From struggle to strength: This St. George nail technician shares her journey to 8 years of sobriety | Life | stgeorgeutah.com

Reporter

A St. George woman in addiction recovery hopes to show anyone can turn their life around. At nearly eight years sober, she runs a successful business while inspiring others on their journey to sobriety.

“I opened my own salon because here, you can be whoever you want to be,” Nail Day Salon owner Heather Sheppick Roberts said. “You don’t have to be ashamed of who you are, where you’re from or where you’ve been.”

Taught by her father, a nail technician, Roberts began doing nails at 11 years old and never stopped. Her career has since become a platform for sharing her addiction story with others facing difficult times, with a goal to help them feel less alone. In her line of work, she said she often hears deeply personal stories that many wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with others.

She’s taken individuals to rehab and returned them after they relapsed, feeling grateful for the chance to support those in need. She also visits rehabilitation facilities to share her story and offer support to those in recovery. She finds ways to connect with those struggling to maintain their sobriety to foster a sense of camaraderie and support, she said.

Heather Roberts, owner of Nail Day Salon, shares her addiction recovery story as she works on a client in St. George, Utah, Oct. 15, 2024.

“You can do it,” she said about sobriety. “I swear you can do it. People see you differently when you’re honest about who you really are. I’m a firm believer that anybody can do anything.”

'I was hooked'

Roberts said she grew up in a household affected by addiction. After multiple surgeries, her father became addicted to drugs and her mother enabled his use, she said. As his addiction worsened, the situation grew more dangerous, forcing her mother to focus on her father instead of her children.

Despite those challenges, she managed to avoid drugs and alcohol until she turned 21 and began drinking.

“It only took a half a beer and I was done,” she said. “I was hooked.”

She said many people with addiction start with underlying mental health issues and hers was severe anxiety. That beer provided her with more relief than she had ever experienced, and she was determined to hold onto it. This marked the beginning of her constant drinking. Within a month of that first beer, she was a "fall-down drunk."

A nail design by Heather Roberts is pictured, location and date not specified.

Roberts described alcohol as her “first love” and spent the next few years partying, bar hopping, drinking in isolation and having frequent run-ins with the law. While she was arrested several times, she never served jail time and the pattern continued.

“Everyone thought it was so cool and so fun that I was always willing to party, not realizing it was just my mental health that was leading me down this road,” she said. "Me trying not to feel my anxiety kept me drinking."

She often woke up in unfamiliar places, unsure of how she got there. Many times, she didn’t make it inside her house, passing out on her front porch instead. Before long, she found it difficult to do anything without alcohol.

Throughout her addiction, she managed to work full-time, motivated solely by the need to earn enough to drink after her shifts. Many clients bartered with her, offering her alcohol in exchange for later nail appointments, and she gladly agreed.

She said her rock bottom came when she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a local bar. She woke up in the hospital as medical staff were attending to her with no knowledge of what happened.

That experience prompted her first attempt at sobriety, but it left her feeling isolated and depressed, ultimately leading her back to alcohol abuse.

Roberts said she became pregnant while drunk and learned of the pregnancy while intoxicated. Although she managed to stay sober throughout the pregnancy, within weeks of her daughter’s birth, she was drinking again.

A nail design by Heather Roberts is pictured, location and date not specified.

“I was just miserable,” she said. “The only time I felt good was when I was under the influence.”

She underwent extensive counseling to understand her anxiety and the persistent sadness that plagued her. She felt trapped in an identity centered around alcohol, struggling to find relief from the turmoil in her mind.

Her doctor urged her to quit drinking, and she complied. However, just a week later, she returned feeling extremely ill. After undergoing blood tests, she learned she was in kidney and liver failure — only two years after her first drink.

At 22, she had no idea that detoxing on her own put her on the brink of death, prompting her doctor to recommend immediate hospitalization.

As she began her journey into sobriety, she identified as a “dry drunk,” retaining the same mannerisms from her drinking days. She was dishonest with others and indifferent toward many aspects of her life.

During her recovery journey, she unexpectedly became addicted to pain medication following surgery.

Recognizing her behavior, she began working through the literature of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. This experience opened her eyes to profound self-discovery and the painful realization that she had harmed herself in many ways that ultimately broke her own spirit.

"I have felt alone and lost," she said. "But through recovery, I have felt love and acceptance. Mental health awareness is so important."

A nail design by Heather Roberts is pictured, location and date not specified.

During profoundly heartbreaking moments in her life, she has chosen to push through without drinking, and that gives her the strength to move forward time and again, she said. She has remained narcotics-free for almost four years and will celebrate eight years alcohol-free in February 2025.

When reflecting on her journey to sobriety, she credited God, recognizing that she couldn’t have achieved it alone. Despite this milestone, she still wrestles with the desire to drink, a feeling that lingers regardless of her mental state.

While many people claim they find sobriety for the sake of their children, she realized that she had to pursue it for her own sake to achieve lasting change. The most crucial aspect of her journey has been learning to show up for herself.

She has shifted her focus to achieving success in her nail business while actively giving back to the community. She’s made amends with many people for her past actions and words, including things she doesn’t remember due to her alcohol use.

“I get to help people,” she said. “I get to be of service. I get to show up for people. I get to do all those things that I always wanted to do but didn’t think about. So many good things come from recovery."

For more information on Roberts and Nail Day Salon, follow her on Facebook at “Nails by Heather Sheppick Clark” and on Instagram @heatherthatnaillady.

Reporter

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Each day's obituaries, delivered to your inbox.

Get the latest headlines on local sports!

Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather.

We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen!

We'll send News at 8pm to your inbox!

We'll send News at Noon to your inbox!

Receive Sunday Local Offers Coupons from St. George News.

Best trending stories from the week.