Pavillon

04/06/2026

Our "Spring Peeps Contest " at Pavillon did not disappoint this year.

HR kicked things off by distributing hundreds of marshmallow bunnies and Peeps to 10 teams across campus—and what followed was nothing short of incredible. The creativity was off the charts, blending sweetness, hilarity, and (unexpectedly) a bit of destruction.

🥉 Third Place: “The Peep Show” by our Kitchen team, featuring an impressive LEGO fair—complete with a moving Ferris wheel.

🥈 Second Place: “The Chimney-Peeps” by Housekeeping, a clever and detailed tribute to Chimney Rock.

🥇 First Place: “Peep-Zilla: Sweet Destruction” by our Marketing team, Kim Nelson, Amber Brown—a full sensory experience with a Godzilla-style Peep towering over a city, complete with flashing lights, smoke effects, and an original soundtrack of roars, peeps, and first responders rushing in.

The competition was fierce this year, with participants already promising to “go big or go home” in 2027.

Events like this do more than spark creativity they strengthen connection. It’s the shared laughter, the hallway conversations (“Did you see…?” “Don’t forget to vote!”), and the camaraderie that make our campus culture so special.
Grateful to be part of a team that knows how to work hard—and have fun doing it.

04/05/2026

Step 4

I lit a lamp
and walked inside.
Not into a house, but into myself.
The walls were made of old beliefs, the floors, layered with dust
from every memory I buried.
I opened drawers labeled:
Anger.
Fear.
Shame.
Control.
And in each one, I found not monsters,
but younger versions of me
- still waiting to be seen.
This was not destruction.
It was excavation.
I did not flinch.
I named what lived there.
And in that naming, I reclaimed myself.
Courage was not fire.
It was the quiet act of telling the truth all the way through.

~ Amy G.

04/03/2026

Our SC Business Development team, Ed Schafer and Frankie Sheheen, had the pleasure of visiting Barnabas Behavioral Healthcare this week. Frankie shared, “We were grateful for the warm welcome and thoughtful, collaborative conversation with their team of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and licensed counselors.”

Pavillon is always glad to connect with providers who share a commitment to compassionate, individualized care. Barnabas’s integrated approach, offering both counseling and medication management, creates a strong foundation for supporting individuals at many stages of their journey. We appreciated the opportunity to share more about our residential treatment and virtual outpatient services as additional resources for patients who may benefit from a higher level of care.

We value the connection and look forward to staying in touch.

04/03/2026

04/02/2026

Patrick Balsley and the Sana House team hosted the most incredible Recovery-themed celebratory evening at the Hornets/Celtics game in Charlotte! Special thanks to The Guest House Ocala team for hosting Pavillon in the suite they sponsored.

We always love an opportunity to connect with small programs driven by employees that are dedicated to their work on an personal level. Like Pavillon, Sana House and Guest House are programs that provide meaningful attention to the individual, and prioritize quality care.

The networking and connection that was created in the game-day suites was such a fun experience! Pavillon was able to connect with some very interesting people, including the retired Hornets professional basketball player, Michael Gminski, along with many other wonderful colleagues that traveled in from all over the country.

04/01/2026

We had the opportunity to visit Jeremy French, founder of Making Whole, in his woodworking studio in Asheville and it left a lasting impression. Director of Marketing & Business Development Kimberly Nelson, MA, and Treatment Program Director Charlie Dennis not only enjoyed a shared meal, but experienced firsthand the sense of fellowship and possibility among Jeremy, his staff, and the apprentices. It was palpable.

Spaces like this are rare. For young men in early recovery, developing pride in meaningful work and a sense of purpose is foundational. Learning a craft, working with one’s hands, and growing into the identity of a true artisan offers more than skill-building, it fosters dignity, confidence, and a sustainable path forward.

Making Whole is a community built around a classical apprenticeship model, where men in recovery create meaningful work while rebuilding their lives. Through hands-on craftsmanship, shared meals, and mentorship, the emphasis is on the process: showing up, doing simple things well, and growing consistently over time.

Kim and Charlie thoroughly enjoyed their time in the studio and look forward to collaborating with Jeremy and his team as we expand opportunities for young adults in our care who are seeking creative, purpose-driven pathways in recovery.

Making Whole Kim Nelson

03/30/2026

Grateful for a productive morning spent with the PATHS team at UNC Health Pardee Hospital here in our own backyard.

Our leadership team had the chance to sit down with their Psychiatric and Addictions Therapeutic Healing Services (PATHS) staff to talk through what it really looks like to support people, especially in those critical moments when a higher level of care is needed. Their work in short-term crisis stabilization and medical detox, paired with a truly whole-person approach, aligns closely with our mission driven approach recovery at Pavillon.

What stood out most was the shared commitment: meeting people where they are, helping them stabilize, and then making sure they have the right next steps. We talked about how we can better support one another in that continuum—whether that means us leaning on PATHS when someone needs inpatient care, or them connecting patients and families to our outpatient services and family program when ongoing support is needed. They were pleased to learn that our virtual outpatient program is offered in the entire state of NC and SC, and that our virtual Family Program is open to all.

https://www.pavillon.org/treatment/outpatient-services/

Huge thanks to their team for the time, the transparency, and the work they do every day. We’re lucky to have them here.

Pavillon's Team: Barbara Bennett, Laurie Buckley, Kaye Benedum, Dr. Michael Wilkerson, Charlie Dennis, Brian C**n and Kimberly Nelson, MA.

Pardee's Team: David C. Kara Laws, Bridget Fluech, Liz Nihart-Cowan and Marilee Arnold.

03/29/2026

On Purpose...

Yesterday, I had a good day on purpose. It was great I tell you.
I woke up with a whisper in my ear that I happened to hear loudly saying, "make it a good one Udy." So I started my day.

I woke up with a smile on purpose
I texted my mom on purpose
I entered his gates giving thanks on purpose I didn't make any grandiose plans on purpose late a healthy breakfast on purpose
I volunteered on purpose
I ran a few errands I had been putting off on purpose
I took myself to lunch on purpose

Today my purpose is to live life on purpose, be kind on purpose, walk the walk on purpose, love on purpose, be kind to myself on purpose, pray on purpose. A life full of actions on purpose is a life full of purpose. I no longer let life happen to me; I choose a life driven by purpose and it usually starts with wonder and ends in fulfillment.

A full moon can only be full once a month. Abba say I can be full in purpose, on purpose everyday if I trust him.

~Udy L.

03/25/2026

We had such a great time yesterday at the Henderson County, North Carolina's "Behavioral Health Conference 2026"! Director of Marketing & Business Development, Kimberly Nelson, MA and Counselor & Author, Shannon Buck attended and represented us at our booth.

This year’s theme, "Connected for Impact", really came to life. We had the chance to connect with so many dedicated professionals across our community, and share updates on all of the insurances we are in-network with for Pavillon’s virtual outpatient services https://www.pavillon.org/treatment/outpatient-services/ and highlight that our virtual Family Program is open to anyone and everyone, not just those in residential care https://www.pavillon.org/treatment/family-program/

In the spirit of the conference’s fun and outdoorsy theme we brought a little creativity to our booth; inviting attendees to choose a “spirit animal” from our collection of forest friends. It sparked some surprisingly thoughtful conversations about identity, resilience, and the work we all do in the helping professions. And yes… we also made s’mores (in an air fryer!), which made us a big hit, especially after lunch when folks were looking to satisfy that sweet tooth.

One attendee told us we had “the best booth at the conference," we appreciated the kind words (and blushed a little), but more than anything, we were just grateful for the opportunity to show up, connect, and be part of such an impactful day.

Already looking forward to next year.

03/24/2026

Such a Relief...

When I was arrested for driving under the influence the second time, it seemed like that was the very worst thing that could’ve happened to me.

I was 26, newly married, close to graduating from college with a promising future… and now I was looking at potential jail time!

Luckily my school had a newsletter that mentioned an AA meeting once a week. I knew nothing about AA, but turned up to find Joe, who had a good bit of solid recovery under his belt.

Usually it was just Joe and me. I was ready to dive in because I knew it was time to change, and I knew attending meetings would help me when I went before the judge in the coming months.

Looking back on those days in the late ‘80s it’s clear to me that getting arrested is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Working through the 12 steps I’ve realized many things about myself and my relationship to God and man.

It’s such a relief to go from thinking of yourself as the center of the universe to realizing you’re just a small part of it all, and that the power that created the universe has a plan for you and will help you to stay sober today, and there are others who will help you, and then you can help others.

~Rich N.

Curious if you or a loved one need help? Pavillon's Comprehensive Assessment can find the answer and provide treatment recommendations if applicable.
Learn about the Comprehensive Assessment here: https://www.pavillon.org/treatment/comprehensive-assessment/