In a recent article on Thrive Global, Awakening Co-Founder and Executive Director David Van Der Velde, discussed the unique challenges that people in recovery face during the holidays. The holiday…
Awakening Recovery Co-Founder and Executive Director has seen many holiday seasons come and go and knows how they can challenge someone in recovery. "Substance use disorder recovery is not only…
About half of those that experience a substance or alcohol use disorder (SUD and AUD respectively) also known as drug addiction and alcoholism, experience a co-occurring mental health disorder. Additionally, up to…
Growing up I was a seeker and had a sense of a Higher Power that today I choose to call God. As I experienced my childhood and adolescent years, however,…
By David van der Velde
David got clean and sober in 1988 at the age of 19, close to death from his own struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism. Now 32+ years clean and sober, he has been consistently active in his recovery community by mentoring others, serves on recovery and youth related non-profit Boards such as LifeWorks and the West Hollywood Recovery Center, and serves on panels at institutions speaking from his own experience about recovery.
Joelene Knight, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Grace Recovery, a sub-acute and residential treatment program located in Hollywood, California, as well as a Board Member at Awakening Recovery, a unique life-saving nonprofit that specializes in recovery homes with a long-term, 12-Step addiction solution that creates a lasting change in core beliefs and behaviors.