A Change to Cherish
“I cherished the program. Cedar House to me is sacred ground because it’s where I first learned the 12 Steps and the Serenity Prayer.”
Jerry struggled through years of challenges with addiction, crime, homelessness, relapses and custody battles. Once he came to Cedar House directly from prison for the first time in 2011, the initial foundation was laid for a lifetime in recovery.
At the age of 15, Jerry began hanging around of group of guys who used him to buy their beer. He was a quiet kid who happened to look older than he was, so they invited him to party with them. They convinced him to drink beer and try smoking weed. Although it made him sick, he still recalled the “overwhelming feeling” of being high for the first time and starting to get hooked. He said, “It was a classic, textbook case. It had a snowball effect. Marijuana really is a gateway drug. After that, I got into cocaine, which led to the criminal system.”
Every time Jerry got into trouble with the law, it was directly related to his drive to pay for more drugs and alcohol. He said, “To sum it up, I was a tore-up drug addict.”
By the time he turned 40, he had been in and out of the prison system for most of his life. The court system allowed him to move into a program called His House where he got accustomed to rising at 5:30 a.m. and having his morning coffee over prayers and self-help books with fellow clients. He was technically still in custody but starting to desire a real change in his life.
The Department of Corrections moved him to Cedar House for residential treatment. After 25 years, he was finally sober. He and four of his new friends kept up their early morning routine there. They learned more and more about recovery and started to understand how they could change their lives. The more he learned, the more he wanted to know more. He had so many questions! He would catch staff in the hallway and ask for their guidance to deepen his understanding of the recovery process.
After five and a half months of sobriety, Jerry relapsed. His mom had a stroke and became hospitalized. His case manager took him to the hospital to see her and reviewed the 12 steps on the way there. A few days later, he went with his cousin and stayed overnight. Since he was still in court custody during that time, he wasn’t allowed to return to Cedar House. He stayed by her side for another week, but the stress led to drinking, and the snowball effect began again.
Jerry moved from smoking crack to meth and even both at the same time on occasion, which caused dangerous behaviors and hallucinations. When he was arrested four years later in 2015, he asked to return to Cedar House. He said, “They had really impressed me. They got me sober. I knew the info they gave me was real. It was life changing.”
During his experience with mental health court in sober living, he had some time to think. He was 49 years old and knew he would lose everything if he didn’t commit to his recovery. He visited his counselors at court and perked up when they said his first 90 days would be at Cedar House.
In the Cedar House lobby as he awaited his turn for intake, Jerry noticed another client looking at him. This man ended up being his roommate. At night, Jerry would try to leave the door ajar to read the Big Book by that sliver of light, but his roommate would yell at him to shut the door so they could all sleep. Jerry said, “The Big Book became my bible. I went to groups, worked out, read the Big Book, and asked questions.”
He didn’t want to fight with his roommate, so Jerry would bring his book into the bathroom to read at night. This routine of reading and focusing on the program laid a solid foundation for Jerry. That roommate became his sponsor, and they have stayed close every since. After 90 days, Jerry moved into sober living. He attended Sunday night meetings and panels until 2018.
That’s when Jerry’s mother passed away. He had regained custody of his children, but after relapsing, they were taken back into the system. He said, “I was crumbling. By the grace of God, I realized I was going to lose everything. I realized if I keep drinking and using, my kids will stay in the system.”
He said, “I had to take a deep breath and deal with the disappointment of relapse.”
On Dec. 29, 2019, Jerry committed himself once again to his recovery. He reflected back on the staff at Cedar House and said, “I remember everything they said. I would call and talk to Mike (his case manager). Every time he told me something, it rang true or eventually it would come true.”
Jerry is proud of everything he learned at Cedar House and the fact that he’s been able to mend his relationships with his family. With the help up Step Up, Jerry and his son are in stable housing. Now, he has four years of sobriety and earned his certified peer support license to help others on their path to recovery.
Each October, Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us that recovery and healing are possible for everyone. At Cedar House Life Change Center, we understand that mental health and substance use are deeply connected. Many people who struggle with addiction are also coping with conditions such as anxiety, depression, or trauma—and each affects the other. Treating both together is essential to lasting recovery. For more than 52 years, Cedar House has been helping individuals and families throughout the Inland Empire rebuild their lives through compassionate, evidence-based treatment. Our staff empowers people to overcome addiction and mental health challenges with respect, dignity, and hope. Tips for People Seeking Support If you or someone you love is struggling, here are a few ways to start your journey toward recovery: 1. Reach out for help early. You don’t need to wait for a crisis to ask for help. Early intervention can prevent harm and improve long-term success. 2. Get a professional assessment. At Cedar House, licensed clinicians assess each individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health to create a personalized plan. 3. Find community support. Recovery grows in connection. Peer support, counseling, and family engagement help build resilience and accountability. 4. Create stability. Safe housing, structured routines, and supportive care environments help lay the foundation for recovery. 5. Commit to ongoing care. Recovery doesn’t end after treatment—it continues through outpatient services, counseling, and ongoing connection to support systems. How Cedar House Life Change Center Can Help Cedar House offers a continuum of care designed to meet people wherever they are in their recovery journey: Withdrawal Management and Residential Treatment — Structured programs for men and women addressing both substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Maple House Perinatal Program — Family-centered services for mothers and children to recover and thrive together. Outpatient and Aftercare Programs — Continuing care, therapy, and relapse-prevention strategies for lasting stability. Family Support — Counseling and education to strengthen families and rebuild relationships. Our integrated treatment model ensures that every client receives comprehensive, coordinated care. You Are Not Alone This Mental Health Awareness Month, Cedar House encourages everyone to talk openly about mental health and seek support when needed. Recovery is not a solitary journey—it’s a shared path toward healing, strength, and renewal. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use or co-occurring mental health issues, contact Cedar House Life Change Center today. Together, we can help you find hope, healing, and a fresh start.
When Nikki first realized alcohol was destroying her life, it was 2012 — the year she nearly lost it entirely. On May 12, 2012, she made the decision to stop drinking. That same day, her body collapsed under the weight of years of alcohol abuse. She began bleeding heavily, vomiting stomach acid, and was rushed to the hospital. Her heart stopped. Medical staff performed CPR for 6 minutes and 38 seconds before bringing her back. Nikki survived, but her road ahead was long. She spent two months in the hospital, then entered Alcoholics Anonymous and worked the program. She stayed sober for two years — but like so many battling addiction, she relapsed. Over the years, her drinking escalated to 4–6 liters of vodka a week, often leading to hallucinations, psychosis, and dangerous detox episodes. Legal troubles, family struggles, and her son’s complex medical needs weighed heavily on her. Her breaking point came after her young son — who had cerebral palsy — faced a series of health crises. Despite staying sober for two years, the mounting stress and heartbreak eventually pushed her back into the cycle of drinking. Nikki tried multiple recovery programs, but medical complications and relapses kept pulling her back down. She knew alcohol was destroying her, but the pull was relentless. Then came Cedar House. Nikki says the outpatient program there changed everything. It gave her structure, accountability, and—most importantly—nonjudgmental support. Even during relapse, she knew Cedar House would welcome her back with compassion and encouragement. While in treatment, Nikki endured one of the most devastating moments of her life — the loss of her son in November 2022. In her grief, she had the tools and the people to help. She leaned on therapy, grief counseling, church, her sponsor, and the fellowship of AA. She refused to give up. With encouragement from her Cedar House counselor, Nikki pursued a lifelong dream: becoming a psychiatric technician. She enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College and not only completed the program but graduated valedictorian in June 2025. She is now preparing for her state board exams and continuing her personal growth, sobriety, and service to others. Nikki knows that recovery is a lifelong process. “When you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, you have to get the right tools in place,” she says. “The people at Cedar House believed in me, even when I couldn’t believe in myself. They gave me a safe place to come back to—without judgment—every single time.” Today, Nikki is living proof that with the right support, a person can come back from even the darkest moments and build a successful life.
Breaking down the barriers and misconceptions surrounding drug and alcohol rehabilitation is critical for encouraging more people to seek help. Read more now.
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