Meet Limor Chen | Sober Living Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Limor Chen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Limor, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The importance of taking care of my own personal recovery and wellness in the midst of supporting others in recovery. People in my industry have to constantly fight the despondence of giving your heart and soul to a demographic that has such bleak success rates.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I own a men and women’s sober living in Austin, TX. We are a step-down option for individuals transitioning from residential treatment, providing a loving, structured, and supportive community. Our focus is on nurturing the mind, body, and spirit, promoting a balanced lifestyle. We utilize getting members physically active while providing sober coaching, life skills and peer support. The relationships our members build with their coach typically go beyond their stay in our home and each coach is uniquely qualified to be an instrumental guide while our members are building a new life. Since getting sober in 2017, there has been a huge shift in me, my thinking and my actions but I still was unsure about what I wanted to do with my future. I managed to complete half of a bachelors in psychology during my addiction but was unsure if I wanted to go back. I soon came to realize I wanted to help others overcome something I previously viewed as terminal. Honestly, if I could stay sober and build a beautiful life (with the help of an amazing support system) then anyone can. I had been to many sober livings across the span of eight years and in most, I just had to be home by curfew and not use. The bar was set pretty low and so was the expectation. Having spent my entire young adult life consumed by addiction and evading my problems, I not only needed to get sober but also needed to be shown how to live life, be accountable, and develop sustainable self-esteem. That is what we have implemented in our sober living home and we have seen countless people live a life they are proud of and make the hard decisions and actions it takes to be sober. It can be really heart wrenching when people aren’t ready to adopt a new lifestyle but it doesn’t prevent me or my incredibly strong team from continuing to show up on a daily basis for our members. I have learned to love people where they are at while still holding their feet to the fire. I have lost many friends to this awful disease and exceedingly more in the last couple of years so when the days get frustrating, I remind myself that it is so much more than just trying to create a new life, its about life itself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Spending a day on a boat at Lake Travis with friends and getting drained by the Texas sun, or going to Barton Springs to swim and relax, is always a good day. South Congress is fun to walk around and shop. I am pretty casual these days and a sucker for being outside so sitting under the massive live oak tree, eating a La Pepita Salad at Vinaigrette restaurant is always a go to.

There are so many characters and fun things to do any day of the week in Austin so you’d be surprised what can happen if you just walk around down town or townlake!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The women who came before me in sobriety have taught me everything I know today, providing me with the space to grow into the woman I am now. I am particularly grateful to Carrie and the lineage of women I come from. My partner, Charlie, who made me a mom and has shown me that good men and great fathers do exist, was the one who believed in me and the work I do with women, always pushing me towards my goals. My amazing three year old, Lily, lights up my world and teaches me more and more every day. I didn’t know what I was made of until I became her mother. Lastly, the life I am blessed to live today wouldn’t exist without my almost six years of sobriety and the deep-rooted spirituality it has given me.

Website: www.activerecoveryhomes.com

Instagram: Activerecoveryhomes

Facebook: Limor Chen