- Will you consider this?

Some people refer to her as "The Boss."

I'm Christine Zak-Edmonds.

When it comes to relearning how to live sober, my next guest knows to take it quite seriously.

(upbeat music) It's been said that we are all just a few degrees away from someone with an addiction, be it alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, et cetera.

Camilla Rabjohns came face to face with her two sons' addictions.

To address it, she and her husband established Invictus Woods.

Camilla.

Welcome.

- Thank you.

- And you, let's hear a little bit about you and Ron first, you came to Peoria as... - Well, my husband's a cardiologist, and we came to Peoria for his first job back in 2000 or 1988.

And, lived in the community, thought we were doing just fine, and about 20 years ago, we found out our first son had a problem with alcohol, not realizing it was an addiction 'cause neither one of us knew anything about addiction.

We sort of just thought it was a teenage boy going through- - Experimentation.

- Correct.

- Right.

- So, we didn't do too much about that.

But then our youngest son got involved and after he got also involved with heroin, we, really started to educate ourselves about this disease, they were in treatment, went to all the family counseling sessions to learn just what it was, found it was a disease of the brain.

And through our journey with our sons, I realized that there was nothing here in Peoria, there were treatment centers, but there was no sober living.

And so, I'm a registered nurse and I was working as a lactation consultant, but I just felt like God said to me, you need to do this, you can do it.

And so, my husband and I talked about it and we started researching and I went to different houses and stuff that they ran sober living and found out what they were doing, went to conferences to learn more about alcohol and drug addiction.

And, jumped in both feet and bought some property out in Fulton County, 30 acres of woods, and decided we would start a sober living out, I thought they should get out of town.

Because I wanted to lock them in the attic, to keep them protected and stay away from everybody, so- - Because the temptations are everywhere.

- Correct.

The triggers are, here, they always say new persons, places and things.

So I thought if they got out in the country, away from everything, it would help.

- However, they can't all just live in the country.

- No.

- They have to deal with real life.

- Correct.

Yes.

- And, all right, let's back up just a tiny little bit, your oldest son then, Nick, who is helping you now, I believe.

- Yes.

- You found a place in Portland, Maine to send him and you modeled Invictus Woods after that?

- Yes.

We've sort of did, you kind of do your own thing.

(Christine grunts) You learn all the time, what works and what doesn't, what's good, what's bad, what's wrong, what's right.

So, yes, we started modeling after that.

- All right.

And that was, he was there for how long?

- About a year and a 1/2.

- But, so then, back here at home, Invictus Woods, out in the country, how'd you come up with the name?

- Everyone asked me that.

(Christine giggles) It was obviously 30 acres of woods, and the poem, "Invictus" written by Ernest, I see, what's his name?

Earnest Henley, it was my husband's favorite poem, Invictus.

(Christine grunts) And... - I am the captain of my soul.

- Correct.

Yes.

Yes.

- Well, and that's what you're teaching.

The first place though, Invictus Woods, is strictly for men?

- Yes.

- All right.

And then how many are housed there?

How does it work?

- We have six residents and I have six employees who help me run Invictus Woods because it's, 20 miles from here.

And, we have a van and my employees bring them in for either intensive outpatient or meetings or get them to the bus stop to get to work.

(Christine grunts) - And, what is the average length of stay or do you put a cap on it?

- We do out at the woods, we give them six months.

And then, we think they need to start, that's why we started the house in town was they need to, get back into society and learn how to deal with these temptations and these triggers.

So, we put a cap at the woods for six months, here in town we do not.

- All right.

And, they pay rent.

- Yes.

- Every single person will pay a certain portion of rent each month or each week?

- We try to, sometimes they come with nothing so we scholarship them.

I also started a nonprofit called, Invictus Woods Endowment Corporation.

And, we do a golf outing every summer, and those funds go towards scholarshipping them to live at the house at the woods so that they can get back on their feet.

(Christine grunts) - Well, do they all go to work or sometimes they don't have a job or because of their situation, they've lost their job?

- That is all true.

And, some are on disability.

So, we don't take all their money, obviously.

They give like 1/2, they give us 1/2 their disability so that they can live with us and learn how to work their funds, finance, help finance themselves.

- And, so it's mental, well, emotional, spiritual, physical, it's a combination of a whole brand new sober lifestyle.

- Yes.

Yes.

Yes it is.

- And how do you approach that?

- Well, a lot, going to meetings, having counselors, if they need a counselor, we tried to just have people who have addiction.

They will have some dual diagnosis, like bipolar or PTSD, anxiety, depression, but we don't take any, really hard, different, difficult mental health problems.

So if they need counseling, we get 'em to counselors, find out who they can afford, who they can't.

But, the meetings are really good for them, the AA meetings and the Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

They go there and they can help themselves by talking about, their problems.

- And see that other people are experiencing the same thing or have.

- Correct.

Yes.

(Christine grunts) But this isn't Invictus Woods and then it's Prospect House?

- Yes.

We have another house for men called Prospect House.

After we started Invictus Woods and the men were getting jobs and getting on their feet, I was driving halfway out, meeting them at a gas station and then driving 'em to work.

And I thought, well, I can't keep doing this.

So I searched and searched and finally found that the house on Prospect and we cleaned it all up and started that in 2016.

(Christine grunts) Well then the community was screaming for a house for women.

- Right.

- So in 2018 in July, I opened a house for women.

- All right.

- And the women's household houses six with a house manager.

So there's seven women at that house and they're all in recovery, and house managers have a year or more.

And then, the house at Prospect houses 10, and I have two house managers for that house.

- Okay.

However, Invictus Woods, Prospect House, Circle Drive, they're not the first step, they've already gone through treatment, correct?

- Correct.

They've had to have at least a successful 1, 28 day program.

Usually they have more than that but, they have to have at least one.

- Okay.

And then, you vet each one of them, or do they apply to come to the facility?

- Usually the counselors tell them about it or they'll be at the meeting and someone at the meeting will say, you should call Camilla Rabjons about Invictus Woods, but mostly I get referrals from counselors.

(Christine grunts) - And, I think out at the woods, and maybe not so much at Prospect House or in town, but there there's hiking, you have bonfires, you have really kind of in touch with nature.

- Right.

- Some organic gardening?

- Yes.

We have an organic garden and we have chickens out at the woods and there's trails.

And then we also belong to River City Athletic Club so they can go work out.

- That's nice.

And, who cooks for them?

They cook for themselves.

I believe.

- They cook for themselves.

Sometimes, there's always seems to be one person there who really loves to cook.

And so, they'll go together and buy things.

And we also can go to the food bank because of the nonprofit.

And so, we get food from the food bank and they'll just make a big meal and share it.

- All right.

And, just kind of create whatever they wanna create.

Do they use things from the organic garden?

- Well, sometimes.

They give a lot of it away.

They take it to meetings and give a lot of it away.

- There's so much?

- Yes.

- What are they growing there?

- Well, they grow tomatoes and vegetables and some herbs, they used to, I don't know if they did this year.

But just tomatoes and vegetables, cabbage and, squashes.

(Camilla giggles) - Yeah.

And their tomatoes this year were really a big thing locally, that's for sure.

- Yes.

- And then your son, is he still managing?

Nick, is he still managing?- - No.

He's with gateway.

There's a intensive outpatient over in Pekin and he's a drug and alcohol counselor over there.

(Christine grunts) - And you're nationally certified, correct?

- No, we are not.

I'm working out about, the business's not certified yet.

- Okay.

But you are as a counselor, or?

- I'm a registered nurse.

- Okay.

- Yes.

But Nick is.

- Okay.

- Yes.

- All right.

Well, interesting.

And again, you found out more than you ever thought you would need to.

- Right.

- Or have to.

- Yes.

- Right.

- But I'd been a resource for the community.

'Cause I wasn't quiet about it.

I spoke up because I really think people need to stop the silence, and break the stigma.

So I've really spoke out and people call me, sometimes I just take calls from loved ones and will just listen for an hour or so.

And if they ask for advice, I give it, if they don't, I don't, I'll just listen.

(Christine grunts) - So you lend an ear.

Now, you won a humanitarian award in the state of Illinois.

- Yes.

- Because you've been so outspoken but humble about everything that you and your husband have been able to accomplish.

- Yes.

It was through the Peoria Medical Society Alliance that we received that award.

- And you never expected that.

- No.

- Came out of the blue.

- Yes.

(Christine giggles) - So, what do you see the future?

Do you see expansion?

Is it best to just concentrate on small numbers of people?

- Well, I was hoping that other people would open houses here in town, 'cause there's plenty of business.

I'm not going to expand, I'm staying the three houses, that's enough for me.

But I'm not going any farther.

(giggles) - So since 2014, how many people have come through the program, do you have numbers on that?

- I do.

I think there's been like over 200 men.

And there's been about 70 women who've gone through the program.

- And did they tell you how it all started, how their addictions began?

I mean, it's a disease.

- Yes.

- It is definitely a disease in somebody in the family or some exposure somewhere.

- Right.

Yes.

- What's the most common denominator?

- Usually it's the parents or grandparents have had an addiction.

And it just, either that or they'll have an accident and get onto pain pills, but mostly it's just a family disease.

(Christine grunts) - And that's tragic when you think about it.

But some of these kids, I mean, they do start really early, sneaking.

- Right.

Sneaking alcohol or marijuana.

Usually it starts with marijuana.

- And right now with pot being legal in the state of Illinois, has that reared its ugly head with you?

- Not any more than it was before, not yet.

- Okay.

Do you expect that there will be more problems?

It's the gateway.

- Right.

I do, especially with people driving, I worry about that.

I mean, I walk every morning and cars will go by and I smell it.

So, it's a frightening thing.

Kind of like texting and driving.

(giggles) - I know, we have a lot of things to think about.

And then, we're not spring chicken.

- No.

- You're springier than I am, but I'll tell you, it is kind of frightening to be out there.

- It is.

I have slowed down a lot driving, I'm so defensive, 'cause I know what's out there.

(Camilla giggles) - Right.

And you have experienced it.

What's the most interesting story case that has come through your doors?

- Oh my gosh!

There's been so many.

You think you've heard it all and then other things come along and, you can't make it up, you really cannot make it up.

- And what about challenging?

- Challenging, they're wonderful people when they're them, when they're not under the influence, they're wonderful people.

And it's just so sad when they do relapse because no one wants to ruin their lives.

- Right.

- No one wants to say, hey, I wanna be a drug addict or alcoholic.

And it's heartbreaking.

And they think they're hurting me.

They'll apologize to me and I'm like, you need to look in the mirror, that's who you're hurting, not me.

- Hurting themselves.

- Yes.

- How does it start?

Or what are the first early signs of addiction?

- Well, they say, that people go to different friends, they're not the friends that they used to be with.

They isolate in their rooms, their bedrooms, their grades fall in school, they're just doing lots of different things or personality changes.

- Is that what you noticed about your boys or how did it come about?

- Yes.

And I wasn't aware that, I just wasn't aware, I'd never thought it would happen to us.

- Right.

You didn't have any boxes to check on.

- No.

Because my parents hadn't had an addiction and my husband's parents hadn't, but when I went to counseling and they said, well, do you have a problem?

And Ron, I think, well, we don't think so.

And parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles?

And, all of a sudden the light bulb went out in my head.

'Cause I remember my dad saying his father liked to play cards and he gambled all the farmland away.

So a light bulb went off, well he was a compulsive gambler.

And then there was an uncle who they said, well, he liked to drink.

And I looked back, well, no, he was an alcoholic.

But at the time, they didn't say that, so you weren't thinking about it in that aspect.

But going to this family counseling session and, they brought it up, I thought, well, yeah, that's what happened, and I just wasn't aware.

- Yeah.

Because how do you know?

- Right.

- And, it's usually pretty gradual or is it?

- Yes.

Yes.

It was very gradual.

(Christine grunts) - But then to have that light bulb go off, it was kind of frightening.

- It is very frightened.

- But so, let's say that, so grandparents or alcoholics or whatever.

- Right.

- It's going to follow generations, is it gonna follow some people more than others or?

- I'm sure they don't understand that at all, I don't either.

- But Invictus Woods, Prospect House, Circle Drive, they are sober living facilities so people can learn how it is then to be their authentic selves.

- Correct.

Yes.

And it's important to be with other people who are going to support you.

And loved ones mean to, but, sometimes they're not supportive, they're contributing to the disease and aren't even aware that they're doing that, and it's not their fault.

So that's why you always say, you need to get out of where you were.

- That situation.

- Change your environment, change your people.

- But it's hard to change family.

So what can families do if they recognize that there could be a problem here, what do they say?

How do they approach that person?

- Well, you usually do an intervention, you get people who love them and you get together and you do an intervention with them and you say, you need some help.

And sometimes it works.

And sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes they just have to really, what they say hit bottom, and you have to kick them out of the house.

And sometimes people aren't ready to kick them out of the house.

And so, they'll just go on and on and on doing this.

And, they're just too worried that something really bad is gonna happen and it will, but eventually it will happen anyway.

- You just don't know the timetable.

- You can't have a shelter around them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, four weeks out of the month, you just can't do it or you'll kill yourself.

- Right.

- So eventually you have to help them get to where they need to go.

- How do you even approach that subject though?

- Well, you just say it, you just come out and say, you need help.

- I think you have a problem.

(Christine grunts) And, is that what you did with your kids then?

Or?

- Well, I kicked ours, like I kicked our oldest son out of the house.

I've had his bags on the sidewalk and said you're gone.

- Can't do this anymore.

- So then he went to treatment.

- But again, so this is their second stop is your facilities.

- Correct.

- But they have to go through, and they continue a 12 step program as well?

- Well, they should.

Yes, they should do it the rest of their lives.

Because it never goes away, their brain's always saying to them, let's go, let's go get high, let's go do this, one more time, it's okay, it's gonna be okay.

At least that's what they tell me, this is what's going on.

So, they really should prep all the AA work or whatever is gonna help them work.

I mean, there's spiritual programs, there's AA, there's lots of different programs you can do.

But we're AA base so we really encourage going to meetings, getting a sponsor and working the steps.

And every day, you gotta do this every day, the rest of your life.

- Medically, have they figured out where that brain disconnect is?

Or maybe it's not even a disconnect, it's just supercharged.

- Yeah.

It's their hormones up in their brain that get off kiltered, as we say, their brain gets hijacked.

After they do all these drugs, you need more stimulation.

And so it just takes time to get that brain back down.

They say, if they've been doing it, for a year, it's gonna take like three years to get it back.

Have they been doing it a lot?

It just keeps taking that much longer.

- Right.

What can people do who are watching?

What can they do to help your organization?

Or, can they volunteer?

I know you'll take donations.

- Yes.

- What can we all do?

- Well, sure, volunteering is always helpful.

Sure.

And just realizing that it's a disease of the brain is the biggest thing, to not think.

Well, they just need to stop, to not have such a stigma about this disease.

There's such a stigma, and there's such a silence that I think that really hurts the disease.

Because you don't do that with diabetes, you don't do that.

If someone was drowning, you wouldn't say, well, I'm not gonna throw you the life jacket 'cause you need to learn to swim.

- Right.

- It's the same thing.

You just have to be more compassionate and understanding.

- Can people do it on their own?

Or with today's society, it's come on, you're not drinking?

You just have a beer.

- And all the advertising, the gambling, the lottery.

- Right.

So it's everywhere.

- It's everywhere.

- All right.

So we can volunteer, we can send donations.

- Yes.

- And, you have a website, you have a Facebook page, I believe.

- Yes.

I have a Facebook page and I have a website, it's www.invictuswoods.com.

And I have my brochure on that website so you can download the brochure to see what we're all about.

And, I'm not really active on the Facebook page, I'm so busy with everything else, it's hard to get on and do things.

- Well, that's what you said.

You have like 53 kids you're dealing with right now.

- 23.

- Well, 23.

Okay, that's right - I have 23 adults I have to keep in line and... - Right.

Not an easy task.

- No - No matter what.

- We can have relapses, and we have to get them back somewhere, we have to either get them to detox or back to treatment or... - But successfully, I mean, people who've come through your program have pretty much landed on their feet.

- We've had lots of successes.

Yes.

We've had more failures, I have to say, but we have had lots of successes, so that keeps you going, when you get somebody back on the right track.

- You have a bucket list of what you still really wanna to do?

- Me?

- With the program.

- With the program?

I'm working on getting licensed.

- Okay.

- I think it will really help to get licensed.

Then hopefully we will be able to have a counselor on staff and then be able to charge insurance, so that would help out.

- And that you're in the process of that right now?

- Yes.

- How long does that take?

Is that through the state or is that federal, or?

- It's through a program called DASA, Drug and Alcohol Substance Abuse, so it would be through them.

(Christine grunts) Yeah.

- Okay.

Again, you're learning more than you ever thought you would.

- Every day.

- All right.

- Every day.

- And then your husband is super supportive and he's involved too, there's one fly here.

Okay.

Go away.

He likes my hairspray.

Go ahead.

- Yes.

We drug test them weekly, and send it off to a lab to make sure it's... And if something happens or there's something wrong, I always call the lab and say, okay, what is this?

And they'll say, well, check their medication or check, something.

'Cause this is life, this is life-threatening.

So I don't wanna kick them out if they really haven't done anything.

- Right.

- And sometimes different foods can cause like- - Poppy seeds.

- Lemon poppy seeds will look like they are on- - Opium.

Right.

- So I always have to call and check.

- Right.

- And my husband helps signs the form, 'cause you need a doctor's order to sign for the drug test.

So he helps with that.

- It's good that you've both have medical background and can keep on top of that.

- Right.

And I mean, I like to have my ducks in a row, I have all the forms and... - And all your chickens on the farm.

- Yes.

(giggles) - Well, I'd like to thank you very much for being here and enlightening us.

And, I hope that our audience has been enlightened as well, I'm sure they have been.

- Well, thank you for having me.

- Thanks for all you do for the community.

- Thank you.

- All right.

I hope you enjoyed this enlightening presentation and I hope that you stay safe and healthy, have good evening.

(upbeat music)