Doing the Hard Work to Heal

Justin and Navigator Julie Hansen.

Justin Christie was weary of the conflict and fighting with his family at home and the cycle of quitting substances and then relapsing and he knew something needed to change.

He remembered that his lifelong friend, Justin Warner, had graduated from the men’s Life Change program and decided to give him a call.

“He said he was glad he came to the Eugene Mission and was still doing really well,” Justin recalled. “He said he couldn’t do my work for me, but he could meet me and guide me.”

With his friend’s direction, Justin entered the Rescue Shelter and then transitioned to the R3 Program, where he created a plan, along with his Navigator Julie Hansen, tailored to the life he really wanted instead of the life he had been living.

“When I came here, I was hoping to get clean and develop better relationships with my family and wife, because we were just fighting,” he said. “She would tell me I had to get counseling. I was getting high to cope with my emotions.”

Justin got down to work. He learned the simple rules of the program and began attending classes and recovery meetings. He said he realized that the structure of the program and accountability were helping him clear his head and develop both realistic and hopeful expectations for what he might accomplish.

At first, he worked the program for the sake of his family, but as time went on and he learned more about himself, he realized he needed to get clean and heal for his own sake too.

“I see a guy I used to get high with in the neighborhood and one day, he didn’t even have shoes and I was thinking, ‘that’s the point where you need to come to the Mission,’” Justin said, noting that he’s grateful he finally came to a place in his life where he was able to receive help.

Justin doesn’t want to go back to his old coping methods where he used drugs to escape his pain, but it’s still hard sometimes coming back to the Mission after he visits with his family.

“My wife has a hard time dropping me off; she wants me home, but she understands that I’m getting better,” he said.

Justin is taking things one day at a time, reading the recovery Bible Navigator Mike Arredondo gifted him (along with highlighters), attending meetings and working on himself and his relationships.

“I’m so proud of him,” Julie said. “He’s been willing to do what it takes to focus on his recovery even when it has been really difficult. It’s a beautiful thing when people realize that investing in themselves and their healing is also investing in their families.”