Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Crouch.
Hi Cynthia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a child, I was subject to a great deal of dysfunction and chaos. I come from a long line of alcoholics, addicts, and co-dependents. Today, I understand that most of the things that were happening around me were due to untreated mental health disorders. I longed for what I saw my friends had, “a normal family.” Fast forward some years, I am a married young adult with children. Every time I drink, I drink to get drunk. Then, one night I am out at a football game drinking and was introduced to a substance; instantly I am hooked. It nearly ruined my life. I hurt the people I loved the most and I knew this was not who I wanted to be and surely not what I wanted to be doing.
I was fortunate enough to be able to pull myself out of that darkness, with the help of a few phenomenal women who saw in me what I could not at this time see in myself. I began to go to counseling and my life started to change. My family’s life started to change, I changed! These changes that took place in me were so deep and profound. I started to realize that the alcohol and drugs I was using were all to cover up a tremendous amount of pain and trauma that I had carried with me nearly all my life. As a child I saw things, I would not wish on any human being. This was confusing and I internalized most of it. I did not understand then that those who were hurting me were not doing this intentionally, they were sick and suffering. They did the best they could with what they had been taught. I had a spiritual awakening when I was in treatment. An overwhelming sense of responsibility to break this cycle of addiction not just in my family but in other families too.
I have been incredibly blessed to have incredible mentors, teachers, spiritual leaders, and a truly phenomenal counselor. She helped me understand the deep family systems and dynamics that had shaped the way I thought about myself, my place in the world and the dysfunctional patterns of behaviors that I had learned through modeling. There is a poem by Dorothy Lew Nolte called “Children Learn What They Live” and I had to relearn to live and reparent myself from a place of unconditional love and acceptance. My counselor was instrumental in guiding me, teaching me, and helping me heal. The women in my life encouraged me and loved me like I had never experienced before, and the spark inside of me turned into a flame. I developed an insatiable desire to help others, to be a part of their healing and to teach them to love and accept themselves no matter what life has thrown at them.
I have always been an empathetic person and I began to think “what can I do with my story to help others?” This led me on a long educational journey with the goal of becoming a mental health counselor who specializes in trauma and addiction. I began working in the field of addiction as a certified recovery support specialist and then a certified addiction specialist. I have held jobs at every level of the addiction and mental health field, from a behavioral health technician to a program director. I have studied and I have learned that addiction does not discriminate. It affects families from every socioeconomic status. It does not care who you are, how much or how little you have, or the fact that you have a family that loves you. I began working in treatment centers and what I came to find was that the people I was working with were all using alcohol and drugs to mask other symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and a great number of them suffered from trauma. I could relate on a very deep level; However, I knew enough to know that I could only bring someone as far as my skill set allowed and to truly help these individuals resolve and heal the pain within it would require me to further my educational journey. So, I enrolled in a master’s program and today I am an LMHC and level I EMDR trained clinician.
I have been working in the field for nearly 15 years. I have helped write, open and manage programs throughout Central Florida. In 2019, I met my business partner, Brian. We worked closely as part of the same treatment team and quickly realized that we were aligned in our approach to working with individuals and families struggling with addiction and other mental health disorders. We connected over our passion for helping people find true freedom from addiction using holistic, evidence-based methods and have an innate trust and respect for one another and our clinical work. Reimagine Freedom was born from a deep love, passion, and respect for healing and holistic wellness.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many struggles along the way. The biggest being losing my only son, Ricky in 2014 to a heroin overdose. Seeing him this way was the single most traumatic experience I have ever had to walk through. Telling my daughter when she came home from school that her brother “bubby” had died was gut wrenching. Child loss is not something you get over; It is a lifetime of learning how to live without a piece of yourself. It is a commitment each day to put one foot in front of the other. I spent quite some months asking myself “why?” “Why him, why not me?” What I have come to understand is that “why” is the wrong question. Asking myself “what” “What can I do with this to empower myself and others?” This helps me with my grief, and it gives others hope. If I can be a part of changing a family’s life by helping their child, or their loved one who is caught up in the grips of the disease of addiction there is hope. If I can hold a safe and loving space for a grieving parent or family, there is hope. Pain is a part of life, suffering is optional. I have come to understand that when I attach to a feeling and hold onto it rather than acknowledge it and allow it to pass through me, I am choosing suffering. Don’t get me wrong, child loss is the most unimaginable and painful experience a person could go through. It is just not natural to outlive your child. I just choose to use my pain as a motivating force to help heal others. It’s my “what.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Reimagine Freedom Counseling and Consulting?
Reimagine freedom is built on the strong values of honesty, respect, compassion, consistency, and integrity. The meaning of “Reimagine Freedom” is two-fold. Firstly, we were inspired by Jean Shinoda Bolen’s quote, “Before you can do something that you’ve never done, you have to be able to imagine it is possible.” We know that so many individuals who are struggling with addiction or other mental health issues struggle in silence. They cannot see a way out and feel hopeless or helpless. They assume this is it, life is just this hard. Strong people “just deal with it,” so when we can’t, we must be weak. But we know that this is so far from the truth. Struggle and suffering are real components of a meaningful life, but you also deserve joy, love, peace, and balance.
The “re” in Reimagine Freedom is also relevant because so many who struggle with substance abuse, sex addiction, or process addictions initially turn to substances or behaviors in search of freedom. In early addiction, we believe that we are freer when we are using substances or acting out, more capable, more “me.” However, as an addiction progresses, it becomes apparent that the freedom that we were searching for cannot be found through substances or behaviors, and in fact, in active addiction we are far less free than we have ever been. The process of recovery from addiction therefore involves reimagining what freedom truly is.
Reimagine Freedom’s purpose is to support individuals struggling with addiction and trauma to become more balanced, accountable, and courageous so that they can have the freedom to live with integrity and fulfillment.
Reimagine Freedom’s mission is to deliver expert clinical care for the treatment of addiction, trauma, and other mental health disorders with compassion, warmth, and honesty. We utilize evidence-based modalities including traditional talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and EMDR.
Cynthia is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Addiction Professional, and a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator. Cynthia is also an EMDR trained clinician, certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Crisis Prevention Intervention, Psychological First Aid, Hope Focused Couples Counseling, and specialized veteran’s training. I specialize in supporting people through addiction and trauma recovery as well as with anxiety.
Cynthia believes she was called to walk alongside those suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders. Cynthia is a talented and compassionate communicator who holds the beliefs of Psychodynamic and Person-Centered therapeutic practices. Cynthia is well known as an advocate in many recovery communities around Central Florida and has helped countless men and women reunite with their children and families as healthy, balanced individuals.
What set’s me apart from other counselors and counseling centers is that I have an amazing personal story of redemption and recovery. I am proud to be a woman in long term recovery. I am more than a counselor; My profession is who I am, and I live out the values of Reimagine Freedom in my daily life with my family and by giving freely of my time and being of service in the recovery community mentoring and empowering other women.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was funny, empathetic, and athletic. I loved being with my friends and participating in after school activities. I enjoyed horseback riding and roller skating. I loved to dance. If Tik Tok existed when I was in my youth, there would be a million dance and roller-skating videos of me, my sisters and my friends. I loved my mother fiercely and we would spend quality time together at night watching movies.
Contact Info:
- Email: cynthia@reimaginefreedomcounseling.com
- Website: https://www.reimaginefreedomcounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reimaginefreedomcounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reimaginefreedomcounseling
