A Journey of Growth, Healing, and New Possibilities

 

One Step Changed Everything: A Journey of Growth, Healing, and New Possibilities

Sometimes, the bravest thing a person can do is take the first step—even when they’re not sure where it will lead.

For Carteret Community College student Creedance Berthold, that step changed everything.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

When Creedance first walked through the doors of Carteret Community College, she wasn’t stepping into certainty.

She was stepping into hope.

Fresh out of prison, early in her recovery, and carrying the weight of nearly two decades of addiction, she was trying to rebuild a life that had been broken more than once.

“I didn’t believe I could even get a year clean,” she said.

She was working two jobs, doing everything she could to stay on track, but the future still felt uncertain.

“I knew I needed something more… but I wasn’t sure I could really do it.”

For years, survival had been the focus.

Now, she was being asked to believe in something bigger.

The Moment Everything Began to Change

What shifted her path wasn’t a big moment.

It was a simple realization.

She saw someone else succeed.

“Watching others become successful in the program made me think… maybe I could do it too.”

That thought turned into action.

She applied to the NCWorks Re-entry Program at Carteret Community College, waited for her opportunity, and when it came, she took it.

And for the first time, she wasn’t doing it alone.

“They helped me with my books and tuition,” she said.

Programs like WIOA, TRIO, and CCAMPIS stepped in at just the right time—removing financial stress, providing support, and giving her the space to focus on her education and her future.

“I had people rooting for me every step of the way,” she said.

And that support made something possible that once felt out of reach.

Belief.

From Doubt to Confidence

When Creedance started school, her expectations were small.

Her goal was simply to pass.

“You’re going to laugh,” she said. “I just wanted to make C’s.”

But something unexpected happened.

“I got A’s.”

That moment became a turning point.

Not just academically—but personally.

For the first time, she saw proof of what she was capable of.

“The first semester is when I realized… I can really do this.”

Since then, she has continued to rise:

• President’s List (multiple semesters)
• Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
• Social and Human Services Certificate with Honors
• Human Services Technology Substance Abuse Certificate with Honors

But the grades weren’t the biggest victory.

The confidence was.

“I finally believe in myself,” she said.

Turning Pain Into Purpose

Today, Creedance is no longer just rebuilding her life.

She’s helping others rebuild theirs.

She works and interns at Southeastern Integrated Care as a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist, walking alongside individuals who are facing the same struggles she once did.

“I get to help people every day with things I’ve been through,” she said.

Her education has given her the tools to do that in a meaningful way.

Through the Social and Human Services program, she’s learned how to listen, how to guide, and how to meet people where they are—with empathy, understanding, and real-life experience.

“All of this… I use every week in my work,” she said.

And her growth hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Her supervisors already see her potential and are planning for her advancement within the organization.

But for Creedance, the impact goes deeper than a career.

“It shows me that everything I went through had a purpose,” she said.

A Future That Feels Possible

There was a time when even one year of sobriety felt out of reach.

Now, Creedance is building something she once couldn’t imagine.

A future.

She plans to continue her education, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, with the goal of becoming a mental health therapist or Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist.

Her purpose is clear.

“To show up, make connections, and help others find the support they need,” she said.

And she’s already doing exactly that.

More Than a Second Chance

Creedance’s story is not just about starting over.

It’s about rising.

Rising above doubt.
Rising above her past.
Rising into something stronger than she ever believed possible.

At Carteret Community College, she found more than an education.

She found a team that believed in her.
She found resources that removed barriers.
She found a place where she could grow.

“This college supported me in every way,” she said.

And her message to others is simple, but powerful:

“You will never know if you don’t try. Don’t be afraid to ask for help—it takes a village.”

Because sometimes, the biggest change doesn’t happen all at once.

It starts with one step.

And the courage to take it.

For more information about NCWorks or WIOA please visit our website at carteret.edu.