI here at Serenity Light Recovery, she is the first person our clients and their families speak with which is why we also call her “The Voice of Serenity” and the “Selfie Queen.” She is currently in college furthering her degree for chemical dependency counseling as well as other realms of counseling. She’s an remarkable single mom to an amazing, energetic, and imaginative 5-year-old daughter named Gabriella. She keeps Natali on her toes and she love exploring life with her! Her experience with addiction is different and she likes to view herself as a person in a different kind of recovery. A person who was a major part of her life suffers from addiction and it almost took his life as well as directly affected her and her daughter’s life. Codependency with the person who was active in his addiction for 9 years was her lifestyle. His lifestyle and the damage it caused lead her down the path of chemical dependency counseling and it has become Natali’s passion. She loves that she is able to meet people at the start of their recovery from the very first phone call. To have the opportunity to witness a person blossom into their true self from start to finish in treatment is nothing short of a miracle. Her goal in life has always been to help others in any way she can. How Natali sees her job at SLR… “My heart is full and I couldn’t imagine calling this “work.’’’
We asked Natali some questions to get her perspective on a few important matters.
1. What drives you to show up every day?
What drives me to show up every day is knowing that I am going to help make a beautiful, courageous, and radical change in someone’s life. I get the amazing opportunity to be the first person you speak to at Serenity. I get the chance to guide you through the process of getting into treatment. I am truly humbled that so many people have opened up and trusted me with their stories. These conversations are never easy, but we get through them together. Addiction has played a big role in my life in so many ways. I have witnessed the damage it causes to the person suffering as well as the families. This has never been “just a job” for me, it is so much more. This is my heartfelt passion and to be able to call this my career is a beautiful thing.
2. What’s your favorite thing about working at SLR?
Without a doubt, it is Serenity’s work environment and our team! We have such a one of a kind workplace and it is unlike any other! We work together tirelessly and have fun along the way. So many times I have been told, “The laughter from your office is so fun!”. We are truly a family and you feel our love when you come in! The people I work with are extremely passionate and caring. Some of the greatest people I know are the one’s I work with on a daily basis. They have changed me irrevocably. I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of it!
3. What’s your advice for someone contemplating a major life change (i.e. getting sober/going to treatment)?
No matter how scary it feels, just make that call. It is the first, brave step to save your life. There is no shame in doing this, but there is strength and bravery. This is a life changing decision and you are worthy of it. You are going to find your true self and realize just how strong you are. Be proud of yourself for taking the first step. You deserve a life free of being dependent on a substance. You are worthy of a beautiful life in recovery! “Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created.” -Esther 4:14
As our CEO, Heather’s main calling is to stay true to the vision of the organization, which is saving lives and striving to redefine statistics by raising the standard of care with evolving treatment methods. Heather studied psychology at LSU and both the main and Clear Lake campuses of the University of Houston, and she is a certified IASIS provider and CPI instructor. She’s been helping people in recovery since 2011. Heather’s motto to live by is “I am not what I’ve done; I am what I’ve overcome.”
