Recovery Starts with Community: The Inspiration Behind Healthy House

Healthy House for Women founder Ms. Pamela Coffey, was recently interviewed by Zinta Aistars on WMUK’s Story Beat. Ms. Pam discussed her personal journey of recovery that inspired the development of Healthy House.

During the interview, Ms. Pam shared that after battling addiction for 20 years her transitional point came when she entered rehab for the first time. “When I was in treatment, I was in treatment with women who had been there four or five times,” said Ms. Pam. She quickly realized that she could end up back in rehab again like many of the other women there.

This sparked an important question, why do people relapse? The answer came down to people, places, and things.

“I realized that when women leave treatment and go back into the same environments where substances are present, relapse is almost inevitable,” said Ms. Pam. She realized that recovery requires more than just rehab; ongoing support accountability and community were essential for recovery.

This realization became the foundation of Healthy House for Women. She envisioned a place where women could transition directly from rehab into an environment designed to nurture recovery. A place where women can feel safe and have the resources for recovery success, while having the support of other women who understand the recovery journey.

Today, Healthy House has served over a hundred women since opening. Ms. Pam shared that she still remembers many of the women who came through the doors of Healthy House. Most of them were scared and uncertain, but willing to try. “Watching them grow, find peace, and create new lives. That’s what keeps me going,” she said.

Healthy House can house up to eight residents. Our program helps their residents discover themselves and allow them to build a solid foundation before leaving the program. In addition to helping women reach sobriety, Healthy House helps women rebuild their lives from all angles. Residents receive help with securing employment and housing, setting the foundation for success after they complete the program.

Listen to the full interview to hear more about Ms. Pam’s story and how we are expanding our services.