Heather Usow is a mother, a dedicated farmer, and a passionate member of our recovery community. She first discovered Peer 180 by chance while visiting a friend in Community Corrections. Peer 180 presented that day & it sparked her interest, she soon began attending Morning Mindfulness and Recovery Through Fitness. From there, she immersed herself in the community, exploring more classes and finding meaningful support through connection.

Originally from a small mining town in Arizona, Heather moved often throughout the Southwest due to her father’s work in natural gas prospecting. After moving to Salt Lake City she eventually left Utah, met her husband in Boulder, and later moved to Tucson. After realizing she didn’t want to raise her children there, and to be closer to family, she and her family relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado, where she became a farmer and land owner—now proudly living on nine acres.

Heather’s life outside of Peer 180 is full and vibrant. What started as a hobby—growing hot peppers and making hot sauce—turned into a hot sauce business. She cares for an ever-growing farm family, including 20 chickens, 6 ducks, a pig, 3 cats, and 4 dogs. In her quieter moments, she enjoys writing poetry and spending time in her garden.

She began attending Peer 180 in October 2023, but after a personal crisis and overdose, she entered detox and then a 30-day inpatient program. There, she began to learn vital coping skills and started truly engaging with recovery. After Graduating the program, she returned to Peer 180, committed fully to healing. She dove into meetings—Peer 180 groups like Wellbriety and SMART Recovery—and made the difficult choice to step away from harmful influences. Over time, she saw real transformation: “Growth took over my life in a good way.”

Recovery, Heather says, helped her find her self-worth, and a sense of identity beyond being a wife and mother. “I’m just Heather,” she says proudly. She’s learned to name emotions like sadness and overwhelm, where before there was only anger. She no longer sees herself as broken or unworthy, but as someone with value and a future. Her biggest goal now is to recognize intrusive thoughts early and prioritize self-care without guilt.

Heather doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, but her journey shows how far someone can go in a short time with the right support and motivation. “I’ve done more with my life in the past year and a half than I did in the five years before that,” she says. “The sky is the limit.” Her advice for others in recovery is simple but powerful: “Don’t let the speed bumps stop you. Slowing down is okay. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.”

Participant, Volunteer & now a Peer 180 Recovery Coach Intern, Heather is a joy to be around and is greatly appreciated by those of us at Peer 180.