80 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen Since beginning her sobriety journey in 2018, Nicole Bonnema has dedicated herself to helping women in recovery. After noticing a huge gap in sober living facilities for women in the Charleston area, she founded Bright Spot Sober Living, which offers safe, secure housing to women who need help transitioning back to society following addiction and rehabilitation. Bright Spot runs two homes nestled in safe, suburban neighborhoods. They house residents alongside house managers who keep a close eye on things. The Bright Spot rules are fairly simple: residents must abstain from substance use, be home by curfew, participate in either a 12-step program or another recovery path and obtain gainful employment. While this may not sound like much, to women who have spent years or even decades in the grip of addictions, the rules help bridge the gap between structured clinical facilities and the freedom and accompanying pressures of home life. Residents spend anywhere from two months to a year at Bright Spot. “I of course want them to stay as long as possible,” said Bonnema. “But not everyone can stay for very long. There are children or other dependents to consider, so there’s not a minimum time.” Every little bit helps on the journey to sober living. Residents pay $200 per week, a fee which covers Turning the Light Back On Bright Spot Sober Living BY LEAH RHYNE Charleston Women in Philanthropy
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