While it is not uncommon for couples to go through the ATR program, it is rare to find two people like Tiffany and Cheyen. The two have seen each other at their lowest, helped each other through the early days of recovery, and come through the ATR program stronger. Through all they shared about their time in ATR, one thing that stood out was how they acknowledged each other and those who helped them come this far.
Cheyen described the “ripple effect” of positive influences, from receiving support through our partner, MassHire Holyoke to giving back to the recovery community.
Below, read how Tiffany and Cheyen are turning those ripples into waves of their own.
Tiffany and Cheyen have been together for four years. Their relationship began with them both in active addiction and it continued while they each enrolled in treatment programs to kickstart their recovery. Tiffany was pregnant with their son when she and Cheyen knew they needed to find additional support. Cheyen enrolled in the ATR program first, quickly engaging in our Paths to Empowerment (P2E) job readiness program. His P2E Facilitator, Melinda, was exactly the kind of person they were hoping to find.
While Tiffany enrolled in ATR later that same year, Melinda also became her P2E Facilitator. Melinda “connected with us on so many different levels and taught us all the things we needed to know,” Cheyen said. Before the start of P2E, Tiffany said she and Cheyen had been “out of the real world,” for so long that taking on the responsibility of finding a job, finding a place to live, and welcoming a newborn into the family was overwhelming. However, Melinda was there to encourage Tiffany and Cheyen, help them set small, attainable goals, and build their confidence in more ways than one. “She helped us [with] cover letters, she helped us with our resumes,” Cheyen said. He said that with Melinda’s guidance, Tiffany’s job application stood out from the rest and she was invited for an interview. While Tiffany was anxious, Melinda met with her to do a practice interview to help her feel confident for the official interview. “It’s just amazing because she [didn’t] have to do that at all,” Tiffany said.
Cheyen shared that Melinda’s care for the couple was evident in her attention to detail and the time she spent supporting them both. “It’s amazing when you have somebody who wants to set you on the right path and see you succeed,” he said. They affectionately described Melinda as their “GPS” to guide them through a time where they both felt unsure of what direction they should go next. Melinda encouraged Tiffany and Cheyen to create a better life for themselves and to apply the lessons they learned during their time in the ATR program to every aspect of their life together.
The pair have done just that.
The P2E program helped Tiffany and Cheyen explore who they were as individuals in early recovery. They discovered what kind of careers they wanted to pursue, and ATR was their connection to other programs that provided the support they needed. Cheyen described the experience as a ripple effect: Melinda helped them with their resumes; their resumes helped them find employment; with secure jobs in place, they were able to qualify for an apartment. “We had nothing to go by…If we made it from literally nothing, then I’m sure, from here, we can do better things,” Tiffany reflected.
Having recently accepted a position as a Recovery Specialist, Tiffany can now support individuals entering treatment having walked in their shoes and come as far as she has. Cheyen is going through the interview process for a similar position, and the two of them are creating new patterns, establishing healthy habits, and setting a positive example for their son. The lessons they learned in ATR have influenced their recovery journeys, their careers, their parenting skills, and their relationship with each other.
Cheyen said, “We’re learning so much about each other and ourselves,” adding that he and Tiffany are learning to work together to be patient and understand one another. “One thing we learned to do is lean on each other, be each other’s support, [and] not drag each other down,” he said, Tiffany beaming by his side.
We can always learn something new from ATR participants, but Tiffany and Cheyen are evidence that there is joy in recovery. While they are working towards owning a home of their own, Cheyen shared that he also dreams of buying a home to turn into a sober living home. Having found support through ATR and Melinda, Tiffany and Cheyen have found ways to give back to the recovery community—and the ripple effect continues.
Thank you to Tiffany and Cheyen for sharing your experiences with us!