1507 Church Street Extension, P.O. Box 793, Marietta, GA 30061 | www.theextension.org

The Quarterly Newsletter for Friends & Supporters of the Extension Fall 2019

Hi, my name is Carly. I am 38 years old and I have been sober now over two years. I owe my new life to The Extension. Before coming to The Extension I was just taking up space in the world. I was lost and completely numb to the world around me. When I made the decision to get help, I had been using drugs for over 14 years. Everyone has their own reason for starting drugs. For me though drugs were my way of coping with all the pain I was feeling due to all the trauma and loss I had been through in my life… years of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, family dysfunction, the death of a child, and several other traumatic events. All I knew was that at the time was that drugs took away the pain so I didn’t have to feel. I was never taught any kind of coping skills to help handle the trauma, emotions, or just life itself. I just knew that I couldn’t handle the pain anymore. Then somewhere along the line drugs started to cause the same sense of pain. I didn’t know anything about addiction. I just knew that I couldn’t stop. I wanted to stop but didn’t know how and I was afraid of stopping. I didn’t think I could handle feeling all the emotions of my life. Then one day I was in a severe car accident due to my drug habit/addiction. I was sitting in Grady hospital chained to the bed. I knew right then if I didn’t get help I would die or kill someone else. I wanted a life. I decided to get some help. A friend

had told me about The Extension women’s campus. So I went to court and decided to make a change. I asked to go to rehab, specifically The Extension. My friend had told me some great things about it. When walked through the doors, I decided to give it a real try. I would do whatever they told me to do. I also decided to do the opposite of everything that I had been doing. I was willing. The most amazing people are at The Extension women’s campus, Ms. Wynema and staff. Each counselor had their own way of helping me understand things about myself. I learned so many new coping skills. Things I really use in my everyday life. They have so many important groups that teach you how to have a voice and use it. They teach you that you have a choice in life. You learn about addiction. You learn life skills. You learn about boundaries in relationships. I owe my life to The Extension. Going to The Extension was the absolute best decision I ever made. This place saved my life and taught me how to love myself. I will always be grateful for my time there.

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SERVING WOMEN

Life-Changing and Life-Saving Treatment Plus a Whole Lotta Love

2 1507 Church Street Extension | P.O. Box 793 | Marietta, GA 30061

The Extension is a non-profit, tax exempt organization as described in the internal revenue code in section 501(c)(3). The Extension,Inc. is governed by a volunteer board of directors.

Comments or questions about this newsletter or any of the functions of the Extension, Inc. are encouraged, please send correspondence to us at P.O. Box 793, Marietta, GA 30061 Phone: 770-590-9075

Skip Harper Chairperson

David Schwickerath Vice Chair

Angela Robinson Secretary

Daniel Scruggs Treasurer

Tyler M. Driver Executive Director

A member of our staff or Board of Directors would love to come to speak to your group about issues related to homelessness, addiction and more importantly recovery. Just give us a call at the number above.

The Extension 1507 Church Street Extension

P.O. Box 793 Marietta, GA 30061

The solution for homelessness and addiction

2 1507 Church Street Extension | P.O. Box 793 | Marietta, GA 30061

Hey there. I am Wynema Barber and I have the privilege of being the program director of the Women’s Campus here at the Extension. J.J. Bremner hired me in the spring of 2009, a few short weeks before the women’s campus was set to open. When first hired, I was the program manager and have been here since the beginning of the women’s program. I have experienced many changes in the program over the past 10 years. Just to mention a few, I became Program Director, just a fancier name. The Extension became CARF approved and increased the level of clinical care from a few hours weekly to a minimum of 12 hours. With the help of generous benefactors, bed capacity increased from 20 to 25 beds. I have continued to serve the residents when a broken water pipe flooded the building that housed most of the residents, my office and treatment rooms. The building was completely inaccessible for a few weeks. Now that was fun! I got very creative, even conducted a few counseling sessions in my car for privacy. I have witnessed many women arrive at the glass door just outside my office with little to nothing materially, physically exhausted, emotionally scarred and spiritually bankrupt. What a humbling experience to celebrate with many of these women, at their transition party/ceremony, their transformation from shame and brokenness to becoming the sober, strong, independent,

MEET WYNEMA BARBERDirector of the Barbara J. Crofton Women’s Campus

women that they have always been meant to be. The gratitude I hold to be a part of their journey and transformation is indescribable. I have worked in this field for 20+ years and have treated people suffering from multiple addictions including sexual addictions and trauma victims. I studied at UGA and Kennesaw State. I am a Certified Addiction Counselor, CACII a Certified Clinical Supervisor, CCS, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, CCTP, Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist, CSAT and Certified Anger Management Specialist Level II, CAMSII. Additionally I have earned a certification in

…I am in a unique position to help our residents… As a woman in

long-term recovery (over 30 years)…

www.theextension.org 3 1507 Church Street Extension | P.O. Box 793 | Marietta, GA 30061 3

Medically Assisted Treatment or (MATS). Wow, that is a lot of letters behind my name. Hey maybe that just means I am certifiable. The associations that granted me all those letters behind my name are as follows:• The National association of

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (NAADAC)

• The Georgia Addiction Counselors Association (GACA)

• The International Institute for Trauma and Sex Addiction

• The International Association of Trauma Professionals (CCTP)

• The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification of GA

So, that still doesn’t clarify much does it? All of that education and certification means that I am in a unique positon to help our residents achieve the lives that they were meant to live! As a woman in long-term recovery (over 30 years), I know the pain that the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) inflicts on the person suffering and those who love her. Prior to working for The Extension, I had not had a lot of experience with a homeless population. Since working with residents who present with SUD (Substance Use Disorder), I have come to recognize adverse childhood experiences or trauma as a factor for many women who may begin using drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of childhood or relationship traumas and negative, debilitating experiences endured while living with no secure home. Unfortunately, if the root causes of pain and adverse childhood experiences that may have precipitated initiation of substance abuse aren’t addressed, many of these women may return

to active addiction. So under my leadership, the staff at the women’s campus make every effort to deal with the whole woman and help her achieve long term sobriety, mental, emotional and spiritual health, relationship reconciliation, and an empowered sense of self sufficiency. To quote Christy Hamby, an integral part of the women’s campus staff; “We work alongside each and every woman who chooses to be a part of The Extension community to set her up for success.” Each woman works with staff to compile a plan that addresses uniquely and holistically her specific needs and desires. Examples of the areas addressed are life skills, including time management and budgeting, employment skills, improving physical health and wellness, leisure activities, having fun and making sober memories, boundary development, interpersonal relationship skills and basic parenting and communication techniques. Additionally, as the women progress through the program, they increase self-worth and self-esteem, independence and autonomy by such things as regaining driver license, resolving outstanding debt, purchasing a car and establishing a healthy living environment. One alumni, who continues to volunteer and give back to this community, is currently in law school. Amazing! I have had the astounding pleasure of using my CCS (Certified Clinical Supervisor) credential to walk alongside young women who have chosen to do the same work that I have dedicated my life to doing. Words cannot express how humbling it is to be a part of

supporting several amazing women who have not only achieved sobriety through this program, enjoy living changed lives and now are peer professionals who work to facilitate healing from this disease. The other passion in my life is my granddaughter. She is a very special eight year old who has some rather unique challenges. I have the privilege of being a full time “gammy” to her and functioning as a third caretaker in conjunction with my amazing daughter and son in law. My family is the light in my life and being an integral part of my granddaughter’s life consoles me when I’m overwhelmed! I truly believe that my higher power “knit me together in my mother’s womb” to work with individuals suffering from this disease and to be the best mother and “gammy” I can possibly be. I am delighted to be a part of the miracle that is the Extension and thank each and every one of you that continue to make this work and journey possible!

THE POWER AND PERSISTENCE OF A MOTHER’S LOVEI am the mother of a recovering heroin addict. That is a sentence I never thought I would be saying but I am grateful I am now able to add recovering to that sentence. My son had a long struggle with drugs. I believe his began in his senior year of high school with pot then pills and various other drugs that I had no idea about. He than began using heroin. Heroin addiction is so heart breaking. My son became someone I didn’t even recognize. Money, jewelry, and other items started missing from my home and my parents home and I just couldn’t believe that was something my son would do. Addiction does divide families. My husband knew right off, when my son would not go for treatment, that he would have to hit rock bottom before he would get help. My parents, like me, were having a harder time with it all. They told me they could not let him be without a home. Asking my son to leave our home was the hardest thing my husband and I have ever had to do but it got to the point that no matter how hard it was it had to be done. I felt guilt that he stayed with my parents as I knew how draining it would be on them but they got to see it firsthand how his addiction would wear you out day in and day out. It became a very lonely and sad time for me. People are more than willing to offer advice but until someone

has lived thru what addicts families live thru they have no idea what they would do. I was in a very dark place at this point just knowing that I would get a call that my son was dead. I did get the call that he overdosed but thanks to Naloxone he survived. This close call still did not deter him from using. That is the strong hold the drug has over you. I came in contact with Jordan and The Extension thanks to the court system. My son did not initially go into The Extension but that is how I met Jordan. He was a Godsend and thanks to him I slowly began my recovery out of the dark space I was in. The day we first met I was with my son and Jordan told me that this was my son’s path to choose and that I had done the best I could as a parent and it was okay to love my son from afar. He also explained to me that my helping him was actually hurting him and keeping him in this horrible disease. I had heard this from other people before but somehow it home with me coming from Jordan. My son continued down his destructive path for a while before he tried to get into The Extension. The first time he was there it did not go well and he did not make it through his first weekend. I was so heartbroken and was giving up hope that his recovery would ever happen. My parents were aging more and my mother developed

4 1507 Church Street Extension | P.O. Box 793 | Marietta, GA 30061

Money, jewelry,

and other items

started missing

from my home…

I just couldn’t

believe that was

something my

son would do.

dementia which is another horrible disease. My sister and I realized that they needed additional help and were had to move them into an assisted living home. I believe this move made a big step towards my son getting help. He no longer had a place to stay and they could not afford to give him money any longer. Don’t get me wrong, I know my parents had the best intentions and did provide my son a home hoping to take some worry off me but as long as they were providing my son with a home and money he was not getting better. As Jordan will tell you I enabled my son in other ways as well. We all had

www.theextension.org 5

the best intentions but it was not helping my son. He once told me that heroin was my son’s addiction and my son was my addiction. He was right. I thought I should be able to save him. I was his mother. About two years after my son’s first day at The Extension my son called me one afternoon in late May of 2017. He asked if I could please help him get home from Atlanta and that he was done and just wanted me to get him somewhere for help. I wasn’t sure what to believe at this point as I heard a story before. I agreed to meet him after work that day. I waited and waited

and thought here we go again but he finally made it. A friend of mine came and sat with me once she found out what I was doing. She had known my son since he was in elementary school. When he got there she even said he looked so beat down and just wanted someone to help him. He was fortunate that Jordan and The Extension gave him another chance. He went back to The Extension the first week of June and this time he transitioned from the program. I am so proud of my son. My mother sadly passed away in August of 2017. I remember

getting that heartbreaking call from the assisted living home late the evening that she had passed. My son was home at the time and rode back down with me to their home. I told him on the way there I was proud of him and he had given his Nana the best gift he could have ever given her by getting into recovery prior to her passing away. My mom was a wonderful person and loved her family more than life itself. I am happy to say that today my son is doing very well. He has an apartment with his wonderful girlfriend, has been at his job for over a year now and is smiling

and enjoying life again. He has a wonderful new family from The Extension and I say a prayer for him every day that he will stay strong in his recovery. I am so thankful for Jordan not giving up on my son and for helping me over the years. I don’t know what I would have done without him putting up with me and I will always consider him a friend. He and the other counselors should be so proud of themselves for the help they offer addicts and their families every day. I don’t know where my son would be today without them all, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

…heroin was my son’s addiction

and my son was my addiction…

I thought I should be able to save him.

I was his mother.

I first called The Extension a few days after I stopped using. I was staying at a very seedy motel, a blessing

by virtue of an emergency housing voucher from the hospital. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do,

what I was doing. Though, in that first week, I thought everything was so clear. I had stopped using…so

everything would just…fix itself.in days. Maybe weeks? Which seemed like a very long time, at the time, for

my life to somehow...restore. But it would happen, of that I was sure. And quickly. Very quickly. Somehow.

Housing was an issue, of course. My voucher was on its last legs and I was homeless. Which seemed like a problem. In fact, I couldn’t not be homeless while I was using. And when I finally stopped, I couldn’t figure out exactly how to immediately solve this big problem of mine. The lack of home. The people at the hospital were very kind, but the voucher was limited. This, they were firm about. There would be no extra time. And so they advised that I call The Extension. Which was a place I didn’t know. Not really. So I didn’t call. Not that first day. I vaguely remember thinking that maybe they would call me. I had stopped using after all. I even managed to make a meeting. And of course, they didn’t call. So I had to. But when I did, I had planned to convey some very firm boundaries. I had written them down, in bullet points. None of which were mentioned when I finally called. There was only one item on the agenda. When can you come for an in person interview? Yes. Can’t we do this over the phone? No, but we look forward to meeting you. Is there a bed for

And now it’s my job to talk with people on the phone who need help. What a great thing. We’ve introduced the Helpline here at The Extension to provide a better and more efficient system for providing this help to homeless addicts & alcoholics desperate for a place. A home. A restart. We get a lot of calls and while we can’t provide a bed for everyone who needs it, we can and do always offer a kind, welcoming and hopefully helpful conversation. With each and every caller. Fortunately, the Extension is not alone so at the very least, we can assist all callers. If not to us, then a referral to somewhere better than where the callers find themselves. This useful service The Extension provides is not limited by our bed capacity.

Editor’s note: The Extension kicked off its new Helpline in July of this year. The Helpline has two primary purposes: 1) Prescreening callers before they talk to a counselor to maximize the effectiveness of the counselors’ time and to improve efficiencies; 2) Compiling important data from those inquiring about our services.

me...can I reserve something first? We look forward to meeting you…. And so I came. to The Extension. And interviewed. And it was only in person, at the interview that I realized both how desperate I was and how necessary The Extension would be to me. It was an in person, real time, “a ha” moment. Which would not have happened if... the person on the other end of that phone call had not been warm, welcoming and firm. “You have to come here and talk with us.”

6 1507 Church Street Extension | P.O. Box 793 | Marietta, GA 30061

ANSWERING THE CALLThe Extension Announces Its New Helpline:

470-HELP-YOU | 470-435-7968

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL NIGHT

IN SUPPORT OF THE EXTENSION

THURSDAY

SEPT. 12

6 PM - 9 PM

RSVP EARLY - SPACE IS LIMITED! Call 770-590-9075 and ask for Renee or register online at: theextension.org/bluesbash

LIVE BLUES & GREAT FOOD

LOW COUNTRY BOIL

SILENT AUCTION

INSPIRING STORIES FROM

EXTENSION ALUMNI

Co-hosted by Cobb County Commission Chairman Mike BoyceAt Marietta’s newest venueBRICK & IVEY (adjacent to Hoyle’s Kitchen & Bar) 1440 Roswell Road Marietta, GA 30062Reservations: $50 per person

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Marietta, GAPermit No. 780

P.O. Box 793 Marietta, GA 30061

I WANT TO HELP!Enclosed is my gift of $ ___________________________________

I pledge $ __________ per month quarter year

I would like to be sent a reminder of my pledge.

I would like someone from The Extension to contact me.

I made an online donation at www.theextension.org

Please mail to: The Extension, P.O. Box 793, Marietta, GA 30061

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Address

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We need volunteers to prepare and serve dinner, please call 770-590-9075 for details.

WE NEED…