Recognizing Nicole Pinky Patterson as a SHE RECOVERS Gem
SHE RECOVERS® Foundation Volunteer Recognition
“Being a SHE RECOVERS Foundation Volunteer means that I have an amazing platform in which to be a voice for recovering women. It means that all the pain I went through, and can still go through, is for a purpose.” – Pinky Patterson, SHE RECOVERS Volunteer
Recognizing Pinky Patterson as a SHE RECOVERS Gem
Nicole Pinky Patterson is a SHE RECOVERS volunteer co-host for our In the Rooms SHE RECOVERS Sunday 10 AM EST meeting. She is also a therapist and drug and alcohol counselor. Pinky has been a volunteer of the Foundation for two years and has been recently recognized as a SHE RECOVERS Gem.
SHE RECOVERS Gems are volunteers who have been acknowledged by their peers for their profound and life-altering contributions and service to our community.
We had the honor of interviewing Pinky about her role as a SHE RECOVERS Volunteer.
What does being a SHE RECOVERS Foundation Volunteer mean to you?
Being a SHE RECOVERS Foundation Volunteer means that I have an amazing platform in which to be a voice for recovering women. It means that all the pain I went through, and can still go through, is for a purpose, to help someone else, to give them hope, to build connection with others. It’s an opportunity to reach out my hand to support, guide and empower others. It’s a blessing to be able to give back to the community.
Why did you decide to become a SHE RECOVERS Foundation Volunteer?
Payton Kennedy, creator of the movement modality SHE RECOVERS® DANCE, and co-producer of SHE RECOVERS Signature Events, asked me. I was nervous and honored, all at the same time. I grow from being uncomfortable. I wanted to branch out and help recovering people in a different way, outside of my career and outside of the rooms of other recovery pathways.
What three words would your friends and fellow peers use to describe you?
Empathic, genuine, wise.
How do these aspects of who you are show up in your everyday life?
My empathy is ever-present. It’s a gift that I’m still learning how to manage and use to the best of my ability. It is with me always and predominantly supports my job as a drug and alcohol counselor and mental health therapist and provides opportunities to understand where clients are coming from. It helps me “see” and “hear” what they need and be able to guide them into cultivating self-awareness to assist them in tapping into their own strengths, gifts, and abilities. My genuineness is present in my everyday life, at my job, at home, with friends, and family, and while connecting and supporting others on their life path. My wisdom grows from utilizing my empathy and genuineness when I allow myself to shine! Even when I don’t “feel” like my light is on, it is.
What is something you are most proud of?
I am proud of NEVER giving up on myself.
What does radical self-care look like for you?
Radical self-care means that NO MATTER WHAT, I must put myself and my well-being first, because, if I don’t take care of myself, then I may not be of much help to helping others.
What or who is inspiring you right now?
What a loaded question. I draw inspiration from a plethora of things. If I had to pick one, here in this moment, it would be my best lady friend.
What SHE RECOVERS Intention & Guiding Principle resonates with you the most right now?
Recovery is a journey to wholeness. We learn to take care of our body, mind, emotions & spirit.
What is your favorite SHE RECOVERS resource?
The SHE RECOVERS meeting on In The Rooms Virtual Platform.
What is one piece of advice you would give to another woman/non-binary individual who is seeking a community like SHE RECOVERS?
We can recover together.
What do you do outside of your volunteer role for work and/or play?
For work, I am a therapist and drug and alcohol counselor at a dual-diagnosis facility in Ironton, Ohio. For play, I enjoy expanding my horizons creating – whether through art, personal growth and development, tapping into my spiritual gifts and more. I enjoy working out at the gym, spending time with my husband and our cat, Tiger, reading books, and continuing to explore various aspects of myself while in sobriety.
Tell us a little bit about your recovery journey. What tools and resources do you weave into your patchwork of recovery?
My sobriety date is July 23, 2016. That’s not my first sobriety date, as I’ve had a lot of “ins and outs”. My self-harm recovery milestone date is October 20, 2013. I acknowledge both as victories as I’m in recovery from addiction, alcohol use, mental illness, self-harm, eating disorders, trauma, codependency, and so on. More is definitely revealed to me as I travel this path of recovery. I weave various tools and resources into my patchworks of recovery, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Recovery Dharma, Narcotics Anonymous, Codependents Anonymous, and Adult Children of Alcoholics. I have a sponsor through the AA program and currently have two sponsees and I’m helping to guide them through the 12 steps of AA. I utilize a multitude of tools I learned while in treatment (again, not just once) such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, grounding techniques, aromatherapy, self-soothing techniques, prayer, meditation, boundaries, recovery management techniques, and developing my conscious contact with God.
Want to recognize a SHE RECOVERS Gem (Volunteer) for their contributions in our community? Nominate them now!
Feeling Inspired by this She Recovers Gem Story?
We invite you to get involved with SHE RECOVERS and explore the many ways you can help inspire hope, redefine recovery, reduce stigma and empower women who are in or seeking recovery. You can become a SHE RECOVERS Partner, Friend of the Foundation, Volunteer, or Advocate.
