We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shannon Marshall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shannon below.

Shannon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

A lot of the work we do at EMG is centered around helping loved ones understand the disease of addiction and their role in recovery. It’s critical that each person’s healing is viewed as a part of a whole rather than in a silo. For an addict to continue existing as they are, they need a codependent. These are often family members (parents, siblings, spouses, children, etc.) We are skilled helping people understand this relationship while teaching codependents how to identify their enabling patterns of behavior, and how to establish healthy boundaries.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

EMG Addiction Services is the product of years of my own journey in substance abuse and trying to heal from it. As I was in the throes of drinking and Rx drug abuse, my family was desperate for answers, but they were also in denial. They had no idea how bad it had gotten and just “hoped” the person they knew before, would reveal herself again. That’s just not how addiction works and unfortunately, they made plenty of missteps along the way that unknowingly created a more comfortable place for me to use. I wanted to give families and loved ones the guidance they need to make the right decisions, earlier in the process.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My first “grown-up” job wasnt as a therapist. I worked in politics for many years and did so through my very turbulent addiction and rocky recovery. It wasn’t until I was about 2 years sober that I decided my calling was elsewhere. As I reflected on my own journey, I noticed a major gap in services. Families could reach out for their own therapy or be a part of the continuum of care if the addict chose treatment, but there wasn’t a resource to help families identify how they were contributing to the addiction cycle, and more importantly, to show them how to stop. My family would have benefited greatly from that and I truly believe it would have propelled me into recovery sooner. As such, the primary focus of EMG Addiction Services is to change the generational narrative as it relates to substance abuse in families. We don’t just help the addict to heal and launch their own recovery, but also the family members who have Inevitably taken on codependent and enabling patterns of behavior. These patterns not only contribute to the painful cycle of addiction but also teach other members that avoidance is a healthy coping skill. There is no shame in not knowing what to do next, but just “hoping for the best” is not a solution. With a steep understanding of addiction and recovery, we take a very hands-on approach to the unique needs of your whole family. We know that addiction can be passed down and believe that recovery can be as well.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Hands down the thing that empowered me the most was the ability to confidently share how far I’d fallen. This is what creates a community for others to heal. We have those scars for others to see that they are not alone. Addiction can be incredibly isolating and full of stigma, and I find this to be particularly true with women. You have no idea how many people you can lead if you are the one willing to take the first step. We are all human and each day I remind myself if you fall 7 times, you get up 8.

Contact Info:

• Website: emgaddictionservices.com
• Instagram: @emg_addiction_services
• Facebook: Emg Addiction Services