Security

TeamAlert System Improves Safety on Nexus Campus

Nexus is in the process of adding an Emergency Notification System to our network. With clients and staff spread out among half a dozen buildings, the TeamAlert system will keep everyone in the loop by notifying each employee by text or phone with any potential emergency.

The TeamAlert system includes mobile apps for various types of phones and smart watches, so that campus staff can both stay informed of the latest developments, and alert other staff to any issues that occur. Using this mobile notification system, Nexus can better ensure the safety and security of our clients, no matter where they are on campus!

Dignity

Whitney Builds a Solid Foundation in Recovery

Whitney, 33, has been in recovery since November 15, 2020. Whitney says that her life before Nexus was chaotic, depressing, anxiety-driven, and just flat-out hard. She started using painkillers around age 17 and alcohol at 21. Despite having two beautiful kids with her now-husband, Whitney still battled with substance use disorder (SUD) every day.

“I was so lost as a person and didn’t know who I was or what I wanted to do with my life,” Whitney says. “People say that having kids should be enough for you to stop, but they would be wrong. When you are in the belly of the beast, nothing else matters, no matter how much you love your kids.”

Whitney said that it took losing everything to finally want better for herself and her kids. She had first come to Nexus when she was 20, but she wasn’t ready to stop taking pain pills, and left after just two days. However, when she came back in 2019, she knew that this time was different. She wanted to be in recovery, and that would make all the difference.

There were days when Whitney wanted to get up and leave, but she talked with her counselor and fought through the doubt and uncertainty. Putting words to her feelings and figuring out why she felt the way she did was one of the toughest things she ever did. It sounds so simple, but like so many other people who struggle with substance use disorder, it was easier for Whitney to cover up the pain from her past with pills and alcohol than it was to work through her feelings. Thankfully, she could rely on Nexus staff, as well as fellow clients, to be there as she worked through it.

“There aren’t enough words in the world to express how grateful I am for Nexus,” says Whitney. “The counselors and friends I made along the way got me through one of the hardest parts of my life. It changed my life for the better and I’ll never forget how it transformed my life.”

Whitney and her husband got married last September after 11 years and 2 kids together. Today she works as a caregiver for the elderly. With a passion for helping others who can’t help themselves, Whitney is planning on going back to school soon to get her LVN license and further her career. She also found out she was pregnant with her third child in January, and couldn’t be happier. With a growing family and a passion for her career, Whitney is thankful for her life and her family.

“One last piece of advice for anyone who is still struggling. Do it for YOU!” Whitney says. “No one else. Not your family or friends or even your kids. Build your recovery foundation on something solid: yourself. Something might happen to one of those people that you are in recovery for and could send you into a downward spiral. But if you are doing it for yourself, you have a better chance of success and happiness. If I can do it, anyone can. Peace and love!”