‘You deserve to get help’: Former patient inspires hope through her gift shop at Rogers in Oconomowoc
Elizabeth’s story proves that it’s possible to turn pain into purpose.
She says her struggles with mental health started when she was a teenager. School counselors encouraged her to get professional help, but she wasn’t able to continue.
“My parents didn’t believe in mental health, so after a short amount of time, they pulled me out of it,” Elizabeth shares. “This was even after I had attempted suicide.”
Depression eventually led to substance use as a way to cope with her emotions.
“Once I got to college, I was using drugs and alcohol on a regular basis,” she says. “I would put on a smile. I would do anything possible to make people think that I was OK.”
Eventually, Elizabeth received residential care at the Herrington Center for Addiction Recovery in Oconomowoc.
“It made me feel like there was a way out if I wanted it,” she explains. “It planted a seed that I had a future without drugs or alcohol.”
Her treatment team was able to help her identify the mental health struggles at the root of her substance use.
“I don’t think I would have made it without addressing my mental health,” she says.
Today, Elizabeth runs Faith Factory, a business that inspires and encourages others who are struggling. She says she is thrilled to have a gift shop in the lobby at the main hospital in Oconomowoc.
“It’s been an incredible experience,” she says.
From t-shirts and sweatshirts to stickers, jewelry, and more, Elizabeth’s mission is to break stigma and celebrate recovery.
“You deserve to get help,” she says. “You’re worth it.”
“She exhibits such great strength and hope,” says Lori Nichols LPC, CSAC, ICS, NCC, manager of Residential Operations, Herrington Center for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery. “She is an inspiration not only to those suffering from substance use but also to anyone struggling with mental health challenges. She has such great compassion and she always makes sure others know they’re not alone by sharing her story, being vulnerable, offering kind words, her smile, and the merchandise she sells.”
