Amber Greenlee is a client of UC Recovery. The following information was provided by the client and has been edited for clarity.
Amber grew up as the child of addicted parents. This meant she had to learn about survival before learning about safety. Her childhood was shaped by unpredictability, emotional gaps, and responsibilities no kid should have to carry.
“Love was there in complicated ways,” Amber said. “But, so were chaos, silence, and the quiet question of why things couldn’t just be different.”
Those early years taught her resilience, but they also left wounds she didn’t understand. As Amber grew older, she found herself walking a path she once swore that she wouldn’t. Addiction didn’t arrive all at once — it crept in her life through pain, coping, and the deep, unhealed parts of her from the past.
For a while, she felt stuck in a cycle that seemed bigger than her, repeating things she had grown up seeing. She felt heavy shame and guilt and wanted to get better, but didn’t know how yet.
This meant breaking generational cycles, learning healthier ways to cope, and allowing herself grace while doing hard emotional work. Recovery taught her that her past explains her, but does not define her.
“Recovery became the turning point, not just about stopping substances, but about facing myself with honesty and courage.“
Today, at the age of 34, Amber stands in a different place—not perfect, but present. She says her greatest motivation and proudest achievement was becoming a mother. She parents with intention, awareness, and a fierce commitment to giving her child the stability and love she once longed for.
