POMEROY — After three months of recruiting, six months of training and countless hours of prayer, Bend Area Celebrate Recovery is set to open to the public at 7 p.m., Monday Sept. 17, at the Mulberry Community Center (old Pomeroy Elementary).

The first meeting will be treated as an open-house, introducing the program and leadership team to the public, and explaining the meeting formats. Meetings will be held every Monday thereafter from 7 to 9 p.m.

“Celebrate Recovery helps people overcome life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups,” said Laura Lee-Withrow, who is an Assistant Professor/Clinical Coordinator, Diagnostic Medical Sonography at the University of Rio Grande, who is involved in the program development.

“Our scope is not limited to drug and alcohol addictions, but encompasses such things as depression, grief, anger, self-injury, abuse, eating disorders, sex addiction and co-dependency. Co-dependency includes family members that have been on the roller coaster ride of someone else’s issues, the people that constantly pick up the pieces and try to hold it all together,” said Withrow.

She described Celebrate Recovery as different from other 12-step programs in that it is a Christ-centered program.

“Each of the twelve steps has a Biblical comparison,” she said. “Jesus is acknowledged as the one and only higher power, and the entire program is built around eight principles that are derived from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.”

In addition to offering support for adults, Celebrate Recovery offers a curriculum for children ages five to 13. That program is called “Celebration Station” and is considered pre-recovery. Its goal is to teach children how to cope with life’s struggles in a Godly manner, and to show them that Jesus loves them and will never leave them. The meeting time and place coincides with the adult meeting.

“If you or someone you know has suffered from a hurt, been enslaved by a habit, or held captive by a hang-up, please come see what Celebrate Recovery is all about. You might come for someone else and find that there is healing to be found for yourself. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we can lead you to the One who does,” Withrow concluded.

For more information call 740-416-0891 or e-mail bendareacr@gmail.com.