St Vincent House of Transformation will be the first women’s holistic treatment center in Delaware
Ashely Beardsley discovered her purpose in life which is to help other addicts and alcoholics in the same way she was helped along the way. In an effort to provide women with a holistic way to overcome addiction, she founded St. Vincent House of Transformation which will be located on a 90-acre farm in Georgetown.
“It is the very first holistic recovery house in Delaware for women who have at least 30 days clean and sober,” Beardsley said. “St. Vincent is a 3- to 12-month residential program that will provide women with a unique and nurturing atmosphere to heal. We focus on treating the whole person by providing holistic therapies in a safe environment where guests are free to grow, thrive, help others and re-enter into society. We aspire to be the foundation you will lean on for support until you are strong enough to move forward on your own. We are devoted to inspiring healthy living practices and self-care.”
Beardsley explained that the goal of St. Vincent’s is to help any addict who is seeking recovery with a 12-step program a safe, comfortable and calm residential facility which is free of all substances in order to find new opportunity in life. The program uses a spirit of community cooperation designed to help those who are suffering from addiction enter society as strong, sober women. St. Vincent will offer a 12-step program in a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere. Residents will be provided yoga, meditation and music therapy as well as massage therapy and acupuncture. They plan to offer equine and art therapy as well.
“There will be on-site gardens, walking trails, farm animals and a greenhouse along with on-site cooking, nutritional, meal prep and shopping classes,” Beardsley said. “We will bring in special speakers and offer excursions to the beach, hiking trails, paddle sports and more. I decided to take on this project because there is a special need in our community for recovery. Recovery is more than just quitting the drugs and alcohol. Recovery from drugs and alcohol is a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness and quality of life.”
Beardsley named the organization after her little brother, Vincent, who died of an overdose at the age of 16. Beardsley, herself, has dealt with addiction, stating that her sobriety date is November 12, 2015, an accomplishment she could not have achieved on her own.
“At the very beginning, I thought that if I just put down the drugs and alcohol, all of my problems would go away and boy, was I wrong,” Beardsley said. “That was just the beginning of a long road I had to go down, facing my own demons, fears and learning to love the new person I was becoming as well as a whole new way of life. I was a very frightened, trashy woman who couldn’t even look at herself in the mirror. I had no idea who I was or where I was going. After years of hard work and dedication, I can finally say I have fallen in love with the woman I have become. I did not do this alone. I had people show me the way. I had people love me when I couldn’t love myself. Everything that I have been through and learned has made me who I am today. I wanted to take everything that has helped me get where I am today and offer it to those women ready for a new way of life.”
On June 6, 2021, St. Vincent will hold their first fundraiser, a 5k Walk/Run for Recovery at Sandhill Fields. There will be a free Kiddie K for children under eight and a children’s corner with games and face painting. Registration begins at 7:30 AM with the Kiddy K at 8:20 AM and the 5k starting at 8:30 AM. All children who participate in the Kiddy K will receive a medal and there will be free yoga classes offered both before and after the 5k. Anyone interested in being a vendor, sponsor, donor, volunteer or 5k participant can contact Barb Kursh at [email protected]. They can also visit https://raceroster.com/events/2021/45365/inaugural-st-vincnet-house-of-transformation-5k.
RELATED STORIES:
Share this Post