Member Moment: Jasmine

This post was originally published February 21, 2023 on www.recoverycafelongmont.org by Elyssa Hamilton.

Jasmine is a champion for recovery and an inspiration to all in search of rehabilitation. She is motivated by the success of those who share the struggles of substance use disorder and now trudge the path of happy destiny. Recovery Café Longmont is Jasmine’s “grounding place” where she stays accountable for her goals with the support of her peers.

Jasmine’s present life of integrity is a stark contrast to the 15 years she lived in active use – in persistent trouble with the law and at odds with her own moral compass. She reminisces on her first court-ordered 90-day rehabilitation with gratitude for helping her come back to her values in a life of sobriety. “The intense therapy there broke me down in order to rebuild me. 90 days was the longest sober time I’ve had since I started using and I stayed sober for 10 months afterward.”

A Community of Refuge and Healing

After a recurrence of use, Jasmine found herself caught up with the justice system again. When it came time to transition into a halfway house out of prison, Jasmine was nervous about returning to Longmont – the place she refers to as her “old stomping ground.” In fear of reverting back to old habits, she was in search of a supportive community that shared her passion for pursuing a better life. Café member Matthew, who attended the same halfway house and ran in the same using circles as Jasmine, encouraged her to become a member of our healing refuge. As a witness to Matthew’s freedom from addiction, Jasmine was inspired to join him on the path of recovery. “Recovery Café Longmont was the first place I came to as soon as I had permission to leave the facility. I’ve been here every Tuesday since February 2022 like clockwork.”

As a result of her commitment to recovery programs, employment, good behavior, completed therapy and domestic violence classes, Jasmine’s last pending sentence was reduced from ten to five years, and she is up for reconsideration of the sentence. “If that happens, I will be off papers for the first time since I was 14.”

A Path Forward

“Since becoming a member, I’ve grown in every aspect of my life. Spiritually, working the 12 steps in Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) has opened me up to faith – the driving factor of my sobriety. Mental growth has been a battle between old and new habits and trusting the process others have followed. Growth for me is influenced by people I’ve seen struggle become role models in the recovery community.”

Jasmine is now a positive role model for members seeking a way out of the shackles of substance use. “CMA is a good program that is accessible to beginners. It’s a homebase. The conversation flows naturally from what people are dealing with that day, similar to Recovery Circles. It’s something that really pushes me in my recovery because I can see people with the same struggles succeeding and I see my possibilities.” One of her goals is to sponsor others through the 12 steps in order to share the forward path that was shown to her.

Becoming a member at the Café is easy and free of charge. Drop in during our open hours to learn more. Requirements of membership include 24-hours of sobriety, contribution to running the Café and to the healing of others, AND attendance of a weekly Recovery Circle.

We support all pathways to recovery. Outside support groups hosted at the Café are free and open to the public. Crystal Meth Anonymous is hosted on Thursdays from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., SMART Recovery on Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Alcoholics Anonymous on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.