A drunk driver crossed the line and changed Crystalfield’s life forever. She was badly injured and her best friend killed. She needed opiates for her pain relief and struggled for the next decade, going from taking opiates for her pain control to her full-blown abuse at one point. She crossed her own line. Krystal lost herself in a cycle of opiate abuse and her life became focused on feeding her addiction, until she was arrested for drug possession in 2013. it’s over. Meanwhile, reconstruction began.
Since it was her first arrest, Crystal underwent a recreational program that included being sent to a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting. No one mentioned other options like SMART. Crystal says that like NA she struggled with the idea of a “higher power” essential to 12-step recovery, but she figured out how to stick with it. [higher power] It was a fellowship, it was a group, it was an information sharing… Listening to others is very powerful in itself. This strategy moved her life in a positive direction, even though she had power over some things and she was convinced there were things she could control. continued.
One example is her decision to pursue a college degree, which directly led her to explore SMART for class assignments. “I absolutely loved everything about it… It resonated so much with me and was in line with what I was doing in school.” Crystal began attending conferences and working full-time. Working at, going to school, being a mother, and having relationships, I realized it was personally worth it. She also attended meetings of her family and friends. She believes this has helped ease the COVID pandemic stress in her family.
Her next big decision was to become a SMART meeting facilitator. A self-described introverted personality, Krystal says stepping into her facilitation role was definitely out of her comfort zone, but she does it anyway. and it paid off. In my own recovery, it held everything together. “
Now Kristal looks ahead and realizes that with a degree in Social Work and Health Management, combined with SMART Facilitator Training, the possibilities are endless. “My ultimate dream is to open my own recovery house. It would be great if I could run SMART her meetings all day, every day!” She finds it rewarding to see participants grow during tough times. say. Kristal is particularly concerned with the female members of her group learning how to assert themselves and use SMART tools to develop their power. She sees it happen regularly.
Ultimately, Kristal wants SMART to grow as much as possible and help individuals before it’s too late. She lost her friend to opium use disorder, but she is now part of the solution.
