“Resolana saved me. It showed me what might be possible.”
Kathleen Callahan
Kathleen Callahan was introduced to alcohol before she was old enough to go to school. At family gatherings, it was funny to the unaware adults and older teenagers when she would come around and get sips from the various people around her. “My sister recalls this 4-year-old staggering down the hall,” Kathleen said. There was, however, nothing funny about the foundation it laid for a life spent fighting drug and alcohol addiction.
Kathleen grew up in chaos, making it the norm for much of her life. An older brother was an alcoholic and addict; her mother hovered over her to keep her from going there. Still, alcohol’s influence only grew over time. The draw of addiction reached new levels during her first weekend at college. “I went to a party where the whole kitchen table was covered with cocaine,” she says. “I liked the way it made me feel.” Although Kathleen struggled to be consistent in school, she managed to graduate with a degree in interior design.
The chaos continued, however, and with the 2008 recession, Kathleen, now a single mother, found it difficult to find or keep a job. “I was working three jobs to take care of my daughter,” she said. “At first, I needed cocaine to get to my three jobs. Then I needed three jobs to get my cocaine.”
Eventually, Kathleen lost everything and turned to meth, manufacturing and selling it. This landed her in the Dallas County Jail. One day, Lesley Mohney, the program director for the Resolana trauma and addiction treatment program, came around to talk about the program offered. Kathleen got into Resolana and spent nearly two months there. Those days proved pivotal. The program’s holistic approach with various classes and training, along with creative opportunities, was just what the artistically inclined Kathleen needed.
She cites artwork with unique papers and drawing tools, a self-portrait she created. Then someone came in to do music and dance. “That opened up a part of my life I thought I closed,” she said. “It reminded me life could be possible again.”
“Resolana saved me,” Kathleen explains. “It showed me what might be possible.” It made her ready for the treatment facility that followed which became her bridge to sobriety. She came out, determined to work the 12-step program with her sponsor. Now, she takes every opportunity to talk to other women who need help. She tells them, “At least maybe I’ve given you enough to think about to ruin your next high.”
Her changed life brought her to a job at a restaurant where she had worked before. The new Kathleen made it into management. Recently, after the company was sold, the new owners offered her a job that will put her into the office. On July 3, Kathleen Callahan celebrated 10 years of sobriety and calm. “If you trust in your Higher Power and put one step in front of the other, wonderful things can happen,” she said.