Rose’s Journey: Building Trust, Healing, and Lasting Recovery

We operate the King County Residential Treatment Program (KCRTP), that provides residential treatment for adults living with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Karis Bjerke, Clinical Practices Manager (pictured), recently shared an inspiring story about Rose, a former client and survivor.

Rose arrived at KCRTP after a lifetime marked by childhood abuse, alcoholism, and domestic violence. She entered the program following completion of a detox program and after suffering multiple strokes, leaving her in a physically and emotionally fragile state. Despite these challenges, Rose came to KCRTP open, determined, and willing to learn how to make lasting, positive changes in her life.

“Rose came to us in a very vulnerable place, so building trust was paramount,” Karis shared. “She was willing to work on herself and dig deep into her emotions to confront her past. During the program, Rose learned how to express herself more effectively and began rebuilding her self-esteem and sense of self-worth.”

Recognizing the depth of her healing needs, Rose immersed herself in the trainings and education provided in the program where she was a client for 60 days. “Rose truly embraced every group and educational opportunity,” Karis explained. “Due to many years of alcohol use and trauma, she often told us she needed all the help we could give her, and she became very comfortable sharing her feelings.”

Throughout her time at KCRTP, Rose fully engaged in all services and spent additional time in coping skills, self-esteem and trauma survivor groups. She worked diligently to build the tools needed to prevent relapse and strengthen her commitment to sobriety.

Since Rose had an extensive trauma history, she was finally able to recognize how her alcohol use was connected to her past and trauma. Karis shared, “Working on identifying her values helped her navigate and gain momentum in her independence and in her recovery.”

After graduating from KCRTP, Rose returned to her tribe to continue her recovery journey, using the skills she gained to rebuild relationships with her family and children. While she continues to face physical and emotional challenges, Rose remains committed to her growth and recovery.

“We are so proud that Rose still calls us regularly to share how she’s doing,” Karis said. “Rose often expresses her gratitude for the staff and the program that helped her build a strong foundation for recovery. She’s always excited to tell us she remains alcohol-free. We love hearing from her and sharing in both her wins and her struggles. It means a lot to know she realizes how deeply the entire staff cares about her and looks forward to her calls.”