We Do Recover
Shannan Selby, BSN, RN, PMH-BC, CARN
Healing begins with awareness.
A conscious awareness that something needs to change.
Once we are aware that something needs to change, we are faced with the choice; to move in the direction of growth, or remain in discomfort.
Pain is often the catalyst for change, as was the case for me.
My name is Shannan.
I’m a mom to three young men and a couple of crazy canines.
I’m a Registered Nurse, an artist, and a writer.
I spent my career working in the Emergency Department.
I went through a horrible divorce, and I was raising my three sons completely unsupported as a single mom.
At 39 years old, I found myself in a place of massive burnout in my career and my personal life.
A kidney stone led to a prescription for pain pills, and those pills became an (ineffective) solution to all the hurt.
They temporarily numbed the physical pain AND the emotional pain.
I did some extraordinary damage to my life before I was in enough pain to consider changing.
Once I got sober, I began to peel back all the layers.
Codependency and perfectionism were ingrained into my very being.
I had gone through life on autopilot without much (if any) self-awareness.
It was time to learn some self-compassion and mend the broken pieces.
I faced a lot of adversity along the way, including license discipline.
Along this difficult journey, I rediscovered my creativity.
With more than a decade of sobriety I continue to share my own personal life lessons with others.
Working as a Registered Nurse specializing in Mental Health and Addiction allows me the opportunity to connect with my patients at a deep level.
Advocacy and Peer Support are my top priorities.
There is a lot of shame in the experience of addiction, and it can be even heavier for those of us who are licensed and held to a higher standard.
Recovery has taught me many things, and I continue to learn every day.
What can feel like the end is often a new beginning.
A beautiful shift in my nursing practice occurred when I made the decision to change my life.
Never stop imagining what you can do.
You might surprise yourself one day and do it all…
Find Recovery Resources here
Featured writing:
