Interview Summary: Benedict Center

Healing in Honesty

This conversation took place at the Benedict Center Women’s Harm Reduction Program, where women gathered in circle to talk openly about addiction, loss, love, and survival. What began as a discussion on fentanyl and overdose became something deeper — a collective reflection on grief, motherhood, faith, and self-worth.

Each woman came with her own story, but together they built something sacred: truth without judgment. The dialogue revealed what systems often overlook — that recovery isn’t just about stopping drugs; it’s about being seen, loved, and heard long before someone is ready to stop.

Learning Quotes

“What’s making me quit is myself — because I’m a better person now.”

“If you haven’t done it, don’t. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. But if you already have, don’t give up — there’s still a way out.”

“You can’t tell me how to heal from a book. You gotta live what I’ve lived.”

“Sometimes you just need to hear, ‘I love you.’ You don’t know how much that can save somebody.”

“If people are given a chance to talk like this — real talk, not therapy — that’s when healing starts.”

Conversation Overview

The women spoke candidly about using drugs, surviving overdose, and trying to rebuild their lives after loss. One participant, Slim, shared her fear of fentanyl and how it became the reason she’s choosing to stop. Queen opened up about losing her wife of 20 years — the love that once anchored her, and the grief that still haunts her. Sosa recounted being revived after an overdose and how it changed the way she looks at trust and self-protection. India, who doesn’t use, shared how being present with others in recovery helps her friends stay grounded: “Being around me makes them slow down.”

Throughout the circle, women encouraged one another, laughed through tears, and described the constant balance between survival and surrender. They spoke about therapy and counseling — some distrustful, others open to it — but all agreeing that what they most need is understanding, not judgment.

Key Learnings

• Love saves lives. Unconditional love — especially self-love — was the most repeated theme. “If you love yourself first, people will treat you how you treat you.”

• Trust takes time. Participants described how fear of judgment keeps people silent. They feel safer with peers and facilitators who “come from where we come from.”

• Therapy must feel real. Several women rejected traditional counseling, saying it feels cold or “by the book.” What worked instead was honest, peer-led conversation.

• Fentanyl changes everything. Even those still using are terrified of overdose. They described fear as both a motivator to quit and a constant reminder of how fragile life has become.

• Healing happens in community. The group’s laughter, tears, and shared wisdom reflected how human connection — not punishment — is what sustains recovery.

Insight for Systems Change

This conversation at the Benedict Center reminded everyone present that safety and belonging are treatment. When women have space to speak freely — without fear of judgment or losing services — they rediscover power in their own stories.

The lessons from this dialogue show that overdose prevention isn’t only about medical response; it’s about creating spaces like this — where people can come as they are, tell the truth, and begin to imagine a different tomorrow.

Healing happens when people are trusted enough to tell the truth.