Lisa Ferguson

Lisa's Story

In 1988 Lisa went to her first 12-step meeting and feel in love the complexities of the soul as it tries to recover from addiction and the genius of the 12-steps. With recovery also came a new world-she turned around her failing horse farm because she saw the beauty in every person and the sanctity of what transpires between a person and a horse. While the horse farm is now her friend's, she still carries that love of horses. She combines all the moving pieces that SAMSHA recommends for lasting recovery in Right Path House. She's raised three children with her husband, Rob and the whole family is in recovery.

Lisa's background includes working as a supervisor for an insurance company, flipping houses, riding professionally, starting a non-profit for people to ride horses with different abilities, success at the Mensa test, teaching high school Mathematics and English, and a master's degree in education. She is seeking another degree in addiction studies.

When anyone asks me about my success in recovery my answer surprises them. "I work everyday on myself. I can't give away what I don't have."

That translates into: I have to be less of a jerk every day and more of the person my dog thinks I am. (I really do have a dog who is always thrilled to see me.) The 12 steps are great because they lay out in simple terms how to approach life. The people in the rooms bring me examples of change that I can only hear when I am ready to change. So, it's an absolutely perfect way for me to grow.

It's actually not complex.