Recovery Reform with Aza A. Shukura
The Problem
“Peers and advocates in recovery communities are working together to resolve this critically unaddressed and under reported issue of repeated predatory behavior in recovery community organizations (RCO's) in the state of Georgia.
These programs are intended to support not, leave peers vulnerable to abuse. Predatory behavior or “13th-stepping” happens when experienced members, staff or leadership resort to tactics such as, but not limited to manipulation, gaslighting, love bombing, excessive admiration, coercion, blame shifting, sexual exploitation, brainwashing, mental, physical, religious/spiritual or emotional abuse to maintain power or control of a peer.
Not only are many peers uneducated on what predatory behavior is or how to report it, but many do not due to fear, shame, guilt, embarrassment, cognitive dissonance, retaliation and more.
Individuals who are new to recovery are often in the most broken and vulnerable time of their lives. This is why individuals exhibiting predatory behavior should not have access to peers in recovery.
Even trained peer specialists can become perpetrators or fail to report misconduct. Too many survivors remain silent, unaware of their rights, uninformed on how to report misconduct and experience trauma in unsafe recovery programs.”
The Solution
Create more safe, trauma-informed recovery spaces for women and children.
Provide peers in every recovery program with a sufficient onboarding process to gain knowledge of the code of ethics, peer rights and how to safely report misconduct
Educate & empower peers with trainings on what should and should not be allowed in spaces of vulnerable individuals in recovery.
Establish an easy access submission link and hotline for safe reporting.
Mandate accountability from program leaders and organizations on local, state and federal levels.
Mandate that all recovery programs in the state of Georgia visibly display the code of ethics and means of reporting misconduct in each facility.
Mandate that all recovery programs in the state of Georgia adhere to a quarterly survey of review by peers to be submitted to SAMHSA, as well as establish public review submissions.
Amend all recovery certification programs to include predatory behavior analysis of recovery program facilitators and seize victim blaming rhetoric. As of December 2025, these amendments do not exist in the statewide CPS Project training manual or annual mandated peer ethics training.
Provide spaces of support and healing for peers that have experienced recovery program abuse and exploitation, as well as the children of survivors - inclusive of trauma informed therapy, alternative support and compensation paid for by the state of Georgia.
Immediate revocation of certification(s) of any peer specialist, facilitator, affiliate or program leader exhibiting predatory behavior of any kind and immediate removal from one's position, seizing access to vulnerable peers in recovery.
Seize state & federal funding to recovery programs exhibiting predatory behavior, causing harm to vulnerable peers in recovery.
Push for policy and legislation that ensures recovery community organizations are held accountable for ethical violations to remain safe, and secure for generations to come.
Establish a peer protection coalition for empowerment and collaborative initiatives to maintain the safety of peers in recovery around the world.
Report Recovery Program Abuse
Click below to report abuse or misconduct in your area. You may submit anonymously for your comfort. This is a global issue. Anyone with a story is welcome to submit their experience.
(Aza A. Shukura manages all reports through her website)
About Aza A. Shukura
My name is Aza A. Shukura, born in Atlanta GA (Grady Baby). I am a Public Speaker, Visual & Performing Artist, Creative Writer, Educator, Producer, Director and Certified Mental Health/ Whole Health & Wellness Coach. More importantly, I am a grateful person living a beautiful process of growth through the light every day. That means that I live in a constant state of improvement and progress. It means that I get the privilege of being a blessing in another person's life, in a way that I was once so desperate for during my dark days. Days when I was "Godless", unbelieving, miserable, angry and lost. Battling severe mental health challenges, suicidal thoughts, substance use, shame, major depression, grief and more in the past. However, by the tremendous grace of OG (Only God), I now live to breathe life into every gift I was given the privilege to have.
Education
University of North Carolina Charlotte: Africana Studies - BA
University of Ghana: African Diaspora Theory -Abroad Studies- Ghana, Togo, Benin
Harvard School of Medicine: CE-General Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality Disorder (GPM-BPD)
Credentials
Certified Mental Health & Peer Support Specialist
Whole Health & Wellness Certified Coach
Adult & Youth- Mental Health First Aid Certified
Suicide Prevention Certified
Experience
State and National Recovery Reform & Peer Rights Activist
BPD Support Services & NEA BPD Inc. Advocacy Council
The Inaugural Parent Advisory Council - Silence the Shame Inc.
Black Women Film Network Inc.
Educator- Special Education EBD (Emotional & Behavior Disorders)
Youth Program Development - Academy of Authenticity
Adult, Teen & Children Mental Health Support Services
Recovery Program Workshops & Curriculum Development
Performing Arts & Film (Writer, Director, Producer, Performer)
Public Speaking - Authenticity of Recovery Series
Lived Mental Health & Recovery Program Experience
Recovery Out Loud
There are millions of people suffering in silence every day. Afraid of the burdens of their past. Afraid to speak their truth. Afraid of judgement. Afraid of facing their mistakes. Afraid of not being heard and understood. Ashamed, embarrassed and holding in all that constantly eats at them. I live my recovery out loud. Your Authenticity truly does have the power to set you free.
