Where a New Path Began, Kerri’s Story
Where a New Path Began, A Miracle of Survival and Recovery, Kerri’s Story
“I gave them every reason to give up on me, but they didn’t.”
Kerri Kostic’s voice breaks when she reaches for the right words to express her gratitude to her OhioGuidestone therapists.
“I relapsed, was kicked out of rehab, and spent time in prison, but these women saw something in me that was worth saving,” she said.
Kerri is working on a college degree that she hopes will lead to a career in counseling and social advocacy. She is on a path that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago, when substances
controlled her mind and body.
She had her first drink at age 14, and never looked back—drinking well into her adulthood, alienating loved ones along the way. Kerri knew she needed help, but didn’t know where to get it. She prayed that God would give her some sort of a sign to point her in the right direction.
“God’s response was as subtle as a sledgehammer,” Kerri said. “A month later, a train slammed into my car as I was crossing the tracks.”
Kerri doesn’t remember much about the accident, but she knows she had been drinking. The only thing left of the car was Kerri and the driver’s seat she was sitting in. Her survival was a miracle.
Recovery from the accident was painful and slow, but Kerri was finally able to quit drinking, keeping alcohol out of her body and out of her life. She still has a scar on her hand, shaped like a cross. She calls it a reminder of God’s miracle, saving her from an accident that should have been fatal, and from the alcohol use that almost took her life.
Kerri said God saved her again through OhioGuidestone and by throwing another obstacle in her path. The pain medication that helped her recover from the accident created a new, but familiar problem. Like the alcohol when she was 14, Kerri’s body responded to the pain medicine the way many people describe the genesis of their substance use.
“I felt immediate relief,” she said. “The pain was gone, but a light switch in my body flipped on, and that pain medicine became all I could think about.”
Kerri sought help through SUD treatment but didn’t find success until her OhioGuidestone team helped her discover behavioral health challenges underneath the substance use disorder.
“Kerri was struggling with multiple traumas and took part in our DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) program,” said Catherine Crawford, Clinical Manager in OhioGuidestone’s Northwest region. “She used DBT as a motivator to complete her residential treatment, showing phenomenal resiliency by bravely acknowledging what led her into ineffective behaviors, and used her strong spirituality to access to her wisdom.”
Kerri’s spirituality is also what is guiding her to help others find a path to wellness and recovery, and pass along what OhioGuidestone gave her.
Kami Garcia, an OhioGuidestone Registered Nurse, said Kerri has already given back just by getting well.
“We often hear ‘Thank You’ from patients for being a part of their journey and aiding in their recovery,” Kami said. “But I also feel thankful and privileged to be a part of their lives and treatment. I am so proud of Kerri and the accomplishments that she has made and will continue to make.”
Catherine added, “Kerri is one of the most beautiful-hearted individuals I have ever met, and I’m so grateful that we were able to be part of her journey. “ Kerri hopes to someday join OhioGuidestone as a Recovery Specialist, DBT counselor, or any specialist where she can use her lived experience to help someone begin a new path.
At OhioGuidestone, every story is a reminder that healing is possible. Explore more stories like Kerri’s, Where a New Path Began, and find resources to begin your own new path on our success stories page.
Kerri’s story, “Where a New Path Began, A Miracle of Survival and Recovery,” was featured on the cover of our Summer 2023 issue, Seeds of Hope.