I used and abused drugs for almost 15 years. I have been to numerous rehabilitation centers and relapsed every time. When I came to Greenfield Lodge, my life changed. Today, I have 43 days sober for the first time in 15 years. I attribute a large portion of sobriety to the support and care that I have been receiving from Greenfield Lodge. The knowledgeable staff created a sober environment that feels safe. Each staff member gives every individual the time to discuss their feelings that will help you deal with triggers that will inevitably come up. The sober living environment has allowed me to grow as an individual. The in-house group meetings have allowed me to talk about my disease and who I am as a human being. The daily chores, cooking for my self, and washing my clothes, have taught me how to take care of myself and be a productive member of society. Greenfield Lodge makes certain that you find a sponsor to help you through the steps, and the you attend 1-2 AA, GA, CA, or NA meetings daily. These are all ingredients to assist you in relapse prevention and to help you build the necessary tools in continuing a sober life when you leave. I was originally going to stay 30 days, but once I saw my growth as a sober person, I decided to stay an additional 30 days. If you are looking to get and stay sober, I highly recommend Greenfield Lodge. If it worked for a chronic relapser like me, I am confident that it will work for you.

-Alex W

When I first arrived at Greenfield lodge I was incapable of living without drugs and alcohol. I was anxious and depressed about living a lifestyle that I could not alter in an immediate fashion, and had innumerable issues with my life that I did not want to face up to. I felt like a frozen human being, every action and every step I had to take seemed to disturb the part of me that wanted to escape. Simple things like sweeping and gardening were very difficult for me for a while, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Given time I began to come back to life, and since then I have been continually challenged with new levels of responsibility that were never manageable for me in the past. Things have been difficult, there is certainly no simple cure for addiction, but living here has given me a controlled environment where I have been able to take one step at a time and gradually resolve these issues.

-Aaron C.

I have found that the relationships I have formed in my recovery today are based on nothing more than respect and a genuine trust of one and other. In the past, when I was getting loaded, this was certainly not the case. I was always suspicious of my friendships with others. What was their motive? Why were they gravitating towards me as an individual? I didn’t have much to offer, aside from drugs and alcohol. These days, I have much to offer. I have a shoulder to lean on, an empathetic ear with which to listen, and a heart that wants nothing more than to help. Today my relationships with both men and women are symbiotic associations and are direct results of both Greenfield Lodge and Alcoholics Anonymous.
Before I came to Greenfield Lodge, both men and women alike were absolutely never to be trusted. Coming from a dysfunctional household, complete with an abusive father and a co-dependent mother, both respective sexes left a sour taste in my mouth. Men were both abrasive and scary, and women were pushy and clingy. This had a huge impact of how I was to view both men and women for a long time. Friendships I developed with each sex were fleeting at best, and romantic unions with men were also dysfunctional and short-lived. In retrospect, I either self-sabotaged most of these connections or picked friends and suitors that were emotionally unavailable. That was the only way I knew how. I was accustomed to picking lesser companions, until I was in fact the lesser companion myself. Forming authentic, genuine relationships in either a friendship or a romantic interlude was indeed foreign to me.
Greenfield Lodge truly helped me learn how to once again trust both myself and others. I had to have faith in those who would help me rebuild my life.

Today, I rely upon help from both men and women. I continuously reach out for help on a daily basis. The staff at Greenfield Lodge is readily available 24 hours a day to help me however I need, and work with me on an individual basis. I have come to the realization that I can’t exist in this world all on my own. I have also been introduced to the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, where I have built friendships with other people who will be there for me through thick and thin. I have such a strong support network in my life today. I have toiled and worked diligently to build that network, and couldn’t be happier. I thank God every day for the people in my life. Greenfield Lodge has given me the foundation of my recovery and I will be forever grateful!!!!

-Kate G

Most sober livings give you what the name suggests, a living atmosphere where you are encouraged to live a sober lifestyle. However, most of the these only offer you this and not much more. My experience at Greenfield lodge has been nothing less than transformational. From the very beginning, the experienced staff has shown me the areas in my life that were holding me back and detrimental to my growth. Through fellowship, recovery, and service, I was taught what it means to live responsibly, spiritually, and with integrity.
The very first thing I can say about the process is that it’s not easy! Through a process of structure, I was guided to find integrity, respect and sobriety. Greenfield helped integrate me with the world around me, and the life I have today I wouldn’t trade for the world. I am a productive member of society which is a novel concept for me!!!
So if you are looking for a place to stay sober for someone else (like the courts), Greenfield Lodge is not the place for you, but if you want to become the person you’ve always wanted to be, I’d suggest coming here.

-Richard K

At 27 years old, I feel almost archaic at young peoples meetings. Comparable to a pager amongst cell phones, I’m not exactly a spring chicken in the young peoples’ circuit of Alcoholics Anonymous. Recently, I decided to get in touch with my roots, and re-visited one of my old youthful home groups. Mind you, I hadn’t been to this particular meeting in about three years. As I approached the entrance, a warm feeling came over me. It had all the familiar sights, sounds, and smells that had once signified comfort to me, but something was different. I immediately noticed that kids from ages 12-20 were dawning symbols of AA. Whether it was chips worn as bracelets, necklaces, or earrings, leather purses adorned with the double “A” moniker, or ripped jeans sewn with the universal triangle and circle, I couldn’t believe that Alcoholics Anonymous had become somewhat of a fashion statement. It brought a smile to my face. Was being in AA cool? Was this debilitating affliction, hidden for so long, becoming a fad? Who knew?
It was amazing to me that kids were wearing tributes to their alcoholism as accessories. Comparable to badges of honor, these bits and pieces spoke more loudly than words. They said, “We are the new generation of AA. We are proud of whom and what we are and we are not afraid to show it”. I giggled to myself quietly and couldn’t help but wonder what Bill W. and Dr. Bob would make of this situation. I’m pretty sure they would be giggling too!

-Veronica V.

Greenfield Lodge is a place where you can not only get help to stay sober, but you can also help others achieve sobriety. It is a save haven, where you can get your life in order, away from drugs and alcohol. Greenfield Lodge gives you tools to succeed, so when you decide to venture out into the world, you will have a new found confidence and foundation.
You will gain friends at Greenfield, not only fellow residents and members of 12 step fellowships, but staff members that you can count on day or night. Staying sober is tough, and even if you falter, there will be people to help pick you up when you are down or praise you when you are up.

-Davis A.

Tired? Lonely? Depressed? Feeling Hopeless? If you chronically feel these things, you might need something in your life. It’s not a t.v, or a car, or season tickets to the Lakers. If you are indeed thirsty for change, you might need to move your life somewhere else. By this I don’t mean physically move it somewhere, but spiritually.
At Greenfield Lodge, you will learn the tools to change your life to whatever you dream of. You will do this by developing relationships with fellow residents and staff, working with a sponsor, and attending recovery-based meetings.
If all of this seems like too much for you, you may want to consider that your “best thinking” got you to where you are. So maybe you should wake up and try something new. If not, I wish you luck.

-Dan A.

How does one describe the journey from darkness into light? Many members of Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12 step fellowships will explain this process as a spiritual awakening. My spiritual was of the slow, educational variety. There was no elderly man with a billowy white beard and long white robe who parted the seas, and certainly no burning bush to guide my path. There was however, a long tedious road of self-exploration, a trip of discovery, discarding, and polishing. Within the confines of Alcoholics Anonymous, I continue to amaze myself on a daily basis.
Five years ago, I simply existed. I no longer participated in life, except to get loaded. I lived to use and used to live. All other areas of my life fell by the wayside and my primary purpose was to maintain my high. My family had since given up on me, I was essentially homeless, my health was questionable, and most importantly, I was spiritually broken. Part of me was dying for human contact and help, and part of me was just plain dying. I suppose I had somewhat of a moment of clarity when I realized that the mass amounts of chemicals I put in my body weren’t working any longer. The more I put in, the worse I felt. It finally appeared as though nothing on God’s green Earth could save me from me, except perhaps another way. Thus began my journey……..
I crawled into Alcoholics Anonymous wanting to once again live. I had no recollection of formative life skills and had to build from the ground up. I took suggestions, got a sponsor, went to meetings, fellowshipped with others, an dove head first into the process. Most importantly, I had to find a God of my understanding. Growing up in a Roman Catholic household, this was no easy task. This punitive God that I had grown up with had given up on me a long time ago. Letting go of this notion was difficult to say the least. Slowly but surely, I grew into my own skin, came to define and redefine God, and learned how to stand on my own two feet. I also learned what service work was all about. Helping another alcoholic receive the blessings I have is part of the miraculous cyclical process of the program. Alcoholics Anonymous has provided me with both a new outlook on life and an impenetrable optimism where truly anything is possible. I will forever be grateful.

Stay tuned for updates!

-GL