Success Stories

At Tuerk House, 90% of our staff are in recovery themselves. Patients and families know that we understand the ups and downs of addiction, because we have been there, too.

From Patient to Employee: James Wooding

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From Patient to Employee: Vanessa Lyle

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Mike S.

I am a 63-year-old male resident of Baltimore City. I have had over 35 years of active addiction to drugs and alcohol. I came into Tuerk House on December 6, 2018, after having overdosed on what I thought was heroin. Since that time, Tuerk House has helped me become aware of the causes and consequences of my addiction. I am now starting to utilize the tools that Tuerk House has introduced to me to help in my recovery. I now have hope that with Tuerk House’s help, I can one day in the near future become a productive and responsible member of society.

Steve D.

Upon entering Tuerk House my mindset was to detox and get well so I could continue down the path of destruction. Not so simple…

Tuerk House has forever changed my life. Consisting of a multitude of resources and information by the boatload, I realize that I am an addict with the disease of addiction. Thanks to Tuerk House, I am now on a journey of recovery, one day at a time, and want nothing more than to live like never before.

I am forever thankful for the staff who have definitely been instrumental in my endeavors. Most of them have the life skills and experiences to assist me whenever I feel distracted or otherwise. Tuerk House has been my second chance at life…thank you.

Tuerk House Patient: From Stabilization to Nilsson House

I got to the Tuerk House on March 14, 2019 and I was in stabilization for approximately one day. Then I went upstairs, and they put me in room three. So, I was on my way to lay my foundation to start my recovery process. As I settled in, the ladies looked at me as if I had something on my face, but I kept the focus on myself and not them. I kept the focus on me, because if I took the focus off of me then I definitely would have missed the message that was given to me.

We were woken up at 5:30 in the morning every day. I got up, went into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, and put my clothes on so I could go into the dayroom and give my roommate her privacy.

I started opening up on a daily basis in the Tuerk House and I was always giving them some real encouraging words for them when they leave the Tuerk House.

In the process of all of that happening, I met some of the nicest people in the world and they are: Ms. Diane, Ms. Kathy, Ms. Angie, Ms. Glenda, Ms. Ray, Mr. Joe, Mr. Randy, Ms. Yvette and the one that I really became close with was Ms. Sharon. Her and I got really close and she told me that I had a glow about myself and that I was also progressing every day on a daily basis. All of the P.A.s treated me with the utmost respect and that’s what I loved about each and every one of them. They’re all just so unique and special and I’m glad that I was given the chance to meet them and you can best believe that I’ll stay in contact with them all.

After I left the Tuerk House I came to the Nilsson House and when I walked in the door I was in a whole new environment. It’s totally awesome and I’m truly, truly loving this house. I always wanted to be in a place like this and God answers all prayers. We serve an awesome god. This house is the next chapter in my life. The Nilsson House is truly, truly wonderful.

Joseph M.

It was bad for me. I was withdrawing from heroin, lost my house and cars. Tuerk House helped me get my life back—to live so I won’t die from drugs. So I started getting better to live my life. From doing the 12 Steps to meeting with my therapist [and ]talking, [I am working] every day of my life to get better.

Keith G.

Tuerk House gave me the opportunity to become part of the picture of change. With the help of the staff, and others like me, they encourage you to liberate your mind, body and soul. The therapeutic value of one addict helping another is without parallel. If you believe your life is worth more than finding the means and ways to use drugs, come to Tuerk House and give yourself a chance to live.

Finding Strength at the Tuerk House

I’m truly grateful to the Tuerk House and Nilsson House for helping me stay abstinent from my drugs of choice.

I’m stronger and have self-control, spirituality, and ambition for a brighter future. Shout out to some hardworking women who have made this process easier—the P.A.s at the Tuerk House: Ms. Angie, Ms. Kathy, Ms. Jasmine, Ms. Jecinta, Ms. Shavoy.

I’m able to list things I love about myself now that before I didn’t see. My transition from Tuerk House to Nilsson House was straight-forward, comfortable, and easy. Knowing the women first at the Tuerk House that are here with me now made this process better.

David E.

My name is David. I had detoxed many times before, 7 days or less and used the same day leaving.

[Then] I came to Tuerk House on January 8, 2019. They detoxed me for 1 week with medication, then allowed me to stay in a safe place for 28 days and have a better chance to stay off heroin and cocaine. Along the way I attended groups and counseling where I received information on some areas of my life that need work. I then chose to go on to a long-term program that they offer for 6 months.

This is my 17th treatment program and I have learned more this time than all other times combined and have gotten off suboxone after 5 years. I am clean today and feel better about my future than ever before.

Rising from Rock Bottom

On January 28 I walked into the Tuerk House at my rock bottom, broke and broken. The scariest and weakest point in my life. Never being in a treatment facility or rehab before, the only thing I knew was what I saw on reality TV.

Reality didn’t hit me until I got to the second floor of the Tuerk House and was introduced to a peer recovery coach who explained the roles and told me chore was to clean the bathroom for the week. I replied, “We don’t have housekeeping?” The coach responded loudly and strongly, “You are housekeeping. Where do you think you are? I guess you think we have a golf course outside.” Bam. Reality. This was a real 30-day detox.

I had always had faith in a higher power but had lost it somewhere during my alcoholic binge. So I’m in the Tuerk House and we’re having a group meeting. I realized that the counselors, peers, and guest speakers are giving me all of this knowledge about my disease and tools to recover, but I had to be willing to receive it. I had to be willing to be a student, to humble myself because the help was there. What stood out to me from the counseling sessions and meetings was, “to thine own self be true.” Believe in a power greater than yourself.

My 30 days of prayer helped, and I stayed open to learn, even when I didn’t understand the staff’s tactics. They had the licenses and degrees. They were there to feed me what they knew. But it was up to me to eat.

Tuerk House staff is stern but they give you exactly what you need to begin to rebuild your life. But you have to want it.

When my 30 days were over it was time to go back to my life and be a productive member of society. I was still growing in my process and 30 days was not enough. I had been an alcoholic for 20 years.

Every day of those 30 days I was asked the same question: What’s your next step? When my counselor gave me my certificate of completion, I was sober but still needed the program. I felt good, but I’m a still a baby in the process. At this time, Tuerk House had just remodeled and reopened its sister facility, the Nilsson House. My counselor told me to go there and trust the process. It was the best decision I have ever made in my life—to continue to grow and become stronger in overcoming my addiction.

Walking into Nilsson House, I was lost and didn’t know what I was searching for, but I was ready to surrender. I had a family that was loving me when I didn’t love myself. A therapist who saw potential in me and did whatever she had to do for me to tap into it, if it was just listening to me talk, staying late to listen to music, hugging me… When I cried, she was there. Peers who shared their stories of addiction and how they overcame. They reassured me every day that they were here to help me get back to a better version of myself.

Through metaphors, “you feel the way you feel because you think the way you think,” self-affirmations, nursing groups, and counseling groups, these ladies helped me get my self-esteem back. I had to love myself. I realized I was strong the day I walked into the Tuerk House. But these ladies showed me how to tap into that strength and find the value in my sober self. I gained from this program. I am loving the skin I’m in. I’m stronger, but I also was obedient and trusted the process. I will forever be grateful to my Nilsson and Tuerk House family for helping me save me. Don’t leave five minutes before the miracle happens. One day at a time.

Delvon F.

My name is Delvon. I am a 42-year-old recovering addict. When I came to talk to Tuerk House, I was broken both mentally and spiritually. I was tired and desperately searching for a way to change the cycle I placed myself in. So I called Tuerk House expecting to be placed on a waiting list. Thankfully when the young lady picked up the phone, she told me to come in that Saturday.

My intake day was pleasant. Everyone there made me feel welcome. No one there made me feel like I had messed up and it was the end of the road. Instead they made me feel like it was my new beginning. My counselor there went above and beyond for my recovery. I had a family session that saved my marriage. The information I received there changed my life. Being in Tuerk House gave me the drive to go back to school. My counselor has helped me with vital information I needed for finding sources to help me along the way. So now I am a full time college student at Stratford University.

Basically if there wasn’t a Tuerk House I don’t know where I would be!! So I will be forever grateful for Tuerk House for showing me life without drugs can be manageable.