Brittanie Coyle, Blueprint Recovery Center Program Coordinator, loves her home state. Born and raised in Southern New Hampshire with fond memories of fishing in the Merrimack River and hiking the trails at Messabesic Lake, she’s never found a reason to call any place else home. Still, she recognizes that it has its problems. “New Hampshire holds a special place in my heart and is where I now raise my two children,” she said.“I’m not in denial that addiction exists here and has undoubtedly increased over the last couple decades, which is why I am motivated to make sure that if anyone needs help, there will be a place for them to go.” Coyle has worked in the substance use treatment field since 2014, and says it’s her mission to be available to anyone in need of help. “Every person has an innate passion, or a life calling, and I’m built to serve those afflicted with addiction. Period,” she said. “I don’t question why I gravitated to this field any more than I question why the sun rises each morning.” As Program Coordinator, Coyle creates curriculums based on issues or challenges clients may be experiencing. She is able to adapt the programming and present a solution based on clients’ individual needs. “For example, if a client pulls me aside and shares that they are struggling with their body image, they can count on a gender-specific self-esteem group after our conversation,” she said. After years in the field, Coyle believes that the flexible programming at Blueprint is something special and unique. “We don’t see limitations, only opportunities to get more creative and have a profound impact on how we engage and educate,” she said. During her time working in the substance use treatment field, Coyle has noticed there is a lot of stigma surrounding addiction and even seeking help for it. Though she recognizes eradicating it entirely is unlikely, she remains optimistic. She continues to do her part in alleviating it from the societal psyche. “Stigma runs deep and will always be a challenge, but I believe we make progress by educating not only the person who suffers from addiction, but their family, too,” she said. “The world is looking at the pain brought about by addiction, such as broken families, lies, stealing, manipulating, financial ruin. But those are just the symptoms of a much bigger problem.” Coyle’s optimism is borne from seeing the problem of addiction alleviated person by person at Blueprint Recovery Center. She says it’s the most rewarding part of her job. “It’s that one moment, where suddenly the light turns on. Their eyes are no longer filled with despair, and for a brief moment, there is hope,” she said. “To watch a person let go of their false beliefs, take a risk and movefrom ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I’m going to try’ is the sliver of willingness that changes everything. It may not happen right away, but as the saying goes, ‘The ox is slow, but the herd is patient.’ I’ll wait as long as it takes because I know the reward is worth it.” Coyle is currently a student at Granite State College, expected to graduate in Fall 2020 with an AS in Business. She hopes to continue developing her career in substance use and mental health treatment.
