LEXINGTON, Ky. — Marie Vice remembers what it felt like to be pregnant in early recovery: the fear, the hope, the invisible daily victories. It was a time of uncertainty and transformation—one that would ultimately set the course for her future.
Now, years later, she spends her days walking alongside women navigating that same road.
Vice is a student in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) Bachelor of Social Work (BASW) program and has worked with UK’s Perinatal Assessment and Treatment home (PATHways) program for over a decade. PATHways supports pregnant and parenting women who are struggling with substance use disorders by offering comprehensive, trauma-informed care—integrating OB services, peer support, psychiatry, psychotherapy, and case management.
“I know firsthand how hard it is to rebuild your life while also carrying new life,” Vice said. “That’s what brought me to this work. I wanted to be the person I needed back then.”
Vice entered the PATHways program at 22 weeks pregnant. Two years after completing it, she was invited to join the team as a peer support specialist, thanks to a new federal grant secured by PATHways leadership. Since then, she has grown into a seasoned care provider, earning certifications as a prevention specialist, community health worker and targeted case manager.
“As a prevention specialist, I get to build trust with patients in a really unique way because of my lived experiences,” she said. “Social work, at its best, meets people exactly where they are. It’s not about fixing someone. It’s about standing beside them while they figure out what healing looks like for them.”
Vice’s early recovery journey was shaped by personal and relational challenges. She and her husband—both new to sobriety—struggled with accountability and co-dependence. But with time, education, and support, they learned to stabilize and grow.
“I used to think there was only one way to recover. But I’ve learned recovery is different for everyone,” she said. “For me, it was learning to cope, identify triggers, the use of medication-assisted treatment, and accepting support from others. Accountability, support, and education changed everything for me”. Marie’s perspective has become a guiding principle in her work with patients. Whether she’s leading group sessions, coordinating care plans, or simply listening, Vice is intentional about meeting people with compassion—and helping them build a life they can sustain.
Alongside her clinical work, Vice is earning her BASW through CoSW’s fully online program. The flexibility allows her to balance work, school, and family, while the content deepens her professional toolkit.
“My courses have helped me put words to what I’ve experienced—and what I see in practice every day,” she said. “But the most meaningful part has been the connection. When a professor takes the time to really engage, it reminds me that I belong here. That my story matters.”
With her bachelor’s degree, Vice hopes to expand her scope of care, eventually offering therapy under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). She’s also exploring the path toward graduate school—eager to continue growing as a practitioner and advocate.
Vice sees advocacy as a critical part of the work both inside the clinic and out.
“There’s still so much stigma. So much misunderstanding,” she said. “We need our communities and policymakers to understand that recovery is possible and that programs like PATHways are life-saving.”
The work isn’t always easy. The outcomes aren’t always certain. But for Vice, the purpose is unwavering.
This isn’t a ‘have-to’ job—it’s a ‘get-to,’” she said. “I get to walk alongside women as they heal from their past and grow for their future and their children’s future. I get to witness resilience unfold every day. I no longer ‘have-to’ survive, prove myself, or carry the weight of the past alone, and that’s a gift I don’t take lightly. I know—because I’ve been there. I’ve walked through the darkness and found my way to the other side. Now, every step I take with them is a reminder that recovery is possible, hope is real, and no one has to walk it alone.”
