A message from Kristie

Recovered Living didn’t begin three years ago — it began 33 years ago, when I was in the depths of my own eating disorder, wishing for a place of healing that felt like a home. It took me another 10 years to recover, and then another 10 years after that before Recovered Living, as it stands today, became a reality.

When I first set out to open New Zealand’s first charitable residential treatment centre for eating disorders, I had no real understanding of how hard it would be… nor how much joy it would bring to my heart.

The challenges have been many — each one asking something of us — and we have worked through them one by one. But the blessings have been even greater. Those are the things that stay, and what I carry with me.

To those who supported me in my own recovery all those years ago — thank you. You helped save my life. And because of that, I’ve been able to be part of something that pays that forward.

There are so many others who have contributed to Recovered Living becoming what it is today — far too many to name. I could write a novel and still not do it justice.

This has never been a solo effort. Recovered Living has been built by a community — not just in Sefton or Canterbury, but across New Zealand and around the world. People have come together in ways that continue to humble me. To each of you: thank you. I am deeply, deeply grateful.

To our staff — thank you for the generosity you bring every day. For your time, your wisdom, and your compassion. You have witnessed and held space for our clients’ journeys with the utmost care and integrity. It has been a privilege to work alongside you.

And to our clients — our brave, brave clients — thank you. Thank you for trusting us. Thank you for your courage. And thank you for listening to that quiet but powerful voice within you that says, “I want a life different to the one I am living.” That voice is everything.

There’s a strange kind of full-circle moment in writing this, knowing it will be my final newsletter entry as we mark three years of Recovered Living.

I began working toward bringing Recovered Living to life in 2019. While we recently marked three years since opening our doors, this journey has been seven years in the making for me personally.

After much thought, I’ve made the difficult decision to step back from my role as Clinical Director. It is not a decision I have made lightly, but one made with the recognition that I need time to rest, restore, and create space for the next season of my life.

It also means I have the privilege of passing the torch to someone I trust deeply. Rachel Haldane will be stepping into the Clinical Director position, bringing with her the experience of leading a residential facility with the Laura Fergusson Trust. Rachel, I have complete confidence in your leadership, your thoughtfulness, your heart, and your integrity. Thank you for stepping forward to guide Recovered Living into its next chapter.

As I step back, I don’t feel an ending so much as a continuation — just in a different form. Recovered Living is in good hands, and its future is full of possibility.

If there is one thing I would leave you with, it is this: full recovery is always possible. It will take time. It will take more, sometimes, than what you think you have. But it is absolutely possible, and it is more worth it than you will believe until you have experienced it for yourself.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. It has meant more than I can ever fully express.