Sitting in church on the anniversary of the death of her father, whom she’d lost to alcoholism at age 63, Maggie Kipp realized she wanted a different path for herself and her daughters.
But for the Highland Park mom of two, seeking treatment for an alcohol addiction didn’t just involve revealing her struggle — she also faced the stigma of her disease and the daunting prospect of losing her relationship with her girls.
Kipp started drinking alcohol at a young age. “I saw alcohol as a way to avoid feelings I didn’t want to feel, trying to mask what was modeled to me. It was a pattern that continued through high school, college, marriage, and starting a career. On the outside I looked like I had it all together.”
Kipp found the courage to face her addiction and started attending a 12-step program in the area. “I felt love and tolerance and saw people with a common problem helping each other through honesty, joy, and humor. Programs like the ones offered at the Nexus Family Recovery Center change the narrative for women, offering a sanctuary where mothers and their children can heal together,” she said.
The Center provides women’s treatment services as well as therapeutic care for their accompanying children to restore health for the entire family, and the Nexus Pregnant and Parenting Women with Children (PPWC) program is one of the only of its kind in the state that accepts women in the late stages of pregnancy and allows children to accompany their mothers into treatment. At the heart of Nexus’ innovative approach is the belief that recovery doesn’t have to come at the cost of motherhood. Instead, it recognizes that nurturing the bond between mother and child can be a powerful catalyst for lasting change, said Nexus CEO Heather Ormand.
“As a mother in recovery myself, I am especially grateful to our community for supporting this initiative … reminding us all that families can heal and stigmas can be broken,” said Ormand.
While the program addresses trauma, mental health, and addiction simultaneously, it recognizes the complex layers each woman carries. Through peer support, expert care, and the unconditional love of their children, the women find strength they never knew they had.
Kipp’s two daughters, who lost their father, Grant Kipp, in 2023, know they have a parent who may not be perfect but is present.
“I wasn’t someone they could rely on. Sobriety has changed that. Today, they trust me to care for them, not just physically, but emotionally,” said Kipp.
For families caught in the shadows of addiction, the “Strong Like a Mother” campaign is a reminder that healing is possible, and that no mom should have to walk the path alone, said Melissa Stallings, executive director of The Stallings Foundation. “I know this because Nexus is where I began my own recovery journey in January 2011, along with my six-month-old son.”
Kipp reflects on her journey to help others through theirs. “I have overwhelming gratitude to be able to leave the secrecy and shame behind and live a life of honesty,” she said. “And through service, which is a key part of recovery, I’ve found the women and children at Nexus bring me such joy through their hope and resilience.”
Breaking the generational curse of alcoholism in her family is the greatest gift she could give her teen daughters who, she joked, continue to provide her with a healthy dose of humility.
“I am a safe place for them. They see the choices I make every day to live the life we live,” said Kipp.
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