A local woman is being recognized for turning her lived experience into a mission of hope, healing and service.

Kayla Durbin has earned several professional credentials while continuing her work in recovery, counseling and peer support. Her accomplishments include becoming a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor, or CADC, and a Certified Recovery Support Specialist, known as CRSS.

Durbin is also a Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery Facilitator, trained to lead evidence-based recovery groups and help empower individuals to make and sustain positive changes.

She recently received additional recognition from Sunshine Behavioral Health, earning the organization’s Core Value of Passion Award. The award recognizes Durbin for her commitment to serving others and making a difference through her work.

According to Durbin, her journey has taken her from addiction and incarceration to certification, leadership and counseling. She says her mission is centered on recovery, education, faith and service, with the goal of helping empower individuals to find their voice, rebuild their lives and discover that lasting change is possible.

Durbin has also been recognized by the Illinois Certification Board as a Certified Recovery Support Specialist and Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor, with certifications extending into 2028.

In sharing her story, Durbin says recovery can create purpose, and she hopes her experience can offer encouragement to others who may be facing their own struggles.

Her accomplishments reflect a commitment to helping others on their recovery journey while using her own lived experience to provide hope, support and encouragement.

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