5 months ago · Angela Kelley

My Story

Walking down the aisle on a beautiful Spring afternoon, there was no doubt that this was going to be my forever. A journey together that was going to create the future that we’d hoped for. As we embarked on this journey, the road took an unexpected turn. The journey became one of pain, abuse, and what seemed like, no way out.

I am an Orthodox Jewish woman that as a young girl grew up in small rural communities. I was carefree and happy. I come from a big family and always felt loved and cared for. I valued and appreciated who I was as a person. I embraced my flaws as something beautiful about who I am. Those same flaws, as much as I accepted them, were an integral part of the downfall. My greatest gifts were my biggest challenges. I am selfless. I love to give of myself and help others. I want to impact lives. That is all wonderful, but to what expense. It put me in a place where I wasn’t able to stand up for myself, to say no when I didn’t want to do something, to feel that it didn’t make me any less of a person for not always doing everything for everyone.

Over the course of my decade-long marriage, I wasn’t given the ability to be. I didn’t have a voice, an opinion. I wasn’t valued as someone who was important. Everything was conditional. Nothing I ever did was good enough. My children were becoming victims. The day I decided I was leaving, was the day I decided that my worth and value was just as great as his. I wasn’t going to stay and keep going through the abusive cycle, thinking as I always did, tomorrow will be better.

I found courage and strength to have a voice. A voice that allowed me to become a warrior. Nothing was going to stop me from fighting for mine and my 3 beautiful children’s freedom. The journey to get a Ghet, a Jewish divorce agreement, was a long and painful process. Everyday felt like a year. I did not waiver. The support I had from my friends and family was above and beyond. Holding on as I rode the waves of the process, keeping my vision on the goal.

The person I became through my journey is one of strength, self worth, love, and empowerment. I showed my children what it is to stand up, to not only protect them but to protect myself. If I had to go back, I would relive my journey all over again. I appreciate who I am. I developed my sense of self and have become a person that has touched so many lives.

My journey gave me knowledge and understanding into the world of mental health, abuse, and trauma. I took what I went through and empowered myself to go out there and connect with others. I found myself again. I was an empty vessel during my marriage and once I left, I was able to blossom. I was given the ability to recreate myself, combining the old and new self. I took my selfless qualities and went on a new journey, touching lives.

Touching lives is exactly what I did. My home became open to girls who were struggling with substance abuse, mental health, and needed an unconditional space to be. I became involved in an all women’s recovery house. As I continue to evolve as a person, I embrace who I became based on the journey that I had been through. I made me. As my journey continues, I continue to do what I love, every single day. I am currently a Clinical Outreach for a substance abuse and mental health treatment center. A role that has given me the opportunity to continue to impact lives. To make a difference. To empower. To encourage. To guide. To support.

I have been entrusted with a gift that I value and that I am grateful for every single day. We all have a story. A story that started with us being brought into this world, a story that carried us through our childhood, and a story that has pushed us into adulthood. The direction that story goes is up to each one of us. Taking our past and creating our present. A present that is going to evolve into our future. The power is ours and nobody can take that power away. Make that story one that you are proud to live. Make your future yours. It is your story. Own it.

If you or a loved one is seeking help please reach out to, Recovery at The Crossroads – Where you never walk alone.

(888) 342-3881

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6 months ago · RAC RAC

The Importance of Family Support

Isolation is addiction’s greatest antagonist. Without a stable support system an addicts
chances of maintaining sobriety are near impossible. Unfortunately, many of us in recovery are
learning that the hard way during quarantine; with relapses skyrocketing, and overdoses spiking
18.6% since the pandemic COVID-19 started in February (rollcall.com).

A recovering alcoholic myself, over the years I was told many times that I only had to
change one thing in my life to keep sober. That one thing was “everything’’. We are told to drop
our old ways of thinking, attend treatment, work a 12 step program, and build a strong sober
network. But what happens when those supports all seemingly vanish in one day? When
treatment centers can’t accept new clients, 12 step meetings are terminated indefinitely, and
your sober network is isolating in place?
COVID became the point where I realized sometimes family support is all I have, and it
can be enough.

Like most alcoholics, this was not always the case. My binge drinking tore my family
apart. I created a dynamic of dysfunction, blame, enabling, frustration and anger. As mentioned
earlier, isolation is addiction’s greatest antagonist, and isolation befriended me quickly. The
more my family tried to intervene, the more it hindered my ability to drink, and to stop drinking
was not an option.In their eyes I was driven, successful, focused, and unstoppable. I finished college and
started a career in Public Relations, was engaged in a healthy relationship, and had more
friends than they could remember names. They did not understand why I became a stranger,
losing interest in everything I loved, including them, stumbling into an alcoholic depression that
would last the better half of a year.

It was not until I had absolutely nothing left to lose that I decided to complete treatment. I
engulfed myself in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, a program that I was now ready to have
my family be a part of. Although my parents had attended al-anon meetings in the past, it was
important we worked through our emotions together, as I dismissed theirs and buried mine for
so long. In recovery, we often refer to our physical and emotional existence in active addiction
as “self”. We realize we became so far dissociated, that we have to take a step outside of
ourselves to even comprehend the choices we’ve made. It made me think, if we can not even
recognize ourselves, how do we think our families felt about our decisions?
The groups gave a platform for those discussions. They were guided personal
conversations of experience, strength, and hope, from diverse families with the same core
dysfunction. This did not change when the pandemic hit, but every family was able to go
through the new challenges together, so no addict and no family was alone.

COVID brought many to their knees, but I was able to stand on two feet because of the
support I had built over the years with the one aspect of recovery support that could not be
taken away from me. My family support.

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7 months ago · RAC RAC

Interview With Laura Genco, Primary Therapist at RAC

Laura is a bright new star and comes to us recently as a primary therapist. Laura finished her degree in December of 2019 and was hired full time at the start of the COVID-19 onset on March 23, 2020. Laura is from Manahawkin, Ocean County, New Jersey and attended Richard Stockton University for her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and completed her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Georgian Court University. Laura hit the ground running with us and was immediately active counselling our clients in a unique mix of in-person COVID-19 compliant social distancing and telehealth. Our agency in Blackwood never went Telehealth “only” and still maintains a balanced mix of in-person and Zoom HIPAA compliant telehealth counseling sessions.

I asked Laura, why Psychology? She said plainly that she always had a passion to help individuals and could always connect with people in a non-threatening way. Laura grew up loving the editorials of Carolyn Hax and Dear Abby. She likes to explore an individual’s strengths and see what makes people “tick”. She says whether biochemical or a faulty life issue through trauma, many people are not living their best lives. People get “stuck”. Laura wants to help people be their best selves. Clients tend to rediscover themselves through therapy and get better as they approach recovery.

Laura explained some of the challenges she sees during Shelter in Place and COVID-19. She sees personal growth and the lack of coping mechanisms hindering people. The isolation limits old habits, like going out with friends, a lack of touch, a hug, and social distancing taking away certain natural sensitivities. She thinks wearing masks limits facial recognition and hinders reading people’s emotions. She observes that the structure associated to helping stop the spread of the virus hurts the humanity and social nature in people and to a minor degree is counterproductive for good mental health.

Laura is also active in her counseling association. She is a volunteer with the NJCA New Jersey Counseling Association and seeks to recruit new members. Laura is an optimist and a pleasure to speak to. We wish her great success in her career and journey forward with Recovery at the Crossroads.

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10 months ago · RAC RAC

RAC and Managing The Evolving COVID-19 Situation

Updates and news about Crossroads and Companies and how we are managing the evolving COVID-19 situation.

OUR CAMPUSES

Crossroads campuses in Atlantic County and Gloucester County, are open. Although we are temporarily suspending our Mental Health Partial Care program and our transportation services, we will continue to provide treatment services and are accepting new patients at Behavioral Crossroads Recovery and Greenbranch Recovery and Wellness in Egg Harbor Township, NJ as well as Recovery at the Crossroads in Turnersville, NJ. For all Substance Abuse Primary & Co-Occurring PHP, IOP & OP levels of care.  We are using state of the art audio and video conferencing software to stay in touch with our clients. We will continue to offer out-patient services through both video conferencing and in person sessions at each site under the strictest 10 person maximums and clear 6-foot separation as social distancing allows with the COVID-19 protocols.

The disease of addiction loves isolation – and while social isolation is needed in this time of crisis, it is a breeding ground for substance use disorders. Those with substance use disorder, mental health disorders and their families need us now more than ever, with the shutdown of bars, restaurants, retail stores, offices and industrial companies, many states will force some into potentially life-threatening alcohol withdrawal and emotional distress. This is an emotional trigger for all, increasing situational anxiety and other mental health disorders due to less external resources. There is a need to maintain prescription management for our clients, since access to many services will be limited. Currently, the safest place for those with substance use disorder and mental health disorders are in treatment.

PREPAREDNESS

Last week, we shared a message with you how Crossroads stays prepared to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of infectious diseases to continue to keep our campuses safe. Crossroads has well-established practices, policies, and procedures aimed at preventing the spread of infectious diseases 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Please note, all new patients will be pre-screened for possible COVID-19 exposure and symptoms associated with COVID-19 prior to admission.

Crossroads is uniquely equipped to manage the situation at hand, as well as to forecast and adapt to whatever changes may come in the subsequent weeks and months. Over the years, our team in Atlantic County have developed seamless relationships with our local community providers in time of case escalation, should a patient require a higher level of care. Gloucester County’s connections with its local community providers also afford a similar layer of stability and safety that helps our families and patients trust that we have the strength, training, and ability to weather this storm.

PREVENTION

At the guidance of local and national officials, we have restricted visitation on our campuses, moved non-essential staff members to work remotely, and launched virtual programs and services throughout the continuum. In addition, our Recovery Centers in all locations are now offering all services remotely.

ADMISSIONS

We encourage you to connect with our Call Center Team to learn about what services are currently being offered in your area. During this unprecedented time, our team is here to help, from providing a referral to connecting you with resources to helping you facilitate an admission at 609-645-2146.

Stay Well,

The Crossroads Management Team

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11 months ago · RAC RAC

Alcoholism the Family Disease

When speaking to people in long term recovery from an alcohol use disorder and their families, you hear the heartbreak of active alcoholism as well at the joy to be found on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism is a disease. Because of its devastating impact on families, it is called a family disease, a disease of isolation, secrecy, guilt, and shame. The words often used in connection with alcohol use disorders are very punitive and often demeaning. Alcoholics are sometimes described as weak, dangerous, morally deficient, among many other unflattering terms. We describe their families as dysfunctional, possibly a home void of love and filled with abuse. Today we know that alcoholism and addiction do not only come from unhealthy homes but can develop in loving and functioning homes.

If we look at a comparison of the reaction to other life-threatening diseases, we do not find personal attacks on the person or look to their families for blame. No-fault is assigned to those diagnosed with Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Lyme, and other conditions, nor are their families automatically seen as dysfunctional. People rally support with praise of heroism as the affected person battles the disease. There is no shame. No blame.

The disease of alcoholism can equally affect the quality of life resulting in possible death as do other serious diseases. But unlike other diseases, the person is held responsible for having the disease. This incorrect fact often affects how people treat both the alcoholic and their family. More accurately, alcoholics like anyone that is diagnosed with a disease are not responsible for having the disease. They are responsible for making healthy choices in how to treat their disease and seeking treatment.

The story of alcoholism begins with both the person and their family believing that alcoholism could not affect them. The family member is in denial of their drinking, and the family joins them in the dissent, thinking their loved one could not be a problem drinker. Their denial becomes the barrier to addressing the needs for recovery. Rationalizations protect them from feeling the shame and fear experienced in acceptance of alcoholism in their family. Drinker and family offer explanations of why it cannot be true, they are just a social drinker, there are no alcoholics in the family, they never miss work, they are too young, they are too old, they don’t drink and drive, they don’t drink alone, on and on the reasons provide the faulty reasons of why this can’t be. The alcoholic and the family desperately want to believe there is no problem.

There is no religion, social standing, or love that gives full protection from the disease of alcoholism. Once the concern becomes real, families look for solutions. Sometimes they try having a “firm” talk with and bargain for sobriety. Negotiations result in disappointment and frustration. Co-dependency grows as the loved ones try various ways to control their drinking. Not understanding that alcoholism is a disease, not weak will power, makes attempts to promote sobriety fail. Families put off treatment and find excuses for why it is not needed. They look for short term solutions at first, not recognizing recovery needs time.

Not drinking is the first necessary step to recovery. It is a brilliant start but by no means the finish. Due to the shame and secrecy bred into the diagnosis, the strain can be devastating to the person suffering and everyone that cares about their life. Families often consider that the problem lies only with the alcoholic, and if they stop drinking, everything will be fine. Loved ones need to heal from the anger, frustration, shame, self-blame and broken hearts often surrounding alcoholism. This help can be found in treatment and family programs.

The reality that alcohol kills more people than all other drugs combined has faded into the background of many discussions on addiction. With statistics that record 88,000 deaths related to alcohol a year in the United States in comparison to 15,000 from all other drugs combined, the question becomes – how is the devastation of alcoholism and effects on families slipping off of society’s radar? Fifteen million people in the United States are suffering from alcohol use disorders, with only 7% receiving treatment.

We need to bring the truth about alcoholism from the darkness into the light.

Hope needs to replace the fear.

Good treatment is available, free self-help groups are prevalent, and recovery from alcoholism and the impact on families is possible.

Recovery is possible, get help today! https://www.racnj.com/contact-us/

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12 months ago · RAC RAC

Health and Wellness at RAC

The Team at Recovery at the Crossroads introduced a wellness aspect into our client treatment plans in order to expand each individual’s recovery process. At RAC, we know if you want to do well in all areas of your life, you must make your health a priority. While coupled with a healthy lifestyle, wellness goes beyond the boundaries of general health. It encompasses a positive outlook on mind, body, and soul and is something we often have more control over than health.

There are various dimensions of wellness that can be viewed as a quality, state, or process. Emotional wellness deals with thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It allows you to clearly recognize and accept your feelings, both positive and negative. This includes adapting to stress, life changes, and difficult times. When recovering from alcohol or drug addiction there can be many aspects at play. That’s why health and wellness is a priority at Recovery at the Crossroads. We help clients improve their emotional wellness and teach them skills for daily living, for example:

• Being optimistic and focusing on the positive aspects of life
• Learning to accept your emotions, whether good, bad, or ugly
• Building and maintaining strong relationships
• Staying in the moment
• Practicing mindfulness
• Smiling as much as possible
• Maintaining a good work/life balance
• Getting enough sleep at night
• Seeking professional support when necessary
• Managing stress through positive coping methods

Another dimension of wellness Recovery at the Crossroads focuses on is spiritual wellness. This can be achieved in a variety of ways including organized religion, prayer, meditation, yoga, along with a careful assessment of your morals, values, and beliefs. RAC also implemented Adventure Therapy which consists of martial arts, yoga, and Pilates to add a freedom from stress and build confidence and trust in your physical ability. A weekly spirituality group speaks in a general way to your soul, and the attitude necessary to facilitate healthy change.

Finally, we focus on wellness of the body. Neck and body massages are offered along with wellness consultations, including but not limited to topics of sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety relief. We also offer other options that can be used daily to improve overall health and wellness of the body, some of those options include:

• Consuming a well-balanced diet
• Eating breakfast every day
• Scheduling routine physical exams with a medical provider
• Getting enough sleep at night
• Learning to listen to your body and recognize early signs of illness

Recovery at the Crossroads offers a warm and professional atmosphere enhanced by the commitment of our wellness program to treat all aspects of the client’s life. The program provides a variety of wrap-around services that incorporate a healthy mind, body, and soul. Our program supplies skills to complement state-of-the-art clinical treatment. If you or a loved one are seeking addiction & mental health treatment that focuses on all aspects of an individual’s recovery, then Recovery at the Crossroads is the place for you.

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2 years ago · RAC RAC

The Reality of the Opioid Epidemic!

Just because you are not a suffering addict doesn’t mean another person’s actions during their addiction won’t affect you. The world we live in today has been taken over by an opioid epidemic. A real crisis throughout our nation and its consequences come in many different forms. One thing we can do to help is bring awareness to this issue, share information, educate ourselves, and provide options for ones who suffer from addiction. Our society is struggling, it’s almost as if you can’t wake up in the morning without hearing that someone overdosed, got arrested, was involved in a serious car accident or even died because of being intoxicated or high. You see it on the news, internet, and in the paper. Addiction is something we should not ignore, especially when the traumatic headlines are in our face everyday.

Newark, N.J. (February 20, 2019)

School bus driver high on drugs crashes bus with students onboard.

The bus driver was transporting students around 1 p.m. when the driver went off the road and hit a tree, suffering from a drug overdose. The bus driver was revived using Narcan.

RARITAN, N.J.  (February 8, 2019)

Driver sentenced in drug-related crash that killed infant. 

A driver who was high on heroin when he struck three people on a sidewalk, killing an infant and seriously injuring the child’s mother and 5-year-old brother, is headed to prison.

New Jersey (January 7, 2019)

Drug overdoses reach beyond 3,000 in N.J. for the first time.

People in New Jersey are still dying from overdoses in extraordinary numbers. While state officials recorded the largest year-end total yet. 

These are just some examples of what this epidemic has caused. We need to reach out and offer help to addicts who are struggling, so that their or someone else’s future isn’t destroyed or taken from them too soon.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out and ask for help.

TO GET HELP NOW! click the link below or call us directly. www.racnj.com/contact/

888.342.3881 (Option 2)

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