My Journey to Guardian.
A few years back, I was working in a job that I wasn’t particularly passionate about, and I started thinking about what experiences held the greatest meaning for me. I realized that my life has been personally touched by substance use disorder, and I care very deeply about people in that community.
When I talked to one of my mentors about a new direction for my life, he referred me to Guardian Recovery and CuraWest. He greatly respected the program and the leadership team and thought I would be a good fit.
That was about 2 1/2 years ago, and I’ve been really happy here from the moment I joined the team. I enjoy the ethics and values that are embedded in the culture.
Recovery Starts
Here
Choose recovery and take control of your life, it’s the path to a brighter future filled with health, happiness, and fulfillment.
What I Do
I started as a behavioral health technician (BHT), which is one of the most entry-level jobs at Guardian Recovery. However, it’s also one of the most client-facing roles, along with nurses.
BHTs help deliver on clinical and medical objectives in treatment. Our workstation is directly accessible to clients, so they come to us with all sorts of concerns or requests. Because we are so high-touch, we develop healthy professional relationships with clients, which is my favorite part of the job.
Not long into my time with CuraWest, I was promoted to lead tech, which placed me in charge of a shift. Recently, I was promoted to BHT supervisor, which means I’m in charge of the entire BHT team of roughly 18 people.
As the supervisor, I have significantly less client contact than in my previous roles, but I have the opportunity to run groups and interact with clients in this manner, which is one of the things I’m most passionate about.
I understood that the role would be less client-facing, but it gives me the opportunity to see how my management and supervision can directly improve the client experience. That brings me a lot of satisfaction and helps me find purpose in the work I’m doing.
What Helps Clients Most
There are so many things that I really respect and love about CuraWest. It’s hard to identify one thing specifically, but I think the teamwork and the stress on the continuity of care is so important.
We really want to see successful outcomes for clients, and that buy-in comes from literally every member of the team. It doesn’t matter if you’re a nurse, a BHT, a director, or someone in my position. We all have the same goal, and that’s for the client to get and maintain sobriety. So we push the continuity of care from inpatient detox to residential treatment to partial hospitalization to intensive outpatient to individual therapy. We want to see clients complete the therapeutic process because we believe that this process has the best outcome.
I think we all are in this job and in this industry to serve our communities. And I think that service intent really shines through in our work.
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About Me
- The best part of my gig is … working with my team.
- I’m most proud of … the relationships I build with clients during a difficult phase of their lives.
- What makes me want to come to work every day is … passion and purpose. I truly think that this is my calling. I believe that I can help people if they’re willing to be helped.
- “Me” time is for … all the granola Colorado stuff. I love to ski. I love to play golf. I love to play with my dog and hang out with my girlfriend and family.
- My secret talent is … I speak a very, very small amount of Portuguese.
- The motto or quote I live by is … not actually a motto. Simply put, I believe in courage. Courage to change, courage to listen, courage to have humility. That’s something that I really try to do in my personal life.
Our Locations
Our Facilities & Teams Transform Lives
Changing lives by providing comprehensive support and rehabilitation, empowering individuals to overcome addiction and regain control of their health and well-being.
Delray Beach, Florida
Princeton, New Jersey
Denver, Colorado
Largo, Florida
Portland, Maine
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Pine Brook, New Jersey
What Would I Say to Someone Who’s Hesitant About Recovery?
When I’m speaking to someone who may not believe that they need treatment, recovery, or sobriety, I usually ask them to look honestly at their relationship to a substance or a behavior that’s impeding them from leading a high-quality life. I ask them to ask themselves if the action or substance is the driving force behind their life.
Usually, if someone is in a critically significant situation, they’ll recognize that the behavior or substance prohibits them from having a good life. After that, I offer my experience as a peer support specialist and a person familiar with the continuity of care.
I tell them if they find their “why” and it leads them to Guardian Recovery, they will be in good hands.
SELF-ASSESSMENT:
Do I have an Addiction issue?
Disclaimer: Does not guarantee specific treatment outcomes, as individual results may vary. Our services are not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis; please consult a qualified healthcare provider for such matters.
