Sunnie Jamerson is confidently pursing her professional dreams. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is one year away from completing her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is a case manager with supervisory responsibility at Catalyst Behavioral Services and she’s the Chair of the Oklahoma County Substance Abuse Prevention Alliance. She is also a mother to a spirited 12 year old daughter. To meet Sunnie today, you would never know that in 2011, she was facing multiple felony charges and up to seven years in prison. 

“I come from a good family and I even started college,” she said. What she couldn’t escape from was the feeling of never fitting in and never being enough. Those feelings turned into addiction that filled that void of self-loathing. When she had to drop out of college and return home, those feelings only intensified and were compounded by guilt and shame.

Sunnie’s advice to current participants is to “get all you can from the program so you can be prepared for the real work. To be sober and living a real life is another ball game and you need to use your time at ReMerge to prepare for life.” She said that her ReMerge opportunity was life-changing and the continued support after graduation, in the form of community gatherings and the belief that ReMerge has in her, has been critical in her continued path of sobriety. She says “While I could not be who I am today without those experiences, today I am who I was meant to be!” She feels a responsibility to repay that to other mothers who may need support and to be an example for how they really can change their lives. 

Sunnie’s story reminds us that no one is immune from the insidious nature of addiction. ReMerge is often a critical juncture for women and a turning point in their lives. ReMerge is committed to supporting mothers in their journeys to build a stable future for themselves and their children. We are grateful to Sunnie for sharing her story of treatment, recovery, and hope.