LB Burkhalter’s Mission to Uplift Women in Recovery

A Mississippi Upbringing and the Music That Stayed

LB, short for Laura Beth, a name shortened by her father for efficiency when she was getting into trouble—grew up in Natchez, Mississippi, a small town where family, faith, and storytelling run deep. Her childhood was creative and chaotic. Her mom was a painter and medical professional. Her dad worked in oil and gas. And LB? She found her voice through the arts.

At 14, she left home to attend a boarding school for classical music. “Music has remained a core part of who I am,” she says. “It’s both an outlet and a form of healing.”

Even in addiction, music never let go. And in recovery, it became a lifeline.

The Descent No One Saw Coming

LB describes her recovery as “multidimensional.” Along with substance use, she also lives in recovery from disordered eating and mental health challenges.

“Even as a child, I remember feeling restless, irritable, and discontent,” she says. A traumatic event at age 9 and early alcohol exposure lit a fuse. By 12, LBwas using drugs daily. Cocaine and meth came first. Then, opioids followed and ruled her life for a decade.

“I call it the perfect storm,” she says. “Addiction, trauma, pain. And no one really talked about it.”

Until one day, everything stopped.

She overdosed on fentanyl. Someone administered naloxone. And for LB, that single moment created an entirely new trajectory.

“Being revived didn’t just save my life,” she says. “It gave me purpose.”

Recovered Humans: Where Women Rebuild

That purpose became Recovered Humans Recovery Homes. Three sober living homes in Colorado named for healing stones:

• Amethyst House (2021): for clarity and calm
• Onyx House (2022): for strength and grounding
• Jasper House (2023): for stability and transformation

“We don’t just give women a place to stay. We give them community, structure, and the space to come alive again,” LB says.

Since 2021, these homes have supported 184 women, each carrying their own story, scars, and strength. “They are the heartbeat of this work,” she adds. “This isn’t a job. It’s sacred.”

Why the Trades Matter

LB’s roots in the trades run deep. Her dad worked in oil. Her partner, a welder and fabricator, has over 9 years of sobriety.. The connection between the trades and substance use isn’t just professional for her. It’s personal.

“Growing up, I saw so many people in these industries suffer in silence,” she says. “But there are companies doing it differently.”

One of them was Spectrum General Contractors, her partner’s former employer. Their compassion left an imprint and helped inspire her advocacy to bring naloxone, harm reduction, and real conversation to the trades.

“Recovery belongs everywhere, including construction sites,” LB says. “No one should have to choose between their job and their healing.”

Hope After Overdose

For LB, participating in events like International Overdose Awareness Day isn’t optional, but an act of gratitude.

“Overdose isn’t the end,” she says. “It can be the beginning if we don’t give up on people.”

She’s proof, along with the women she serves. . Every naloxone kit placed, every recovery-friendly workplace created, every life revived is one more chance for someone to start again.

“Not everyone gets a second chance,” she says. “But when someone does, we better make sure there’s a path waiting for them.”

On a day we remember those we lost, LB helps us remember those who lived.