Cindy Creed (she/her) is the SHE RECOVERS Professional Facilitator Coordinator and a Together Online Guardian. She has been volunteering with the Foundation for three years. Cindy is a team player, inspiring other volunteers with her clear communication, relentless support, and out-of-the-box thinking. Her journey of recovery is rooted in courage, honesty, and a deep commitment to recovering out loud. With a passion for helping others navigate trauma and a belief in the power of emotional sobriety, she brings both lived experience and heart into everything she does within the SHE RECOVERS community. And, she’s a star on the pickleball court, too!
She has recently been recognized as a SHE RECOVERS Gem.
SHE RECOVERS Gems are volunteers who have been acknowledged by their peers for their profound and life-altering contributions and service to our community.
We had the honor of interviewing Cindy Creed about her role as a SHE RECOVERS volunteer.
What does being a SHE RECOVERS Foundation volunteer mean to you?
Volunteering has allowed me to recover out loud and not hide the traumatic situations in my life, and hopefully, recovering out loud will help someone in need.
What made you want to become a SHE RECOVERS Foundation Volunteer?
I wanted to be an integral part of this amazing organization. I am hoping one day to be a facilitator so that I can share my knowledge and experience with trauma in the hope of helping others.
What three words would your friends or fellow volunteers use to describe you?
Caring, honest, dependable.
How do these aspects of who you are show up in your everyday life?
I care enough to tell someone the truth in kindness, even if it is hard. I strive for honesty in myself, which can suck at times since I can’t hide from the past, because if I do, I will step back into old behaviors, and then I am not dependable. I have learned to show up for myself before I show up for others.
What is something of which you are proud?
I’m proud that I rose above the trauma and did not allow the trauma to control me. I am also proud that, while it is hard, I have learned not to put things in the basement of my soul and to be open about the things that have happened in my life.
What do you do outside of your SRF Volunteer role for work and/or play?
I am a CPA and have owned my own business with my business partner for 30 years. I play a lot of pickleball, and it is amazing how much relief I get from hitting that little green ball. I love reading and walking in my spare time, and I love to ride my motorcycle.
What does radical self-care look like for you?
Meditation, acupuncture, and yoga.
Tell us a little bit about your recovery journey. What are you recovering from? What tools and resources do you weave into your patchwork of recovery?
I am in recovery from the betrayal that I have endured, and the hiding of my emotions, except for the ones that I was taught were okay to express. This was taught to me at a young age, and I learned to only tell the world the good stuff. I would never tell anyone what was really going on. When the betrayal was so deep, I turned to alcohol to turn off my brain and hide. Now, through tons of therapy, I have learned to live authentically. Once I started living an emotionally sober life, I did not feel the need to hide. I can honestly say, the only way I have been able to get through the latest tragedy in my life is with my emotional sobriety.
What or who is inspiring you right now?
My therapist, Lisa Parker, who opened me up to the world of emotional sobriety, and Brené Brown.
What SHE RECOVERS Intention & Guiding Principle resonates with you the most?
When we’re ready, we recover out loud so that women who are struggling can find & join our movement.
What is your favorite SHE RECOVERS resource?
The connection that comes with the SHE RECOVERS Together Online Zoom Gatherings and hearing others talk about their struggles and their recovery.
What is one piece of advice you would give to another woman/non-binary individual who is seeking a community like SHE RECOVERS?
Maintaining emotional sobriety is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. While it might feel uncomfortable in the beginning, if you consistently show up, you will find your community. I believe that you can not remain sober and, more importantly, have emotional sobriety without a community.
