I was born and raised in Colorado, growing up as a child who lived a block away from Lakeside Amusement park. I was always shy and introverted, using my imagination to take me away to magical places with the stories I wrote, through reading books, and (my love of) watching movies. My obstacle as a child was regulating my emotions. What I would find out was mood disorder would manifest into long states of depression and sleepless nights as a teenager.  As I became an adult, I struggled with maintaining relationships, and this led to self-medicating through drinking and using drugs. My use only created more destructive relationships, an inability to keep stable housing, and visits to jails and behavioral health institutions. Finally, in August of 2013, I surrendered and have been in active and sustained recovery since. 

I love living in Colorado, enjoying nature, hiking, and sunshine while also finding satisfaction in what Denver has to offer in culture, art, and entertainment. My life in active and sustained recovery includes spending time with my partner, watching movies, taking care of our 4 cats and 2 dogs, taking hikes through old cemeteries, rooting for the Denver Nuggets, and still taking trips to those magical places within my imagination. 

I came to AFRC because I believe in peer support. Those with lived experience have helped me live my life in recovery. I love sharing my story of hope and empowerment to those who are struggling with substance use or mental health struggles because others have done the same for me. My work on the Colorado Support Line taught me how peer support works, later supervising and training the craft of this work. To work with AFRC is truly inspiring work that supports the community I love.