Kaitlyn’s CIRCLE OF TEN
Kaitlyn’s letter addressed to you:
I am writing this letter to express my gratitude for you agreed to join me on the next part of my journey.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and willingness to join my support network. Each and every one of you holds a special place in my heart, and I cannot put into -words how much it means to me to have a group of people who genuinely care about my well-being.
As you all know, I have embarked on numerous] journeys towards sobriety in the past. However, I want you to understand that this time is different. This time, I am fueled by an unwavering determination that comes from deep within my soul. I have reached a point where I am utterly sick of the constant haze that substance abuse has cast upon my life. I am tired of feeling trapped and disconnected from my true potential.
I want you to know that I am acutely aware of my intelligence and capabilities. I just firmly believe that I am destined for greater things than the life I have been living. I have realized that my intelligence is far too valuable to be wasted on destructive habits. I am ready to start over and rebuild my life from the ground up.
One of my dreams is to return to school and pursue a degree in psychology. When I was in school previously, I was an honor roll student, consistently achieving a 4.0 GPA. I know that I have the capacity to excel academically, and I am determined to use my knowledge and experience in psychology to help others who are struggling with addiction.
In my quest for lasting sobriety, I have explored numerous treatment options. After extensive research, I have come across an Ibogaine treatment center in Mexico. This particular form of drug treatment has shown incredible potential in combating the deadly fentanyl epidemic that is plaguing the United States. I believe that this treatment could be a game-changer for me, providing the necessary tools and support to break free from the chains of addiction.
As I look towards the future, I am grateful to have all of you by my side as I embark on this informative journey. The support and love that having this group as an extra safety net is sure to give me the strength and motivation to persevere, even in the face of adversity.
Together, we can rewrite the narrative of my life. Together, we can conquer the demons that have held me captive for far too long. Together, we can inspire others who are fighting their own battles with addiction.
And to Rex, thank you for believing in me when I struggled to believe in myself and thank you for being a pillar of strength that I've been able to lean on during some of my darkest moments. Words cannot express how thankful I am for you bringing all of these amazing people into my life.
Thank each and every one of you, I am and will forever be grateful for you showing me that I am worth fighting for. I cannot wait to meet all of you.
With heartfelt appreciation, Kaitlyn
Blair Jordan
“I myself am in recovery from active substance abuse disorder. I participate in a Buddhist based recovery program. This personal experience provides me with a deep understanding of the challenges individuals face during their own recovery process. It equips me with empathy, resilience, and a unique perspective that I believe enhances my ability to connect with and support others on their own recovery journeys. My commitment to ongoing personal growth and my firsthand experience navigating recovery contributes to my dedication to fostering a supportive and compassionate environment for those facing similar challenges.”
Karina Wallace
“I have lived homeless for many years of my life. I was born in Russia and lived in an orphanage for a majority of my childhood. I was lucky enough to be adopted by an American family at age 8, but after moving to the US in 2002, it was a big adjustment for me, and I had a lot of undealt trauma I couldn’t face yet. This trauma led me to experience homelessness, drug use, and other dangerous situations at a very young age. In my early 20’s I met Rex Hohlbein, and he asked me and my partner Alex one day “If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be”? Rex believed in us and loved us for who we were regardless of our circumstance, and for once in a long time, I felt like I was worth something more than just a homeless person on the streets. Rex’s genuine care, empathy, and support, helped us to navigate out of homelessness.”
Faith Cooley
“I believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to help each other even in the smallest of ways. I have done this through volunteering, most recently as a mediator for Thurston county, helping low income folks worth through parenting plans. I see how much trauma is introduced into children’s lives at such a young age. And while people say that kids are resilient, that hasn’t been my experience: I see them being profoundly impacted.
I am a doer, I like to do things, get things done, solve hard problems, and I am relentless when I get started.”
Erin McDougal
“By nature, I am a helper. I am a connector. I grew up an only child and one thing my mom always instilled in me, because she didn’t want me to be the stereotypical only child, was to always share with others and to be kind and welcoming. I moved a lot as a child and was always the new kid. I used my sense of humor to make friends. I shared my toys. Growing up, I was friends with all the different groups and cliques in school, but never really felt I fit into one. That carried on into adulthood and it is second nature now to me when I meet people, to ask questions and pay attention and make those mental notes because I am always trying to connect people. Whether in business, friendships, or whatever the needs may be.”
Alex Brooks
“At the age of 17 I became homeless. I had no direction in my life; no education, and nothing to my name. For four years I slept on the streets of Seattle. Sometimes in a car sometimes in the park. Both my mother and younger brother were also homeless during that time. I was too focused on living day to day that I couldn’t begin to imagine what tomorrow or the next week would look like. That was until I met someone who made me realize that I could change my situation and pursue a career that had meaning. It was then that I knew I wanted to help people. Through Facing Homelessness, I was connected with my community and was able to have my EMT education completely paid for. This started a snowball effect and I was soon able to find housing and a full-time job with an ambulance company where I worked for four years. Today, I am Seattle firefighter doing my dream job and living a life I never thought possible, but always dreamed of.”
Nathan Feuerborn
“My first experience caring for adults with mental illness and addiction issues was as a mental health specialist at Harborview in-patient psychiatry units. Before this I was inspired toward a career of service by my wife who was a family physician as well as my passion for learning how to be better in relationships. My desire to serve was further accelerated after nearly witnessing a suicide in 2002 of a 19 year old. This set me on a path that would eventually change my career and my life.
It is important for me to be respectful and take responsibility in all my relationships. I wish to give patient and kind attention to others as a service that may assist them to know that they are valued as well as shed light on their unique needs, values and wisdom.
I feel that we all do better when we can connect and be in relationships of care. I endeavor to be of service in my community.”
Ed Mast
“With friends and communities around the world in terrible danger and suffering daily overwhelming catastrophes, I'm finding it easy to be daunted by global as well as local emergencies. At the same time, I was recently part of a tiny group of people helping to move another friend into a small apartment. After a years-long struggle with addiction and the cycles of detox, homelessness and relapse, our friend is now sober, healthy, motivated, and living indoors. The simple process of helping carry a mattress and a chest of drawers reminded me of the impact a small number of people can make. I was deeply moved, and I'm deeply glad to be on a team that can help make a tangible change for our friend Kaitlyn, who has never given up on the future, and maybe can help us not give up in our turn.”
Mindy Fitzgerald
“This is my why.
I was lucky enough to meet Wesley Charles Green one day in August of 2022 while I was out walking my dog in my neighborhood of Magnolia. I’d seen him many times before, for several years. He was hanging out at the local gas station, walking, philosophizing, sweeping, asking for change, hashing it out. I always wondered about him.
I decided to ask him if he was okay. He said he was. But he wasn’t. He was unhoused and sleeping in a bush. He needed a friend, someone to listen to, and someone to really care. We went on a journey together. And it was one of the most beautiful and most painful experiences I’ve had. Wes taught me about friendship, unconditional love, and how to really see someone.
He passed away on December 21, 2022, alone, in a garage in Ballard, from hypothermia and a toxic mix of methamphetamine and fentanyl. It was below 20 degrees that night.
Wes needed a Circle of 10. He may still be alive if he had it. He may be in recovery, a college student reading all the books he loved, learning, and teaching. Reunited with his family that loved him deeply. Happy and safe.
The Circle of 10 is a chance for a different ending for another human who is struggling. And I’m all in.“
Kevin Padon
“Devoting the past decade to working with the unhoused has provided me with a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment. The significance of this mission, of handing out slices of pizza to those living on our streets, lies not only in the pizza that connects me but also in the deep-rooted connection forged through contact and acceptance of where we are at any given point in time.
In supporting those experiencing homelessness, I acknowledge the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. This purpose illuminates the complex web of challenges faced by the unhoused, and shows a path toward understanding and empathy. It's an endeavor that connects me with what often gets looked past and judged incorrectly. “
Sean Byars
“To those interested in being there for Kaitlyn,
I feel that my lived experience as well as my recovery make me a perfect candidate for the Circle of Ten. I also know a little bit about iboga. I guarantee that I will support anyone in recovery seeing as it is what I want to devote my life to.
I believe we can make a great positive impact on so many lives and in turn allow them to make an even grander impact on the community as a whole.”