Start my private practice, Live Free Counseling

My name is Jennie Anahata, and it is with deep humility and hopefulness that I extend this plea for support.

The past year has asked more of me than any other time in my life, and I’ve gone through some very difficult periods, as many of us have. At times I felt my sanity was stretched beyond what I ever thought I could handle. I’ve been to the depths of hell accompanied by the most intense grief and fear I’ve ever known. It’s only because of the amount of love, support, and wisdom from within and which surrounds me that I am still standing. A previous version of me would surely not be where I am now – in a place of strength, courage, and faithfulness.

Seven years ago, I left my home and paradise in the U.S. Virgin Islands to “go back to Ohio and go to school.” Those were the exact words I heard in my mind directing me to leave St. Thomas and pursue my education near my family. I knew my family needed me, but oh man was it hard to leave the only place on Earth that has ever felt like Home. I trusted that inner Guidance, cried every day, and watched my Higher Power relocate me to Ohio with ease and Grace.

Going to The Ohio State University at age 48 was a terrifying prospect. Could I do it? Not only did I do it, I graduated with honors. At the same time, I was pulled into the nightmare of watching my beloved son Cory descend into the hell of addiction and depression. I did every single thing in my power to help him and to try to ultimately save him, but love was just not enough. He overdosed alone in the backyard of a sober house in the middle of a drug-infested neighborhood where the last rehab sent him. The trauma of seeing his body at the hospital after the 3 am phone call continues to haunt and devastate me.

As July 5, 2022 approaches, my family is preparing for this first anniversary of losing our beloved son, grandson, and brother. How do we honor this day and this first year without his physical presence?

In the meantime, as a result of all that I have lived through as a loved one of beloveds struggling with addiction and mental health, starting with my sons’ father, then their stepfather, and now my son, I discovered I have a profound passion for helping addicts and their families navigate this treacherous journey. My lifetime of experience combined with an education and scientific understanding of the disease model of addiction, along with a wide-open Heart, has brought me right here to be of service to those lost in the darkness of despair and hopelessness. I am here to be a Lighthouse, to help guide those beautiful Souls back to Life.

I have worked in the drug and alcohol residential rehab setting for the last four years as I completed my Master’s Degree in Social Work and obtained my independent licensure in Social Work and as a Chemical Dependency Counselor. But now I am inspired to expand and dive deeper into this work as I only get to work with clients for 30-40 days in a residential setting.

My next chapter on this journey is to open a telehealth private practice, Live Free Counseling, LLC, in honor of my son’s memory. This way I can support people to maintain their sobriety after they leave a rehabilitation facility, and help their families find healing too. The addiction epidemic is absolutely devastating here in Ohio; there is an incredible need for my services. I’ve spent countless hours and thousands of dollars to start my business (not to mention the whopping $80,000 in student loan debt). I’m running out of money and need financial support to make this vision a reality.

Perhaps you or a loved one has been impacted by addiction and you want to help others recover. Helping me to help others would be a kind and compassionate opportunity to be of service to the countless beautiful Souls in need of counseling.

A client recently shared this quote, “People aren’t addicted to alcohol or drugs. They are addicted to escaping reality.” (Anonymous) A similar idea I frequently share with clients, “The drugs aren’t the problem; the problem is the problem.” Yes, people do get physically and psychologically addicted to mind altering chemicals, but there is usually a reason that someone begins misusing substances in the first place. I believe the heart of the work is to get to the root cause and untangle the knots that keep people trapped in their suffering.

I would be grateful for any size donation to help me reach my goal and get my business up and running. What I love about crowdfunding is that when we come together to support each other, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. It takes courage and humility to ask for help, but the Bible says, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matthew 7:7) So I am asking, seeking, and knocking, and trusting God to do the rest. THANK YOU!!