Bonnie Steele
About Bonnie Steele, LVN, LCDC
Growing up, I wanted to be an entertainer. Surrounded by successful parents and some siblings struggling with addiction and all the attention that can go with that, I decided that I wanted to be seen and acknowledged by others too. Being an entertainer seemed to fit that bill.
Having spent three decades supporting people and their families suffering from substance abuse and in recovery, as well as my personal experience navigating and healing from the disease of addiction, I am passionate about helping people, especially families, learn about addiction, develop positive recovery skills, improve communication and self-care strategies, strengthen relationships, and live with increased resilience, grace and ease.
Whether it is you or a loved one who is struggling, I know both personally and professionally that addiction is a family disease. The disease caused by alcohol and substance abuse impacts everyone and everything it touches, and family members also need support to heal from the devastating impacts of addiction.
I was married for 20 years. Both my spouse and I were successful performers, traveling the country in an industry in which drugs and alcohol were prevalent. We were both drinking too much, and as time passed, the disease was getting worse. There was a night I drank far too much and had a black out. This wasn’t the first time I had blacked out, but this time felt different. The next morning, severely hungover and depressed, was a turning point for me. I knew I was drinking too much and had to stop. Realizing that I could not continue functioning as I was, I stopped drinking and encouraged my spouse to seek treatment.
Although my spouse and I were not able to work through the years of trauma that addiction brought into our relationship and family and decided to divorce, I am eternally grateful for the support that I received while he was in treatment and the facility’s family aftercare program. The program resonated deeply with me, offering a safe place to share openly, connect with others struggling with the disease of addiction within families and learn more about addiction and its impacts. I also became actively involved in AA and Alanon, got a sponsor, worked the steps and continued with both individual and group therapy. It became clear to me that my father was also an alcoholic and I married an alcoholic/addict, which is not uncommon. I also became keenly aware that I was willing to do whatever it took to heal the destruction that addiction had brought to our family and to make empowered changes to improve and heal myself, my family and my life.
Deeply inspired to help others, I began my journey supporting people struggling with addiction as a detox nurse. While challenging at times, I loved it so much that I decided to go back to school to become a licensed chemical dependency counselor (LCDC). Before joining Kagey Family Counseling, I worked as a nurse, director and manager in various addictions programs in the Houston area. Over three decades, I created and/or facilitated family programs in three local treatment centers and was a manager at Memorial Hermann PaRC for 16 years, where I created a family program to help support the loved ones of those struggling with substance abuse and addiction as part of the in-treatment and aftercare program. These groups offered friends and family members, also significantly impacted by the disease, a safe and welcoming place to express their thoughts and feelings, better understand addiction, and actively process and manage how the disease had and was affecting them personally, their loved one and their families.
At Kagey Family Counseling
After taking a year-and-a-half hiatus from this important work to care for my mother, I am excited to join Kagey Family Counseling and rekindle my passion for supporting alcoholics, addicts and their families. As mentioned, I particularly enjoy working with families, helping them to understand their roles and to make positive shifts in their thinking, communicating and behaviors, which are vital to healing.
It’s exciting to see people move from a place of despair to one of hope as they realize what is theirs and what is not, share their personal stories and begin taking personal responsibility for their own wellbeing. Through setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, engaging in radical self-care, strengthening resources, learning emotional regulation, working through the traumas caused by addiction and reclaiming their lives, I’ve witnessed the incredible healing that can occur and the ripple effect that begins to happen when even one person in a family begins making empowered, healthy changes and choices.
Patients and clients often tell me that I’m warm, caring and easy to open up to. As someone who understands addiction firsthand, I remain completely non-judgemental, knowing that we all have our challenges along this life journey. I care deeply about the people I work with, developing strong relationships and always championing for hope, knowing that even in those darkest moments, change is always possible.
Outside of my work as a substance abuse and addiction counselor, I absolutely love spending time with my family, friends and members of my church community. I believe due to my many years in recovery, engaging in therapy and working with others still affected by addiction, I am a better and more available mother, friend, counselor and human being. I also love music and performing, especially singing. Since I was a little girl, performing has been a big part of my life and singing, particularly, brings me much joy. I continue fostering my love of singing in the church choir and at various live music events around our community.
Begin Your Healing Journey
Throughout three decades of professional work in addiction and recovery, as well as my personal and family history with substance abuse, I have learned that there are a lot of people who become so used to the drinking and drugging lifestyle that they do not realize that they have a problem. It often takes a profound “ah-ha” moment, a crisis and/or expert outside guidance, education and compassionate support to realize that a problem—sometimes a severe one—exists. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism and/or drug abuse, please know that there is help, hope and a better, more stable, joyful and peaceful way to live.
If you’re interested in learning more about Kagey Family Counseling and the multitude of services and supports that we offer, please contact us today to schedule a call to talk about your particular needs and recovery goals and discuss how we can best support you and your loved ones in healing from addiction and on the path of recovery.
Kagey Family Counseling provides in-office and online drug and alcohol counseling throughout Texas and online recovery coaching throughout the United States. Whether your goal is to cut back on use, get and stay sober and/or ensure that your family has the guidance and support needed to heal relationships and process emotional wounds, we can help. Our team of experienced, skilled and thoughtful certified drug and alcohol counselors understand that everyone experiences abuse and addiction in different ways, and we know that there are many paths to healing and recovery.
Bonnie Steele is a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) and a licensed chemical dependency counselor (LCDC). Bonnie began her three-decade career supporting people with addiction issues as a detox nurse in 1992 before becoming a LCDC in 1994. Before joining Kagey Family Counseling, she spent 16 years managing family programs at Memorial Hermann PaRC, in which she created a three-day intense family program and managed family services, the facility’s aftercare program, the adult intensive outpatient program (IOP), the detox counseling program and discharge planning. She was named employee of the year in 2015. Bonnie was also chairman of the United Way Drive PaRC in 2009 and served on the planning committee for the Memorial Hermann PaRC Pain Recovery Program. She has been highly involved in the addiction/recovery community, educating school nurses on teenage drug and alcohol use, attending multiple conferences on addiction issues, providing interviews to various media organizations on topics related to substance abuse and addiction, aiding Harris County Juvenile Court Services regarding the adolescent drug epidemic, and engaging in advanced trainings, such as PaRC Nursing Staff on Patient Motivational Interviewing, Master Treatment Planning and Chemical Dependency Pharmacology. Bonnie has also served as a CPR Coordinator & Instructor, PaRC Ambassador, and Chairman of Volunteers for the State Texas Association of Addiction Professionals Conference. She received the Jim Keesey Texas Association of Addiction Professionals Volunteer Award in 2013.
