From Rock Bottom to Valedictorian
Nikki's Journey of Recovery and Hope
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.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, an important time to recognize the deep connection between trauma, mental health, and substance use. For many people, addiction does not happen in isolation. It is often tied to painful life experiences, untreated mental health symptoms, grief, violence, loss, instability, or long-term stress. When someone is living with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, substances may become a way to cope with memories, anxiety, fear, sleep problems, emotional pain, or feeling constantly on edge. At Cedar House Life Change Center, we understand that recovery must address the whole person. That means looking beyond substance use alone and recognizing the mental health challenges that often come with addiction. Understanding PTSD and Substance Use PTSD can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, panic, avoidance, emotional numbness, irritability, difficulty trusting others, and feeling unsafe even when danger has passed. These symptoms can be overwhelming, especially when a person does not have the support, treatment, or tools to manage them. For some, alcohol or drugs may feel like temporary relief. Over time, however, substance use often makes trauma symptoms worse and creates a cycle that becomes harder to break. This is why treating addiction without addressing co-occurring mental health disorders can leave people without the full support they need to heal. Cedar House Specializes in Co-Occurring Disorders Cedar House specializes in serving individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and other behavioral health needs. Our clinical team is experienced in working with clients whose recovery is complicated by trauma, emotional distress, and higher levels of acuity. Many treatment programs are not equipped to support clients with more complex mental health presentations. At Cedar House, we have developed the ability to manage and support more acute cases when clinically appropriate. This means we are often able to serve individuals who may need more structure, closer monitoring, stronger clinical coordination, and a more comprehensive approach than a traditional substance use treatment setting can provide. Our goal is not simply to stabilize substance use. Our goal is to help clients build a foundation for long-term recovery by addressing the mental health symptoms, trauma responses, and life circumstances that may be contributing to addiction. A Trauma-Informed Approach to Recovery Trauma-informed care means recognizing that many people entering treatment have experienced significant pain before they ever arrive at our doors. It means creating an environment where clients feel safe, respected, understood, and supported rather than judged. At Cedar House, this approach is reflected in the way we provide care. We focus on compassion, structure, accountability, and individualized support. Clients are treated as people with stories, strengths, and potential, not as diagnoses or behaviors. For individuals with PTSD and addiction, recovery may include learning how to manage triggers, regulate emotions, rebuild trust, develop healthy coping skills, reconnect with family and community, and begin to imagine life beyond survival. Healing takes time, but with the right support, it is possible. Meeting Clients Where They Are Cedar House serves many individuals who come to treatment with complex needs, including co-occurring mental health disorders, homelessness or housing instability, justice involvement, medical concerns, and limited support systems. These challenges can make recovery more difficult, but they do not make recovery impossible. Our programs are designed to meet clients where they are and help them move toward stability, dignity, and wholeness. By offering a continuum of care that includes withdrawal management, residential treatment, outpatient services, perinatal services, recovery support, and alumni engagement, Cedar House helps clients take the next step in their recovery journey. Why PTSD Awareness Matters PTSD Awareness Month reminds us that trauma is not a character flaw, and addiction is not a moral failure. Both are health conditions that deserve compassionate, evidence-based care. When communities understand the connection between trauma and substance use, we reduce stigma and create more pathways to healing. At Cedar House, we believe people can recover when they are given the right care, the right environment, and the right support. For individuals living with PTSD and addiction, that means treatment that sees the full picture and responds with both clinical expertise and compassion. This June, we honor those who are living with trauma, those who are seeking recovery, and those who are learning that healing is possible. Cedar House remains committed to helping individuals affected by addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders find wholeness in recovery.
by Mark D. Gobert
Learn what happens in residential addiction treatment step-by-step, from detox to therapy and recovery planning at Cedar House Life Change Center.
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