Joe’s story: Donors to MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation make recovery possible

September is National Recovery Month; a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life.

With donor support through the MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation, recovery is possible for those who seek care through the MultiCare Behavioral Health Network. You can support behavioral health programs in your community by making a gift today.

To celebrate National Recovery Month and the impact of donor generosity this is Joe’s* story of recovery.

Now in his forties, Joe has sold and used drugs most of his life. Because of this, he has been involved with the criminal justice system for just as long. After his most recent release from jail, Joe was referred to Navos’ Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) treatment for an assessment and treatment by the Department of Corrections (DOC).

Joe was initially reluctant to attend treatment because he had become sober while in jail. Out of concern for his ability to maintain his sobriety outside of confinement, his counselor at Navos prescribed treatment, and Joe agreed to participate.

As Joe became more engaged in his treatment process and more committed to his recovery, he became more aware of his life goals.  As treatment went on, Joe began to articulate what he wanted for his future and how he planned to get there.

Once he trusted his SUD clinician, Joe progressed from not knowing how to set or accomplish his objectives to outlining specific plans. Joe focused on improving himself and building a lifestyle of recovery.

At the beginning of treatment, Joe had expressed his concerns about being all alone in Seattle without family support.  He decided to try to make amends. Joe started working with his father on repairing their relationship, and he made the decision to move his estranged wife to Seattle.

As his recovery progressed, Joe wanted to move to another place and to become financially stable. His SUD clinician provided him with financial resource materials, money management information and resources for transitional housing. Joe also set a goal to open and maintain a bank account and to keep it in good standing.

Eventually, Joe and his wife moved back in together. In August 2020, Joe earned his release from all his DOC obligations, which he describes as his biggest achievement. He was able to learn how to start building a lifestyle of recovery including sobriety.

At his final session with his counselor at Navos, Joe shared that his next goal is to buy a house and stated, “I am loving life and having fun. Life is not so bad being normal, and I like it.”

*Editor’s Note: All names have been changed to protect clients’ privacy.