Let's Talk About Recovery - Billie Alexander Avery-Unshame NC

We are incredibly proud to share that Billie Alexander Avery, Program Director at Morse Clinics of North Raleigh, is featured in the Unshame NC 2026 Newsletter, where she writes powerfully about recovery, stigma, and the lifesaving impact of evidence‑based treatment.

Billie reflects on her decades of work in addiction treatment and the resilience of the people she’s served. She emphasizes that there are many paths to recovery, and that medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including methadone and buprenorphine, are proven, effective, and often life‑saving.

In her piece, Billie calls out one of the biggest barriers to treatment: stigma. She explains how stigma fuels shame, isolation, and fear, making it harder for people to seek help. She reminds us that addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failing, and that MOUD is the gold‑standard, evidence‑based treatment—just as essential as insulin for diabetes or inhalers for asthma.

Billie highlights that these medications:

• Reduce overdose deaths

• Improve stability and functioning

• Support employment and family life

• Keep people engaged in care

Her message is clear: Compassion saves lives. Treatment works. Recovery is possible.

We’re grateful for Billie’s leadership, her voice, and her unwavering commitment to the people we serve.

Let’s continue working together to unshame recovery and support every person seeking a healthier, hope‑filled future

Read the article: https://unshamenc.org/so/2cPjDBnmf?languageTag=en...