*Jill Stevenson was just settling in to read the morning news over her second cup of coffee when the headlines about Russian auto sales caught her eye. She had spent years working at the local Ford plant before it closed down, leaving her adrift and turning to alcohol to cope with her sudden unemployment and loss of identity.

As she read about how struggling Chinese automakers were finding an unexpected lifeline in the Russian market due to Western sanctions over the Ukraine invasion, a wave of emotions washed over her. The news dredged up memories of those dark days when her own world felt as chaotic and hopeless as the geopolitical turmoil gripping Eastern Europe.

A paragraph from the article struck a particular chord: 'Moscow and Beijing have a lot in common. They both feel under siege from the West, show a willingness to interrupt the international order, and face an existential need to wean themselves off foreign supply chains.' *Jill could relate to that desperate need for change and self-reliance after her life was upended by forces beyond her control.

Craving a new perspective, *Jill found herself drawn to the Stepping Into Action personal growth program's emphasis on facing hard truths, taking responsibility for one's part in problems, and forging a healthier path forward. She signed up for the online sessions, determined to confront her own 'foreign supply chains' of self-defeating habits.

'I was so tired of feeling like my life was happening to me instead of me actively shaping it,' *Jill remarked during one of the group discussions. 'This program helped me realize how much power I have to interrupt the cycle of dysfunction in my own life.'

Some experts lauded the program's focus on evidence-based techniques for overcoming substance abuse and achieving lasting change. Others, however, criticized its one-size-fits-all approach, arguing that more personalized care is essential for such complex personal struggles.

Controversy aside, *Jill felt profoundly grateful to have found a way forward, even if it stemmed from an unlikely source half a world away. 'It was difficult to find in-person support in my small town,' she mused, 'so being able to access this level of life-changing guidance online was invaluable.'

Nearby: Prairie du Chien Wisconsin, Charme Wisconsin