Trenton Resident Overcomes Addiction to Save Lives

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Celestine S. of Trenton, New Jersey, knows firsthand the dark depths of substance abuse. Taking her first drink at just 8 years old, her early life was consumed by trauma, human trafficking, and severe addiction. But a life-changing conversation with a bunkmate during a 2014 prison sentence sparked a glimmer of hope that would completely transform her future.

Now celebrating seven years of sobriety, Celestine has turned her painful past into a powerful tool for healing. As a Peer Recovery Specialist at Hackensack Meridian Carrier Clinic’s Blake Recovery Center, she uses her lived experience to connect with patients on a deeply personal level, listening without judgment and offering real support.

Michele Scasserra, LCSW, LCADC, CCS, Director of Substance Use Counseling Services at the center, emphasizes that having peers with shared experiences who can meet people where they are is an invaluable part of the care they provide.

Discover how Celestine found her way out of the darkness, learned to trust again, and why she now dedicates her daily life to helping others realize that hope is real and achievable.

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