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Living Large n FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 1
Living LargeFEBRUARY/MARCH 2015DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN RECOVERY
Recovery
ALLIES
ADVOCATE • CELEBRATE • EDUCATE
A PUBLICATION OF RECOVERY ALLIES OF WEST MICHIGAN
recoveryallies.us
Kevin McLaughlin, Executive Director
Sara Vanderleest, Assistant Director
Recovery Community Organization (RCO)
Phone: 616-262-8531• Email: kevin@recoveryallies.us
STIRRING THE POT
IN THIS ISSUE WE ARE GOING TO STIR THE POT A LITTLE
By KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN
Director of Recovery Allies of West MI
Stirring the pot results in changing
the way the soup turns out. Sometimes it
keeps the soup from burning.
Part of the revolution taking place in
the field of addiction treatment and recov-
ery support is recognizing the problems
with treatment today and how recovery
coaching fills a much needed gap. In-
side this issue you will find an article by
Bill White on how individuals working in
the treatment field are being challenged
to look at how we currently view the re-
covery process. You will also find an ar-
ticle by Tom McHale which talks about
how we need to look closer at the concept
of multiple pathways to recovery. Also
here I want to touch on two topics. One
is how recovery coaches are shaping the
landscape in the recovery community,
and two, on a sensitive subject but true
fact about addiction treatment today:
there were over 130,000 “administrative
discharges” in 2013.
What are “administrative discharg-
es”? When looking at documentation of
administrative discharges, you will see
words and descriptors like “non-compli-
ant”, “disruptive”, “still actively using”
or what some describe as “not ready for
treatment”. The problem with these
words is that they are exactly the same
words that describe and confirm that
we do indeed have the disease
we are being treated for! It is
similar to asking the diabetic
to leave treatment because
they were asked to follow
a strict diet and didn’t do
so.
Let me say two things.
First, treatment has posi-
tive effects. It has helped
many, many, people.
Second, the individuals
that work in this field are
my heroes. They know the
system and method of deliv-
ering services has some kinks
and gaps and yet give their
heart and soul to helping the
suffering, wounded person. They
work in an environment that often
says that addiction is a disease with
maladaptive behavior but actually,
in many cases, are required to re-
spond to these behaviors as though
they are personal, moral or charac-
ter failures.
This situation is neither the fault
of the treatment providers or of the
individuals in the field. In fact the
word “fault” is not accu-
rate. The word reason is
better as in: There are val-
id reasons for programs
to discharge individuals;
when they are forced to
send someone packing for
bad behavior, we need to
recognize that most pro-
grams are not set up for any
other option. After all, what
do you do with a person that
is negatively effecting other
people as they work on their re-
covery? There are answers, and
some places have adapted, but it’s
a tough question. Remember, I’m
just stirring the pot today.
So if there were over
130,000 administrative discharges
in 2013, who helped them after they
left treatment? The answer many
times is a recovery coach. In many
more cases, unfortunately that is not
the answer. But it could be. It’s new,
it’s hard to fund, but the good news is that
using them in many settings is proving so
effective that people, agencies and gov-
ernmental departments are warming up
to the idea and funding is being worked
out. Michigan in particular is the newly
organized Office of Recovery Oriented
System of Care. We are very fortunate
to have some very forward thinking dy-
namic people in that office that are willing
to not only consider it but make it hap-
pen. Imagine a day when anyone with
insurance through the Affordable Care
Act could have a coach….the people at
OROSC do!
Recovery coaching fills many gaps,
one of them is in establishing recovery
capitol.
Many people that have recovered and
survived cancer say that the scariest day
of their recovery was the day they were
successfully discharged. A similar situa-
tion happens with addiction treatment.
What happens to the cancer patient is no
See STIRRING page 4
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
• Pathways to Recovery
• Recovery Residence List
• Felony Friendly
Employers List
• Upcoming Training & Events
• It’s a Family Disease
• Transformative Change
as a Pathway
• The Depressing Truth
about Recovery
‘I’m not telling you it will be easy,
I’m telling you it will be worth it’

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 n Living Large2
RECOVERY RESIDENCES
RECOVERY RESIDENCES
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY
HEALTH FIRST STEP HOUSE –
WOMAN’S HOME
Contact: Rose Simmons
Phone: 616-452-3226 Ext. 3037
MailingAddress: 904 SheldonAve. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
E-mail: rsimmons@umchousegr.org
Website: umchousegr.org
HomeAddress: 922 SheldonAve. SE
HOUSE OF BLESSINGS –
WOMAN’S HOME
Contact: Shellie Cole-Mickens
Phone: Update soon!
Address: 938 Humbolt Street Southeast
918 Hall Street Southeast
NEXT PHASE – WOMAN’S HOME
Contact: Freddy Martin
Phone: 616.450.0686
Address: 368 SenoraAve Southeast
SACRED BEGINNINGS –
WOMAN’S HOMES
Contact: Leslie Borrego
Phone: 616-890-8278
E-mail: leslieborrego@gmail.com
HomeAddress: 1165 Hermitage SE
1366 Elliott SE
Website: www.sbtp.org
STEP FORWARD RECOVERY HOMES
Address: GrandvilleArea
Contact: Jo Ringnalda
Phone: 616-662-0881
THE COMFORT HOME
Address: South East Grand Rapids area
Contact: Ron and Laurie DeBose
Phone: 616-459-1930
MY SISTER’S HOUSE
(WOMEN IN RECOVERY)
Address:761 Bridge Street NW
Phone: 616-235-0223
RECOVERY ROAD LLC –
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S HOMES
Contact: Shelly Demull
Website: recoveryroadllc.com
HomeAddress: 961Alpine NW
3036 Perry SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
HOPE HOUSE – MEN’S HOME
Contact: Matt Matlock
Phone: 616-915-4664 or 616-246-6369
MailingAddress: 1036Alexander SE
NEXT PHASE RECOVERY –
MEN’S HOME
Contact: Freddy Martin
Phone: 616-450-0686
Address: 1145Alexander SE
RECOVERY ROAD CHARITIES –
TWO HOUSES FOR MEN
Address:Alpine and Kentwood locations
Phone: 616-915-0594
FAITH CHARITY RECOVERY CENTER –
COUPLES HOME
Address: 2219 HortonAve SE
Contact: Dan or ZoeAnn
Phone: 616-247-4744 or 616-808-5106
TOUCHSTONE RECOVERY
Address: 138Travis St SE
Contact: Kevin O’Hare
Phone: 616-558-4958, Cell: 734-309-
3091
PINE REST JELLEMA HOUSE
Contact: Derrick Jackson
Phone: 616-222-6861
MailingAddress: 523 Lyon Street
BUILDING MEN FOR LIFE
Address: Ottawa County
Contact: JeffVantrees
Phone: 616-393-2188
GRAND RECOVERY
Address: PO Box 1060, Grand Rapids, MI
Contact: Sanford Cummings
Phone: 616-516-6537
In recent years research has painted
a very different picture of what recovery
looks like, not in terms of its visual
appearance, but in how people gain
access to and define their recovery. The
old picture of a single recovery pathway
hasevolvedintoabroadrangeofdiverse
pathways and an expanding definition
of what recovery means. Examples of
diverse pathways include medication
assisted recovery, harm reduction,
secular recovery, faith based recovery,
twelve step programs, spontaneous
remissionandthelistgoeson. Whether
a person sees this new face of recovery
as positive or negative doesn’t change
the fact that 23 million Americans have
recognized their alcohol/drug use as
a problem and took corrective action.
This is a reason to celebrate. It is also a
time to express gratitude for the efforts
of individuals and groups that forged
the initial recovery path. The message
emanating from the face of recovery
is clear however, there is no single
pathway.
I had hoped treatment facilities
in the private and public sectors
would begin offering clients support
options based on this new picture of
recovery and the diverse pathways now
available, but I continue to see a great
deal of reluctance to get on board with
multiple pathways and I have even read
affirmations from treatment facilities
expressing loyalty to the one pathway.
I fully understand that there are people
working in the treatment industry, who
are in recovery, and maintain their
recovery by using a 12 step pathway.
This is great for that individual. I am
concerned however with insistence
on guiding everyone down the same
recovery path. It is disheartening
that clients unwilling to embrace a
prescribed pathway are identified as
recovery resistant or worse dismissed
until they get so sick they will accept a
program of recovery they didn’t accept
during better times.
I believe as the field of addiction
treatment moves toward the
implementation of evidence based
practices, the pathways introduced
to an individual will represent the
diversity now available. Choosing a
pathway is a personal decision based
on the person’s beliefs, values, culture
and other extenuating circumstances.
The role of the therapist is to help the
individual find his or her own personal
pathway. The treatment industry
has an ethical obligation to support
multiple pathways until the research
tells us different.
Personally, I believe that we’ve been
totally unfair to the initial pathway by
creating an unrealistic expectation
that this pathway alone could help
EVERYONE. As a result, this pathway
became a dumping ground for
individuals that society did not want
or could not serve, and the practice of
forcing people to attend, compromised
the supportive atmosphere for those
who want to attend.
The solution to addiction and
maintaining recovery is not likely to
come in one nice neat package. By
supporting and facilitating multiple
pathways we stand a much better
chance of growing the number of
peoplewhostabilizeinanaddictionfree
lifestyle. Just think of how many more
lives we can reach by being open to
multiple pathways that all work toward
a common goal: to afford everyone the
opportunity to recover from his or her
addiction. I suspect that treatment
facilities that learn this lesson will be
the first to come out on top.
THE NEW FACE OF RECOVERY AND THE AGE OF MULTIPLE PATHWAYS
By Tom McHale
Tom
McHale
Recovery Supports
Coordinator,
Northern Michigan
Substance Abuse
Services, Recovery
Center, Gaylord MI

One commonly hears in addiction
treatment and in the rooms of recovery
mutual aid circles that recovery is
a time-involved, stage-dependent
process. From the iconic Jellinek Curve
of the mid-twentieth century to the
equally iconic and currently popular
transtheoretical stages of change model
of Prochaska and colleagues, addiction
recovery is often portrayed as a slowly
unfolding process with the potential
for progression and regression along
the journey. And the stories of many
people in addiction recovery precisely
fitthesedepictions. Butthereisanother
style of recovery initiation that differs
significantly from staged change (SC) in
that it is sudden, unplanned, profound,
positive, and permanent--a recovery
conversion experience in which one’s
life is forever cleaved into the categories
of “before” and “after” in a matter of
moments. This style of recovery has
been christened quantum change or
transformational change (TC). SC is
like spilled molasses inching its way
across a table; TC is like a lightning
strike to one’s brain or heart.
In 2004, I penned an article for
Counselor in which I suggested five
important lessons that could be drawn
from studies of this TC style of recovery
initiation.
TC is a viable, but poorly
understood pathway of addiction
recovery. Professional helpers
need to be open to the potential
for such sudden, conversion-like
transformations in the lives of
those they serve.
TC experiences often contain
elements that closely resemble,
and may be misperceived as,
symptoms of psychiatric illness.
Professional and peer helpers
must be patient in allowing
sufficient time and support to
distinguish clinical deterioration
from personal metamorphosis.
TC is often characterized by
two overlapping experiences: a
breakdown and a breakthrough.
What many of the individuals
transformed by such experiences
retrospectively understand is that
their addictions were imbedded
within a damaged self that had
to die before a new self could be
born. Recoveryisbothdestructive
(the collapse of an indelibly
stained self) and constructive (the
emergence of a new self). This
metamorphosis can occur over
decades or a span of moments.
The TC experience has a
momentum and trajectory that
should not be altered or aborted
by professional intervention.
William James advises, “When
the new centre of personal
energy has been subconsciously
incubated so long as to be just
ready to open into flower, ‘hands
off’ is the only word for us, it must
burst forth unaided!” (1902/1985,
p. 187).
The addiction counselor can
help nurture and consolidate
experiences of TC by:
n heightening awareness of
the incongruity between the
idealized and real self,
n creating opportunities for
isolation and self-reflection,
n being with a person during
the TC experience and
assuaging anxieties and fears
related to the experience,
n helping frame the TC
experience within a recovery-
anchoring personal narrative,
n facilitating the transition
from the TC experience to a
sobriety-based identity and
lifestyle,
and
n linking the TC-touched
persons to a community
of shared experience, or
encouraging them to build
such a community.
Themessianicvisionandevangelical
zeal that are a common aftermath of the
transformational change experience
have spawned many recovery mutual
aid and recovery advocacy movements.
Addiction counselors never know when
they may be called by history to play
midwifeinthebirthofsuchmovements.
Perhaps there is a broader lesson
in all of this. That lesson is that there
are brief developmental windows--
defining moments--in all of our lives
that provide opportunities to change
who we are at a most fundamental
level. The TC experience serves as a
catalyst for addiction recovery, not by
removing alcohol and drugs from an
otherwise unchanged person, but by
birthing a new self in which alcohol
and other drugs have no role. We
who have been called to work in this
ministry of recovery would be well
advised to respect the potential for such
mysterious and positive processes of
change--in those we seek to help and in
ourselves.
For those wishing to learn more
about this style of recovery initiation, I
recommend the book Quantum Change
by Bill Miller and Janet C’de Baca
and my 2004 review of the history of
transformational change in addiction
recovery.
MAYBE IT’S NOT A PINK CLOUD...
By Bill White
Advertise In Living Large!
Currently distributed to 45 agencies/companies.
NEW EDITION OUT MONTHLY!
Includes inspiring and thought provoking articles on
recovery, felon friendly employer list, meeting schedules
for self help and much, much more!
Contact kevin@recoveryallies.us
Bill
White
From Bill’s
November 6, 2014
weekly blog at
willliamwhitepapers.
com
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People are sometimes confused when they
are told that addiction is a family disease. Some
take this to mean that addiction runs in families.
Others believe that it means that the family caused
the addiction. Neither of these is correct.
So what does it mean to say that addiction is “a
family disease?”
It means, quite simply, that when addiction
enters a family, everyone who loves the addict or
alcoholic is deeply affected. In fact, many of those
who work in the field of addiction treatment and
recovery believe that family members—to varying
degrees—will become just as sick, or even sicker,
than the addict. One can even make the case that
family members will travel a parallel path with the
person suffering from addiction—mirroring each
of the diagnostic indicators of addiction.
Living the Small Life
Forexample,whilethepersonwiththeaddiction
becomes preoccupied and obsessed with alcohol
or drugs, the family becomes narrowly focused on
them (“What is he doing? What is he thinking?
Where did he go? How is he feeling today?”) Just
as the person’s obsession with alcohol and drugs
causes him to neglect other important areas of his
life, the family’s obsession with their using causes
them to live increasingly narrow lives. To put it
simply, life for the family becomes very small.
Tolerance
Just as the person with the addiction develops
an incredible tolerance for increasing amounts
of alcohol or drugs, the family learns to tolerate
behavior which they would never accept from
anyone else. They find themselves paying the
addict’s bills, bailing them out of jail repeatedly,
allowing temper tantrums, and making excuses
for outrageous behaviors.
Withdrawal
When the addicted person is deprived of access
to alcohol or drugs, he experiences physical and
emotional pain and distress. When the family does
not know where he is and what he is doing, they
often feel intense anxiety—sometimes terror—as
they imagine the worst possible scenarios. This
sometimes causes family members to actually
purchase alcohol or illegal drugs for them so they
can use “safely” at home.
Loss of Control
In time, the person struggling with addiction
begins to lose control over how much alcohol or
drugs he will use. He will make promises to his
family and to himself that he will limit his use—
fully intending to do so. He will buy enough beer—
he thinks—to last a week and finds that it’s gone
after one night. Similarly, the family will draw a
line in the sand and say, “This is the last time we
bail you out of jail!” only to find themselves doing
it over and over again. Family members will lose
control in another ways as well. Sooner or later,
they start screaming—demanding that they stop
his use of alcohol or drugs.
Continuation of Mistakes
Despite Negative Consequences
Just as the addicted family member continues
to use alcohol or drugs despite being thrown into
jail, losing jobs, and ending relationships, so the
family finds themselves continuing to scream and
enable despite considerable evidence that these
behaviors not only do not work, but make the
problem worse—screaming gives them an excuse
to use; enabling gives them the opportunity.
The Way Out
One of the most important things for people
suffering with addiction to understand is that
there is a way out of the nightmare which has
descended upon their lives. In short, recovery is
possible. However, this often starts when they
receive the “gift of desperation”—the awareness
that he can no longer live with alcohol or drugs in
his life. Similarly, most families need to receive
that same gift—realizing that most of what they
have done, no matter how well-intended, has not
worked. They need to understand that there is a
way out of their nightmare as well. As the family
disease concept has become more commonly
recognized, therapists and support groups such as
Al-Anon have become life-savers to those who love
and live with addicts.
Mark Thomson is Director of Special Projects
at D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s and serves on the
Kent County Prevention Coalition, The Turning
Point Advisory Council, and Recovery Allies of
West Michigan, an advocacy coalition for those
in recovery. Recovery Allies of West Michigan
advocates for everyone affected by addiction,
including family members. If you want to learn
more about this coalition, please contact Kevin
McLauglin at kevin@recoveryallies.us
surprise. They are embraced with support of all kinds to
ease their minds and encourage a holistic approach for con-
tinued health. One of the most valuable types of support for
them is that of a group. Interestingly, people have shared
with me that one of the most beneficial kind of “group” was
simply the one in the waiting room with the same folks week
after week. So it makes sense to offer a group that allows
those people to continue to connect and share. That’s how
cancer, grief, divorce, and any other support groups started.
In contrast, the addiction survivor upon discharge
gets a schedule of meetings and hopefully some help with
a therapist. One interesting thing is that in many settings
for addiction treatment, the idea of exchanging numbers
and helping each other along the way either during or after
treatment is discouraged. This seems counter productive.
Wouldn’t it be nice if, when a person gets discharged from
addiction treatment , they would have those names and
numbers of those who have experienced similar recovery
journey? How much could a coach help, at this time, in in-
troducing the individual to a new social network, making
their home environment a safe one to return to, and acting
as a bridge from the support of a treatment community to
the sometimes isolated journey of recovery in the commu-
nity?
In light of this discrepancy a new trend is emerging;
the introduction of a recovery coach as the final step in the
treatment continuum. Recovery coaches advocate for the
individual on many different levels, they provide emotional
support, practical support- getting people to understand the
benefits of meetings, practical education on job seeking, etc.
but they also advocate for the larger recovery community.
One way they are doing this is by helping to start support
meetings (other than 12 step) that provide a person with the
opportunity to truly choose a path that fits them. Some ex-
amples are All Recovery, Life Ring, Secular Recovery, Ref-
uge Recovery, S.M.A.R.T. Recovery and White Bison. Some
are run like 12 step meetings and some are informal discus-
sion types. Some have facilitators and some don’t.
If anything I’ve mentioned in this article strikes a cord
with you….if it sounds like your experience, or that of a
loved one, and you’d like to create some change, here are
some quick steps you can take. If you have a loved one in
treatment, ask if they can be assigned a coach. If you know
someone exiting treatment, consider working with them to
ease that difficult transition. Look for new meetings in your
area and help others find these groups. If you are a coach
and/or a person in recovery looking for a certain style of
meeting that might fit you and or people you are working
with or would just like something different, consider start-
ing one up in your community. Call us! We can help get you
started with the process and help market it and bring others
to work with you so it’s not a one person show.
These are just a few ways that coaching can “turbo
charge’ a person’s path to wellness. We are seeing a shift in
how we can all work together. Working together is a game
changer! It’s a new form of care and a new kind of outcome!
STIRRINGcontinued from cover
ADDICTION -A Family Disease
By: Mark Thompson, MSW - RecoveryAllies Board Member

Leonard Street Counseling Center
Providing individual and group counseling services
Accepting new patients and most insurances, including
Medicaid and Healthy Michigan (no copays)
To schedule an appointment
call (616) 954-1991
Cherry Street Health Services
Residential and Outpatient Center
For Women Struggling With
Addiction to Drugs and Alcohol.
Sanford House is presently accepting clients. We
invite you to learn more at sanfordhousegr.com
or call us at 616-288-6970
RECOVERY for WOMEN
866/852.4001
pinerest.org/addiction-services
Recovery is Possible
Pine Rest offers a full continuum of addiction services. With
one call, we can guide you through the process of inquiry,
assessment and admission to the most appropriate level of
care. We will assist you with understanding your insurance
benefit or what other sources of funding might be available,
and we’ll qualify you or your loved one for treatment.
Our commitment is to treat you and your family with a
welcoming heart, provide compassion and understanding in
time of need and offer hope for recovery through excellent
care.
• Individual Outpatient Therapy at 14 licensed locations
• Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP) in Grand Rapids and
Kalamazoo
• Outpatient Opioid Detoxification
• Residential Detoxification
• Residential Addiction Services
• Short-Term Residential Services
• Transitional Recovery Housing
• Integrated Substance Use/Psychiatric Inpatient Services
• Partial Hospitalization Program
• Relapse Prevention Groups
• Intervention and Family Services

As an individual in recovery, especially long term recovery, I am not always happy.
I do not wake every morning and thank the universe that I am breathing that day,
that being alive is just enough, and that because of the horrors I have overcome, no
longer am I to be touched with the insignificant aches and pain of everyday life. I am
to be invincible, right? The self judgment turns to shame and guilt; the depression
sets in.
For those of you who do not know, depression is like a slow motion fall, stayed in
time, frozen yet falling all the same, just with no control. The world spirals around you
in some frightening dance, and as a smile is worn upon your face, the separateness
your mind feels from that smile is truly (almost) unbearable. Depression can make
you wonder “why do I stay in recovery, wasn’t there supposed to be a Promised Land,
where all the pain would disappear and life would become beautiful?” Although
recovery IS a beautiful thing, life will throw at you what it wants.
Another problem it brings for those of us in long-term recovery is the fear of letting
down the people who look up to us, or just look to us for support and inspiration. If
we have a bad day, if we feel weak or vulnerable, we feel like we must maintain our
positive attitude as a symbol of strength and willpower. It feels unsafe to any longer
share the frailty of our human experience.
Here’s the thing… it is not bad to question these things, it’s really all a part of
recovery, or bigger than that, its a part of life, or should be. We should occasionally
wake up feeling sad, weak, vulnerable or downright miserable. Why? Dissatisfaction
can be our biggest motivator. Depression can sometimes be a big flashing light telling
us that perhaps we are not living up to our personal truth, that being clean and sober
or in recovery is NOT ENOUGH! There is an entire world out there that is messy,
distracting, and hurtful and we can do something about it! That passion exists
and it’s within reach, it just takes some soul searching, some meditation, prayer or
mindfulness to discover, and a decision to dig deep to find the energy to do something
for someone. Try it; it will help.
When we feel alone in our weakness, that is when we will find the people or
person who is truly there to listen, not to just be heard. It is in those moments we can
DISCOVER who we are, who we can be and who we were meant to be.
None of this is easy; it is the road less traveled. Facing these truths head on and
staring them down when every bone in your body tells you to run, but you stay and
fight. I am saying that this needs to be talked about more. Lets make it safe to say: “I
am in long term
recovery and
I feel sad and
scared, “ and
for that not
to mean: “I
am about to
relapse.” It
is a beautiful
thing to admit
as a symbol of
strength, I am
strong enough
to know when I
am weak.
THE DEPRESSINGTRUTH
ABOUT RECOVERY
By:SaraVanderleest
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631 Hall Street
JUBILEE JOBS INC.
935 Baxter St. Se
EMPLOYMENT GROUP
3230 BroadmoorAve. Se SuiteA
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TROY TECH CONSTRUCTION
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1000 3 mile Rd.
VAN ANDEL ARENA
130W Fulton St,
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BEACON SERVICES
4595 BroadmoorAve, SE Suite 180
STAFFING INCORPORATED
528 Bridge St. NW
AMERITEMP STAFFING
6151 28th St. Se Suite 9
AEROTEK
4665 44th St. Se
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ADVANCE EMPLOYMENT
3160 Breton Rd. Se
GILL INDUSTRIES
4328 KalamazooAve. Se
CLEANING COMPANIES
AWWARD WINDOW CLEANING
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BYERS D C COMPANY
5946 Clay SW
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AUTOMOTIVE
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3300 28th St SE
Kentwood, MI
CARQUEST AUTO PARTS
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801 Michigan Ne
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6015 S. Division Se
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5007 28th St
AUTO SOURCE
1408 Hall St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI
TALENT TREE
4328 Kalamazoo SE
MANUFACTURING,
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MODERN ROOFING
4741 21st
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Contact Paul
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RANIER
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PRO FINISH POWDER COATING
1000 Ken-O-Sha Ind’l Dr. Se
PHILLIPS AND MEAD PAINTING
215 Sweet St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI, 49505
VI-CHEM CORPORATION
55 Cottage Grove St. Se
N-K MANUFACTURING TECH
1134 Freeman SW
Grand Rapids, MI
BUTTERBALL FARMS
1435 Buchanan SW
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AIMS FINANCIAL
4595 Broadmoore E Suite 297
Kentwood, MI 49512
PRECISION FINISHING
1010 Chicago Dr.
Grand Rapids, MI
DEN KETELAAR PLUMBING
883West River Dr.
Comstock Park, MI
LEON PLASTICS
4901 Clay SW
PRIDGEON AND CLAY
50 Cottage Grove SW
SUPERIOR ASPHALT
699 Century SW
Grand Rapids, MI
ERIE CONSTRUCTION
44th St
Grand Rapids, MI
B & G MOLD
ENGINEERING INC.
2851 Prairie
CHALLENGE INDUSTRIES
3079 3 Mile Rd
RESTAURANTS
JIMMY JOHNS
63 Monroe Center
Quizno’s Sub
146 Monroe Center
SUBWAY
1202 Fulton St.W
OLGA’S KITCHEN
3195 28th St
FIRE MOUNTAIN
3725Alpine NW
WING HEAVEN
ARNIES RESTAURANT AND
BAKERY
710 Leonard St. NW
BS’S MONGOLIAN BARBECUE
2619 28th St.
BELTLINE BAR
16 28th St. Se
BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL
AND BAR
2035 28th St. Se
2121 CelebrationsAve
Bob Evans
3766 Potomac Cr. Grandville
CARLOS O’KELLY MEXICAN
CAFÉ
4977 28th Street
CHECKERS RESTAURANT
1131 Michigan NE
TGI FRIDAYS
3345 28th St. Se
LITTLE CAESAR’S
RESTAURANTS
NEW BEGINNINGS
RESTAURANT’S
KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
28th Street
MONGOLIAN BBQ
2619 28th Street
CHILI’S BAR GRILL
River town Crossings Mall
E3 BISTRO
3075 28th Street SW
FIRE MOUNTAIN
3725Alpine NW
BIG BOY RESTAURANTS
MOVING COMPANIES
FORT KNOX STORAGE AND
MOVING INC.
1514 JeffersonAve SE
BIG BROTHER
3470 Roger B. Chaffe
Grand Rapids, MI
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
912 47th St
Grand Rapids, MI
STATUS DELIVERY
4156 Danvers Court SE
ALLIED VAN LINES
Contact: Philo Frost
STORES
ADMIRAL TOBACCO
2333 44th St. SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
MC SPORTS
3070 Shaffer SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
EASTSIDE TATTOOS
1409 Robinson Rd. SE
THE HOME DEPOT
257 54th ST
Wyoming, MI 49548
ADDITIONAL EMPLOYERS
Ace Hardware
Applebee’s
AT&T
Alstate
Bed bath and beyond
BuffaloWildWings
Chili’s
Chipotle
Dairy Queen
Denny’s
DollarTree
Dunkin’ Donuts
Embassy Suites
Family Dollar
General Electric
Golden Coral
Hilton Hotels
IHOP
Jimmy Johns
KFC
Kohl’s
McDonalds
Meijer
Men’sWarehouse
Olive Garden
Pet Smart
Radisson
Red Lobster
Red Robin
SalvationArmy
U-Haul
Without knowing
that life in recovery
can be scary, full of
doubts and sometimes
downright ugly, we are
setting ourselves up for failure.
Without knowing that life in recovery can be
scary, full of doubts and sometimes downright
ugly, we are setting ourselves up for failure.
For more employers visit exoffenders.net

UPCOMING TRAINING & EVENTS
RECOVERY COACH TRAINING
March 2nd - 6th, 2015 • 8:30am to 4:00pm
AboutThisTraining:
RecoveryAlliesofWestMichiganishostingtheRCAfive-daytrainingopportunity.Thetrainingisdesignedtoprepare
participantsforemploymentasaRecoveryCoachaswellasinformthosethatwanttoattendthatmaynotbeseeking
employmentasone. Thetrainingwillprovideparticipantswithanin-depthandcomprehensivetrainingexperience
focusedonthedevelopmentoftheskillsrequiredforapersontoresponsiblyprovidetheservicesofaRecoveryCoach. The
trainingwillprovideparticipantstoolsandresourcesusefulinprovidingrecoverysupportservicesandwillemphasizeskills
neededtolinkpeopleinrecoverytoneededsupportswithinthecommunity.Thecostofthistrainingis$400.00andworth
32MCBAPhours.Lunchisincluded.
Who Should Attend:
TheRCAisopentoindividualswhohaveaninterestinprovidingsupport,mentorship,andguidancetopersonswith
substanceusedisordersandco-occurringmentalhealthdisorders. IndividualswhoareinterestedintheRCAmustbe
approvedforparticipationbytheiremployer,acoordinatingagencyorendorsedbysomeoneinthecommunitythatcan
speakasareference. RCAparticipantsshouldthemselvesbeindividualsinstablerecovery,asitisimportanttothose
servedthattheircoachhaveapersonalunderstandingofaddictionandrecovery.
Emailregistrationtosara@recoveryallies.usandcall616-254-9988topaybyphonewithcreditcard.
SUNDAY
Midnight Courage Good Start
8:00am Fellowship Week-Enders - C
NOON Freedom Celia Street - C
NOON Fellowship Celia Street
12:30pm Unity Women’sWay - C
5:30pm Fellowship FifthTradition
6:45pm Fellowship Big Book Study
MONDAY
6:30am Fellowship Early Risers - C
4:00pm Fellowship Search for Serenity - C
7:00pm Fellowship Young People
8:00pm Fellowship Celia ST - C
TUESDAY
8:00am Unity Primary Purpose
WEDNESDAY
7:00pm Unity Women’s Stag - C
THURSDAY
8:00am Unity Primary Purpose
FRIDAY
7:00pm Unity Young People
8:00pm Courage 12 & 12 Forward - C
8:00pm Fellowship Men’s Stag - C
SATURDAY
8:00am Fellowship Week-Enders - C
10:00am Unity Celia Street
10:00am Freedom Ladies Stag
6:45pm Auditorium Speaker’s Meeting
ALANO CLUB MEETINGS –
SOUTH
CHERRY VALLEY GROUP 204 E MAIN ST • CALEDONIA
CLOSED MEETINGS – C.
GR.ALANOCLUB.ORG
SUNDAY
9:30 am Balcony Sunday Morning Group
9:30 am 1 ExpectA Miracle - C
9:30 am 2 Al-Anon SunA.M.
9:30 am 3 Breakfast Group - C
n No Noon Meeting On Sundays
2:00 pm A Sunday Serenity Group
5:30 pm Balcony Friendship Group
8:00 pm Balcony Young People’sAA
8:00 pm A Sun Night Men’s Stag - C
8:00 pm B Sun Night Beginners Group
8:00 pm 2 Sunday NightAl-Anon
8:00 pm 5 AA 12 & 12
MONDAY
9:00 am A Eye Opener Group
9:00 am 2 Al-Anon StepTo Serenity
9:00 am 1 Breathe Easy
Noon Balcony Noon Balcony Group
Noon A AA Lunch Group - C
Noon 1 Surrender Group
Noon 3 No First Drink
Noon B NA–Keep Coming Back
Noon 4 Noon Promises Group
Noon 5 Keep On GrowingWomens Stag
Noon * AA in the Country
5:30 pm 1 Friendship Group - C
5:30 pm A Unwinder’s Group
5:30 pm B Free Pizza Group
8:00 pm Balcony Life Club
8:00 pm 3 NA OpenTo Change
TUESDAY
9:00 am A Eyeopener Group
Noon B AA Beginners Group - C
Noon A AA Group -Issues &Tissues
Noon 2 Al-Anon
4:00 pm Balcony FoodAddicts
5:30 pm A Unwinder’s Group
6:00 pm 3 WomensWay Thru Steps
8:00 pm 2 Al-AnonTues Step Mtg
8:00 pm 3 24 Hours Group
WEDNESDAY
9:00 am 2 CourageTo Change (Al-Anon)
Noon A Men’s Stag Lunch Group - C
Noon 2 Al-Anon
Noon B NA-Keep Coming Back
5:30 pm Balcony Friendship Group - C
6:00 pm 2 Al-Anon
8:00 pm 3 Barefoot Group
8:00 pm B Bond Street (Men’s Stag) - C
8:00 pm B Bond Street Group - C
8:00 pm A Women’s Big Book Study
8:00 pm 1 Men’s Stag - Exp Str, Hope
8:00 pm 2 Al-Anon Wed Men’s Stag
THURSDAY
Noon 2 Al-Anon
5:30 pm Balcony Friendship Group - C
n Club Closes At 7:00 pm
FRIDAY
9:00 am 1 Breathe Easy Group
9:00 am 2 Stepping Stones (Al-Anon)
Noon 2 Al-Anon
Noon B NA-Keep Coming Back
Noon 5 Big Book Study
7:00 pm Balcony KCCO Speakers Meeting
8:00 pm 1 Men’s Stag- Honesty Group
8:00 pm A Fri NightAA (Mixed)
8:00 pm 2 Fri Night OpenAl-Anon
SATURDAY
8:00 am Balcony FoodAddicts
9:00 am 1 Breathe Easy Group
9:00 am 3 JohnWayne - Men’s Stag - C
Noon A Heavy Smokers
Noon 1 Saturday Surrender Group
Noon Balcony Men’s Stag
Noon 2 Al-Anon Sat Sunshine
Noon 3 Sat Noon Men’s Stag
n Club Closes At 2:00 pm
ALANO CLUB MEETINGS – NORTH NON-SMOKING FACILITY. CLOSED MEETINGS – C. 1020 COLLEGE NE, GRAND RAPIDS – *
GR.ALANOCLUB.ORG
• LearningObjectivesfortheRecoveryCoachAcademy:
• DescribetherolesandfunctionsofaRecoveryCoach
• Listthecomponents,corevaluesandguidingprinciples
ofrecovery
• Buildskillstoenhancerelationships
• Discussco-occurringdisordersandmedicated-assisted
recovery
• Describestagesofchangeandtheirapplications
• Addressethicalissues
• Experiencewellnessplanning
• Practicenewly-acquiredskills
SUNDAY
9:00am
7:00pm
MONDAY
7:00pm -
Women Only
7:00pm -
Men Only
TUESDAY
6:30am
NOON
7:00pm
WEDNESDAY
7:00pm
THURSDAY
6:30am
NOON
7:00pm
FRIDAY
7:00pm
SATURDAY
10:30am
7:00pm

“The roads to recovery are many
and that the resolution of alcoholism by any
method should be a cause for celebration by
A.A. members.” – Bill Wilson, 1944
Recovery Allies recognizes that there are
many pathways to recovery. Below are
some that we know of.One way to advocate
is to start one in your community!!
Some of the many pathways
n Alcoholics Anonymous – www.aa.org
n Narcotics Anonymous – www.NA.org
n Al-Anon – www.ola.is.org
n Other A’s
n Women in Sobriety – www.womenforsobriety.org
n Men for Sobriety – www.womenforsobriety.org
n Rational Recovery – www.rational.org
n Moderation Management – www.moderation.org
n HAMS – Harm Reduction Abstinence and
Moderation Support – http://hamsnetwork.org
n White Bison – www.whitebison.org
n S.O.S Secular Organization for Sobriety –
www.sossobriety.org
n Life Ring – www.unhooked.com
n SMART Recovery: Self-Management and
Recovery Training-www.smartrecovery.org
n Celebrate Recovery – www.celebraterecovery.com
n HAHA – Health and Healing Advocate's
n Pagans for Sobriety
Online Resources
n Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Administration (SAMHSA) – www.samhsa.gov
n U.S. Department of Health and Human Services –
www.hhs.gov
n National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) –
www.drugabuse.gov
n 24/7 Help Yourself – www.24/7helpyourself.com
n Sober Recovery – www.soberrecovery.com
n Cyber Recovery – www.cyberrecovery.net
n Addiction Tribe – www.addictiontribe.net
FEATURED
BOARD MEMBER
Heather Greko
Meet Our Board Members & Staff
Mark
Thomson
Director of Special
Projects D.A. Blodgett -
St John’s
Crystal King
Case Manager/Advocate
& Certified Peer
Recovery Coach for
Arbor Circle
Catherine VanDe
Wege
President of
Promises of Hope Inc
Nonprofit
Scott
Swinburne
Program Director at West
Brook
Recovery Center
Heather Greko
Executive Director for
The Salvation Army
Turning Point Programs
Mark
VandenBosch
OwnerVandenBosch Counsel-
ing Services, PLC
Kristin Reinink
Intake Coordinator and
Recovery Coach
Sanford House
Karima Diggs-
Holmes
Recovery Coach
Arbor Circle
Steve Alsum
Executive Director
Grand Rapids
Red Project
John Rhodes
CADC
Juvenile Court
Call or email for information on how
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED with Recovery Allies!
GET INVOLVED!!
Heather Greko is the Executive Director
for The Salvation Army Turning Point Pro-
grams. She first obtained a Bachelor of Sci-
ence in Biology with a pre- med focus from
Aquinas College, where she played basket-
ball and was an Academic All- American.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselor
Education from Western Michigan Univer-
sity and is a Licensed Professional Coun-
selor. Heather has specialized training in
the areas of addiction, anxiety, depression,
grief, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She also is a
Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Coun-
selor and a Certified Clinical Supervisor.
Heather began her professional career
in addiction treatment as a therapist at Our
Hope Association. She moved from Our
Hope to The Salvation Army Turning Point
Programs and was quickly promoted from
therapist to Operations Manager. Heather
moved into the role of Executive Director
in 2013. During her time at Turning Point,
Heather has excelled in program develop-
ment as she created and implemented a
Relapse Prevention Program and an Inten-
sive Stabilization Program. She has helped
Turning Point relocate to a new facility and
successfully executed the implementation
of a new Electronic Health Record. Heath-
er is also a board member for The Salvation
Army Adult Rehabilitation Center and she
is a member of the National Association of
Professional Women.
Heather is passionate about helping the
recovering community, and she strongly be-
lieves in the core mission of Recovery Allies
of West Michigan: To be a voice for the re-
covery community, who work to reduce stig-
ma, and help shape public attitudes towards
individuals and families who are living with
a substance use disorder.
from the FUNNY files

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