Learning to be an adult Because of her early embrace of daily drinking, “I didn’t know how to be sober because I had never done that as an adult. I was 27 years old, and ‘adulting’ should have happened a long time before and it didn’t. So, I was afraid to be sober.” “But I was fascinated by people I met in AA who claimed to be just like me and had the same problems I did, but were happy, and could do things that I couldn’t. I stayed around long enough to learn to do those things.” Revitalized, Hilton finished her bachelor’s degree in psychology, earned certification as an addiction counselor, and was hired at Serenity Acres in Crownsville, where she worked for two years. Hilton learned about All Joshua through a co-worker who
encouraged her to apply there. Coming to All Joshua proved to be the right move. “What I love most about All Joshua is that their heart is in the right place; they’re very patient-oriented and care very much about what they are doing. It’s a wonderful team and everyone loves coming to work because our mindset is that what we are doing is a community service,” says Hilton who conducts both group and individual therapy sessions. Like many counselors who are themselves in recovery, she feels her experience has made her a more effective counselor. “It gives me the ability not just to sympathize but also to empathize and understand clients. I know how they think and I know their pain and their suffering.” “Because of my disease, I’ve become a much stronger person.” - Jessica Hilton Feeling no shame Today, Hilton also feels she is a much better parent. “I’m so blessed because my children were only six and three when I got sober, so they don’t remember me drinking. I am blessed that they don’t know that person. “There’s no shame in my game,” she notes. “I wouldn’t be who I am or what I am today without having had that experience. Because of my disease, I’ve become a much stronger person.” Even though she didn’t choose the field, Hilton now feels she has found a life’s purpose. “I just want to keep helping people, helping them live. I want to see the light in their eyes when the miracle happens. I believe every person who is struggling with this disease is worth helping. If I can do that, I don’t need anything else.”
25
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker