A 15-Year Struggle and a "Position of Privilege"

For 15 years, my daughter Laura and I struggled to understand the disease of addiction that had her in its grips and devastated our family. She made one last fateful decision, overdosed and two days later died on December 21, 2017.

As we held vigil in the hospital watching Laura's life slip away, her close friend now in recovery reminded me that she and I were now in a "position of privilege" not of our own choosing. We had experienced the disease of addiction close up, gained insight from our struggles, and had the potential to make a difference with those that struggle to understand the disease and develop a plan to maintain health and recovery.

The Hidden Danger

The rise of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin, has made overdose the top cause of death for those under 50. This dangerous drug is flooding in from Mexico, hidden in counterfeit pills and other substances like heroin, cocaine, and even marijuana. With just a few grains of fentanyl, someone experimenting or making a single bad decision, like Laura, could face a fatal overdose. 

Empowering the Family

For years, Laura attended one treatment program after another, but these programs bypassed the family to work exclusively with Laura. That left families uninformed, uneducated and clueless about their  role in the recovery process.  It was clear that when the family is not treated, the individual's chances to stay in recovery become slim.

So We Took Action

After Laura's first treatment program, she went to therapeutic boarding school in Virginia.  After meeting 20 other families, all devastated by the fractures in their family caused by drug use, it was clear that the treatment process needed to change to help the family along with the child. We launched Phoenix Outdoor licensed for adolescents ages 13-17 struggling with substance misuse and developed one of the most robust virtual family support programs in the nation.  The results were outstanding and families began to heal, reduce the shame they felt, and were empowered to make decisions on behalf of their child.

Families Need Support Now More Than Ever

With the onslaught of fentanyl with over 100,000 overdose deaths per year, the pervasive mental health challenges after the Pandemic, and the rising addiction crisis, families need our help now more than ever.  Our goal is to take our personal experiences, what we've learned as a family and a treatment provider and our technology background and create a convenient and affordable way to connect to other families, get educated, and find resources and support.  That's why the mission of InterAct is so personal and important.

My commitment is to your family and to partner with you to heal, be supported and realize you are not alone.

Carolyn