The Beginning

Dear Recovery Ally,

So here we are. You, me, and a big ole belief that life doesn’t have to stay broken.

If you’ve stumbled across this blog, it’s probably because your heart beats loud for second chances, fresh starts, and the kind of hope that refuses to sit still. Maybe you’re in recovery. Maybe someone you love is. Maybe you just believe people deserve support, not shame, and that families, no matter how messy, can rise.

Well, same.

At Loula, we believe recovery is more than just possible. It is powerful. It is loud. Sometimes chaotic. A little sweaty. Occasionally tear-stained. And also sacred. When one person heals, it echoes through generations. We don’t just see individuals changing. We see families getting stronger, kids getting safer, and communities getting brighter. Like glow-in-the-dark bright.

This blog is for the messy middle. The awkward growth spurts. The wins that feel small but are actually massive. It is for you if you’ve ever cried in the car and still showed up. It is for you if you’ve high-fived yourself for drinking water instead of wine. It is for you if you’ve ever believed, even for one brave second, that something better is possible.

I’m not here as a professional with all the answers. I’m here as someone who’s weathered the storm, tripped a few times, got back up, and just keeps showing up. Long-term recovery isn’t a straight path or a tidy checklist. It’s more like building IKEA furniture without the instructions—messy, confusing, and still somehow worth it. Especially when you’re balancing laundry, emotions, and the chaos of everyday life.

Here’s what I know for sure. Recovery works. Families can rebuild. And community, real gritty loyal community, changes everything. I’ve seen it in living rooms, in courtrooms, in the middle of breakdowns and breakthroughs. I’ve watched parents fight to be better, and children finally get to be kids again. I’ve seen people learn to breathe, to forgive, to hope.

And I want you to know, whatever part of the journey you’re on, you’re not alone.

This blog is a love letter to that truth. It will be full of real talk, tender moments, hard-won wisdom, and maybe a little sarcasm because healing is serious, but we don’t have to be all the time.

So, here’s to the messy, magnificent work of healing. To the belief that families are stronger together. And to the sacred act of beginning again, over and over, with grace, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

Thanks for showing up.

For stronger families,

One recovery ally to another