She Recovers, an advocacy and support group for mothers battling substance abuse, is offering community and services to Walker County and the surrounding areas.
She Recovers, which was founded in February of 2022, aims to provide pre- and postnatal care to women who struggle with substance abuse. The program has helped many women in the past year.
Deidra Wilson, herself a member of the recovery community, has been working with several healthcare providers to implement a program to help women in need.
“I’m trying to reach women who are out there hiding or ashamed, afraid to get prenatal care. Because I’ve been that girl,” Wilson said.
She Recovers is a 20-week program with the goal of helping pregnant women recognize and overcome their trauma while becoming better mothers. There are also options for women to join other groups after they’ve given birth. These groups focus on other skills such as budgeting, anger management, and medication management.
Initial funding for the program came from the Alabama Department of Public Health, and the program is now made up of 11 Community Partners.
Suzanne Muir, associate director of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, spoke highly of the program. She said, “What I think is really cool about She Recovers is that it’s a collaborative of a lot of providers in the community.”
Both Muir and Wilson spoke of the stigma surrounding substance abuse and the negative impact this stigma has on women who are already struggling.
Andrea Lashley, a counselor working with She Recovers, said that the She Recovers community wants women to feel safe and welcomed.
“We’re not judging. We’re open to everyone,” she said.
She Recovers has in-person and virtual options for support and meetings, and the team is dedicated to finding ways to meet each woman where she’s at and provide options for care. The team hopes to reach more women in 2023.
“I’m trying to reach the girls who need this,” Wilson said. “I know what it’s like to not have any help.”
For those interested in helping or in receiving help, more information can be found at the She Recovers website at sherecovers.life.
