February 20, 2025 | By Emilie Jacques
For those struggling with addiction the path to recovery is difficult and can only be traveled down when they are ready for change. When that moment comes, Kassy Kallio is ready to step in and provide support. As a certified Peer Recovery Coach, Kallio performs countless duties, all in the interest of supporting someone on their path to recovery.
“I follow their needs, and their plan,” said Kallio. “When you have lived a life of addiction, your life is so out of control that a small amount of it is a big relief.”
Kallio has worked with many Copper Country residents on their paths to recovery. As a coach, her role can take many shapes, and evolve over time to encompass a whole family in the support they need. Ashlee Hannula is one such recipient of Kallio’s peer recovery coaching.
Hannula has been in recovery from opiates since 2019, and was looking for extra support on her journey. She began working with Kallio in the summer of 2023 after Kallio reached out, hearing that Hannula was worried about maintaining her health, and a partner who was struggling with his.
“I used to drink anywhere I could,” said Hannula. “Kassy helped me from ending up back in that same place when I was parenting on my own. At the time, I had our eight year old and infant son, and received guardianship of the teens while their father was in his recovery program. I had to keep a roof over our head and needed help. All the connections Kassy had made sure we survived.”
Visits with Kallio are not therapy, but rather a chance to take on the challenges of recovery and relapse with some friendly support. She can help individuals complete paperwork, find housing, apply for jobs and support any other steps they choose to take on their recovery journey.
Kallio’s compassion and patience for others comes from her own lived experiences with substance use. As someone who has completed a substance abuse treatment program, Kallio knows firsthand many of the challenges faced by those working towards recovery. Addiction is a complex mental illness, driven by countless environmental stressors and outside influences, making the road to recovery seldom straight.
“It’s a recovery journey - not a sobriety journey,” said Kallio. “We all mess up. If I didn't have a support person, I probably wouldn’t have made it. The opposite of addiction is connection, and people who stay connected to a support system are more likely to achieve and maintain recovery.”
Hannula knew she had to make changes not only for herself, but for her partner and their children’s wellbeing. After assessing her goals with Kallio, she began attending weekly therapy, something Kallio helped her sign up for and find reliable transportation to.
“When you feel like you have to tackle all of those things on your own, it makes you think things would be easier if ‘I just had a beer,’” said Hannula.
Hannula’s partner was also ready to make a change. With Kallio’s help, he entered a substance abuse treatment program offered through Great Lakes Recovery Centers in Marquette. While he was completing the program, Hannula continued to set goals for herself and make changes for her family. Looking to take the next step in bettering herself, she joined Copper Shores Bridges, graduating from Bridges’ keystone course, Getting Ahead, in December of 2023.
“Offering childcare was amazing,” said Hannula. “I got to let the kids go and focus on myself for three hours. Every week I could see my life changing, and saw that I had to start making changes for myself and my family to stop from slipping back.”
Hannula’s partner has now been in recovery for more than six months, and continues to see a recovery coach for his own needs. Both are in a better position to take care of themselves, now able to be better partners and parents. Their collective effort has also proven positive for their children, who have seen improvements in attendance and grades.
“I didn’t realize how much support I was going to end up having through Kassy’s services,” said Hannula. “She stayed with me at a time where most people probably would have relapsed. A big part of staying clean is keeping stress down and keeping connections with your support system.”
Hannula is now proudly five years into her recovery journey, a major milestone she didn’t think she would reach.
“Even if you think it’s impossible and you never think you can see a life outside of addiction, no matter how bad it is, there is always hope,” said Hannula. “I never imagined someone like me would hit five years. You have to want it bad enough and stick with it. It’s not immediate gratification, but in a year or two, your brain clears up and you start to see the differences. I never want to go back to that life - it’s not even an option anymore.”
Learn more about peer recovery coaching and the services that Kallio offers by visiting coppershores.org/peer-recovery-coaching. Find more resources available in the Copper Country by visiting coppershores.org/resources.
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