Nurse Practitioner of Asheville Recovery Center Jodi Mabry Discovers Fulfillment and Purpose in Her Role
A typical day in the life of Asheville Recovery Center’s Nurse Practitioner Jodi Mabry includes seeing clients Monday through Friday, handling their medication needs, referral needs, follow-ups, and catching up with lab work. But for Mabry, her job is not just about doing the necessary mundane tasks and going through the motions on a daily basis. She truly enjoys helping people and watching them turn their lives around. “I love the success stories,” she says. “I love seeing the people we help that come back to visit us or become our employees, and who do so well and turn their lives around.”
Of course, there are those who are more challenged in their recovery journey and come back through their doors, but Mabry says there is not one client she has met that is hopeless, even though they may feel that way. “There is not one client I have met that is hopeless,” she says. When they first walk through the doors of Asheville Recovery Center, no matter their situation, Mabry is confident she will see them eventually turn their lives around because of the strong support of the staff members as a team. “There is not one staff member who is not hands-on with each and every client,” she says.
Just last summer, the staff members and owners took clients whitewater rafting, a fun and positive experience for everyone. Mabry also recalls last Labor Day weekend when the staff had a cookout with clients, during which the owners were outside serving plates of food and interacting with them. “Our owners are very present, and they involve staff and clients alike,” Mabry says. “I have never been involved with a business where I see that happen at all.”
Years ago, Mabry had dreams of becoming a pediatrician, but she eventually decided that she didn’t want to stay in school that long. She received her associate degree in 2010 and worked in postpartum nursing for three years. After graduating with her bachelor’s in 2014, she worked in Labor and Delivery for three and a half years. She thought she would go back to school to become a midwife, but after moving to western North Carolina and seeing the desperate need for nurses, she decided to go back to school to obtain her Master’s Degree in Nurse Practitioning instead. She completed her master’s in 2020 and started her position as the Nurse Practitioner at Asheville Recovery Center in January 2021. She believes she fell into exactly what she is supposed to be doing. This is her first experience as a Nurse Practitioner in the recovery sector, and she knows she will be sticking with it long-term. On average, she treats anywhere from 60 to 70 clients per month, sometimes more, sometimes less. Mabry is constantly busy discharging and admitting clients, taking care of their needs, and handling all of their paperwork.
Her favorite part of what she does is watching the entire process of recovery in each individual. “Seeing their progress is the most inspiring piece, and seeing them progress mentally, spiritually and emotionally is the best part,” Mabry says. “It’s wonderful to watch them progress and make those decisions for themselves.”
Clients know they can count on Mabry for anything, even if it’s after hours. “If it’s something at 10 or 11 pm, clients reach out and I take care of it, even if I am on vacation,” she says. “It’s just become that way because I care that much.”
In the free time that she has, Mabry enjoys outdoor activities, especially skiing in the wintertime. She plans to go to Boone this year to ski and says she will answer her client’s calls even while she is skiing. “Last year, I was receiving texts and calls from clients while I was on the ski lift!”, she laughs. This year will be no different.
www.ashevillerecoverycenter.com
Written by Rosa Linda Fallon
Photo Shoot Credits:
Brooke Parker Photography
The Asheville Masonic Temple
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