We had the joy of meeting Ainsley in July of 2014 when she came through the Social Detox Program. Immediately after completing her two-week stay, she began frequently volunteering – cleaning around the house, organizing donations, chairing meetings, and eventually becoming a regular Overnight Volunteer.
It wasn’t long before she joined the team as a Social Detox Coordinator. Over the years, her passion for Maggie’s has only continued to grow. Having served several roles within the agency, she is a fundamental part of The Magdalen House team, and we are so thankful to have her.
Ainsley, we are so grateful for your calm-natured approach to everything, your sense of humor, and your love. Happy six years!
What has been the biggest gift to you in your recovery?
I have been blessed in so many areas of my life…my family, my health, my career. But above all, the most significant gift I have today is the inner peace I get to experience daily. Without that, I wouldn’t be able to show up the way that I do today for my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow alcoholic women.
What would you tell the woman who is newly sober, or still trying to get sober?
You are not alone, and there is a solution! For so long, I felt like such a loser. I thought I was just a bad, irresponsible person. When I came to Maggie’s, I learned what alcoholism really is…a disease. That there is nothing bad about me, but I had been sick, and I was given a real way out of the terrible cycle I couldn’t seem to find my way out of on my own.
What is your life like today?
I love my life today. I truly do, I never thought I’d be able to say that. I’m a mom, a wife, a sister, friend, daughter….all of the things I always wanted to be. My life is not perfect. There are ups and downs. I still have fears, frustrations, and insecurities that crop up, but I’ve learned how to trust God and was given a new way of life to navigate through all of that. I know that when all else fails, I can use my own experience to help another alcoholic woman and it works every single time. For that I am eternally grateful.
About Ainsley Chapman, Director of Outreach
Ainsley came to The Magdalen House as an Overnight Volunteer in 2014. As an alumna of the Social Detox Program, Ainsley saw the incredible importance of giving back to the Recovery Community. Later in 2014, Ainsley was hired as a staff member. In the years since, her passion for the mission has continued to grow as she became the Detox Program Manager, the Director of Programs, and now the Director of Outreach. Ainsley’s recovery has inspired her to dedicate her life to helping other alcoholic women.
