After surrendering and saying the 3 best words of my life " I need help!" I reached out to Moana House. When I entered the programme my relationship with my children was non existent and my parents who are retired were exhausted from having to care for them. My addiction controlled my life for 30 years, I had never done any kind of treatment previous. I can tell you now hand on heart Moana House not only changed my life it saved it! The tools in my kete provide me with a safe and healthy life I would never have dreamed. It was challenging to try manage my thoughts, feeling and emotions particularly when working on the victims I had created from my past life but through the group work, goals orientated around Te Whare Tapa Wha health model, one on one sessions, and re connecting with Te Ao Māori/Tikanaga I found the layers of pain starting to heal and uplift my wairua. Also the work day program assisted my confidence within myself to believe that Icould be a positive person by giving back and doing good things out in the community. Xmas and all the public holidays I finally got to feel and understand what they really meant and honestly the first ever sober xmas I could remember in the program is something I will never forget. I am now 5years clean and sober, I have my children back in my life and custody, I have reversed my diabetes and I am the healthiest and best version of myself now at47 years of age. I know work in the AOD sector as I have lived experience and can now help others. The Moana House program isn't easy, its challenging, confronting and by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do, especially having to look in the mirror and take accountability for my actions, but from climbing the mountain to where I am today, I can honestly say this journey has been by far the most rewarding!!... I would never have dreamed in a dream of dreams that I would live a clean, healthy and sober life becoming the best dad I can be. That is what Moana House has done for me... " Life doesn't get better by chance, it gets better by CHANGE!!' ..
