From the Well began as an academic research study funded through a grant from Sacred Heart University’s Center for Compassion. The goal was to understand how compassion, Scripture, and spiritual practice support long-term sobriety. What started as a formal study grew into something larger: a Christ-centered approach to recovery for people who want more than behavior change alone.
At the center of the project is the image of the well from John 4. Jesus meets the Samaritan woman, sees her fully, speaks to her with compassion, and offers living water that brings real change. That same compassion is the foundation of From the Well. It is for anyone who is thirsty for renewal, tired of trying on their own, and ready to draw strength from a source that never runs dry.
Since beginning my own sober journey in 2022, I have seen firsthand how faith, honesty, and daily discipline can reshape a life. The research confirmed what experience was already beginning to teach me: people grow when they are met with grace. Lives change when compassion becomes the starting point instead of the reward.
Today, From the Well includes several pieces of work that all flow from that original study.
The Study
A comprehensive, research-based and Christ-centered exploration of how sobriety takes root and how identity is rebuilt through grace. This work draws from academic scholarship, behavioral science, theology, and lived experience to trace the patterns that support lasting change. It examines how compassion, spiritual practice, community, and Scripture shape the sober journey, and how a person learns to see themselves not through shame, but through the eyes of Christ. It is a grounded, practical guide for anyone seeking to understand not only the process of getting sober, but the deeper work of becoming whole again.
Devotional, Reflections and Teachings
This is the heart of From the Well. Here you’ll find short, Scripture-guided devotionals that help you stay grounded and encouraged in your walk with Christ, along with practical reflections shaped by both academic research and lived experience. Each piece is designed to offer clarity, compassion, and steady guidance for anyone pursuing a sober and faithful life.
Share the Well
If you find From the Well helpful, don’t keep the light under a bushel. Share it with friends, your recovery community, your church, or anyone who might be helped by a Christ-centered approach to sobriety and renewal.