Recovery Isn’t Linear

By Jake Summers, Development Director and Partner, Green Hill

One of the most difficult struggles in early recovery is acceptance of the fact that healing and growth are not linear. It feels intuitive to believe that life will be easier at the one year milestone in sobriety than at the one week point. While these large trends hold over time, it certainly doesn’t mean that for each week in recovery, life gets better by a matching amount. Dealing with setbacks, including relapse, are an extremely important ingredient in long-term sobriety. The “one day at a time” mindset is a valuable tool in coping with the up and down periods in recovery. 

Often in 12-step meetings, I hear a person with 12, 18, or even 30 years sober sharing about how they were navigating their “toughest year in sobriety.” Life happens, to all of us. Painful events will happen to us in recovery. We may lose jobs or loved ones, become ill, or experience negative circumstances entirely out of our control. We cannot plan for life to go our way, but we can plan for how we will react when things don’t. Staying grounded in the reality that recovery isn’t linear and listening to those who have continued to stay sober under any circumstances are great places to start. 

Most recovery stories are divided into two parts. War with a substance, and a life without a substance. We enter an inpatient program or our first 12-step meeting because we have lost a battle with a substance. Our entire focus in early sobriety is to stop using. Fighting cravings, resisting urges, and controlling our surroundings is a full time job. While we want to get back into school, or rebuild our family system, those tend to take a back seat to the chief goal of just not using. 

As we move forward in recovery, eventually we reach an inflection point. The war turns into a scuffle which turns into an eventual passing thought. This is a promise of 12-step programs – at some point we still stop fighting drugs and alcohol. When this happens, we begin to focus on the rest of our lives. We begin to make amends, pursue dreams, become involved in the community.

The promise of recovery is not to make life easy; it is to give us a new set of tools to cope with life’s difficulties that doesn’t include drugs and alcohol. We have to learn how to have a meaningful life without substances. 

It is also important to think through the consequences of a return to use. We often view substances as our escape from the reality of a situation, but the truth is they only make life more complicated. For example, if we lose out on a job opportunity, and return to using as a way to cope, we will likely become less employable and less desirable for better positions with each day we use. Drinking or using magnifies our problems, and reduces our ability to solve them. 

Relapse is probably the biggest setback that can happen in recovery, although it is by no means necessary. While a relapse does mean that time  in recovery is starting over, we can zoom out and view it as an event in a life of sobriety. A return to use can serve as an extremely valuable and humbling wake-up call or a reminder of why we stopped using in the first place. Lessons learned, connections in the community, and an understanding of the condition will all carry over from before a relapse. All progress does not have to be lost during a relapse, and it is a setback many have used as a catalyst for another phase of personal growth. 

Extended care programs like Green Hill are designed to simultaneously build agency and self efficacy in clients, while providing them enough structure and clinical support to navigate challenging periods. As clients progress through the program, they become more confident and independent. Confidence and independence leads to expanding life experience, which adds complexity. The cycle continues! Feel better, pursue more opportunities, process the lessons learned when things do not go according to plan. Once we go through this cycle with support, we feel more confident that most of our ‘problems’ can be solved by the same solutions.

This cycle is accounted for in our phased system at Green Hill. Phase 4, the last in our clinical curriculum, is designed to empower residents to leave treatment feeling comfortable with their progress and confident in their ability to pursue a meaningful life . Our program allows residents to make mistakes and process them. The transition back to real life is designed to be a slow one. 

Green Hill utilizes the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) to substance use treatment. In this framework, clients redevelop their community to provide positive reinforcement for healthy behaviors in recovery. Surrounding oneself with a supportive community that rewards you for honestly evaluating your life and for vocalizing negative feelings is an important part of the foundational work done at Green Hill. Admitting when things are difficult and seeking support from others in recovery is a critical element of the communal approach to sobriety. 

The idea that clients can go to an inpatient facility living in a fully restricted environment and transition immediately back to normal life with little formal support is based on the assumption that recovery is linear. We know that recovery is more complex, and, for many, takes a winding path. At Green Hill, we have structured our curriculum accordingly. Recovery lasts a lifetime, and a foundation of recovery should be built slowly, deliberately, and for the long term. 

My life in recovery has certainly not been linear, but it has been fulfilling beyond imagination. I have had my share of highs and lows, but no matter what happens I know I have the tools to be okay with it. If you are on the fence about starting your journey in recovery you are not alone, but you can join any time!

Jake Summers

Program Update April 8, 2020: COVID-19 and Keeping Your Program Alive Through Chaos

Here’s the second installment of the Green Hill playbook for navigating COVID-19 and a recessionary economy. While our last post was sent as programs around the country were responding to a rapidly changing situation, this post is focused on embracing the ‘new normal’ – the environment in which we’re all operating. We will be addressing items according to our established framework below. 

  1. Family Communications 
  2. Policies & Procedures 
  3. Programming Changes 
  4. Family Financial Considerations 
  5. Leadership and Staff Management 
  6. Recession Planning

If you would like to see more details regarding anything you see in this post, such as our parent communications or detailed procedures, please reach out. We would also welcome any feedback or further suggestions. 

Family Communications

Communication with families has pivoted from a focus on easing fears towards more of an acceptance of the ‘new normal.’ Thus, we’ve launched a weekly newsletter for our transitional living families.

Elements for an Effective Newsletter 

  1. Highlight changes to policies and procedures in response to COVID-19.
  2. Demonstrate the importance of remaining focused on treating mental health and substance use. 
  3. Focus on the positive elements of your programming and how it’s evolved. 
  4. Reassure families that they are part of the treatment alliance. 
  5. Acknowledge anxiety surrounding public health AND the economy. 

Policies & Procedures 

We are continuing to build on our previous changes to our day-to-day operations and admissions procedures, while practicing strict enforcement of any COVID related policies we have adopted. We have continued to communicate ongoing changes to parents and residents and have held updated training for all staff. 

Stay at home: Wake County has issued a mandatory stay at home order. We are requiring all staff to abide by the order during non-working hours and are modifying treatment plans to abide by the order. We are considered an essential business, and thus, we will remain fully operational. However, we are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and welfare of our community. 

Updates to our list of procedures have been underlined.

Admissions: 

  • Added screening questionnaire criteria for COVID 19
  • Quarantine policies for new residents, if necessary
  • Medical assessment upon arrival
  • Requiring new admissions to avoid flying

Operations:  

  • Continued to update our program schedule to facilitate a wider range of active and engaging programming within Green Hill’s facilities:
    • In-house 12-step, Recovery Dharma, and SMART meetings 
    • In-house workout and fitness sessions 
    • Peer planned and facilitated activities
    • Outdoor experiential programming 
  • Restricted all non-essential community activities, outings, and programming 
  • Cancelled all non-essential resident travel 
  • Provided further education and training to our staff and residents on social distancing practices and healthy community living procedures
  • Conducted early refills of all resident medication 
  • Initiated updated academic schedules to ensure structure and support for residents transitioning to remote learning
  • Updated twice daily cleaning protocol 
  • Updated staffing model for potential time away for illness
  • Switched community outpatient to full telehealth
  • Established relationship with local PCP for testing, COVID screening
  • Introduced grocery store pickups, with residents now ordering groceries online, and staff picking them up. 
  • Nightly temperature checks

Program Updates

Maintaining milieu is our chief concern for residents. We have also had to practice a healthy dose of self-forgiveness, as there is no formula for how to operate within these constraints. Our main programming effort continues to be the Van Dyke Olympiad, with events being added each day. Our biggest success for the olympiad is staff engagement. This creative solution to our current predicament has allowed our clinical team to engage with residents in an entirely new and more natural way. As most of our program staff is in recovery, increased staff involvement at the house has also given a unique opportunity for our team members with more significant time in sobriety to show residents that this pandemic is difficult for everyone in recovery. 

Last Week’s Highlights: 

  • Favorite event: Spike ball tournament
  • Looking forward to: Iron Chef (Apocalypse Edition), Trivia 
  • Made us laugh: Ryan coming in on his day off just to compete

We have also placed a greater emphasis on physical health and well-being by starting a peer-led workout program at the house and yoga & meditation sessions being led by Tripp. Our goal has been to provide a safe quarantine environment that is both structured and stimulating. We have also asked for the help of the local 12 step community in maintaining a connection with Green Hill. We have continued to develop a more robust in-house meeting format, bringing speakers for in-house meetings over Zoom. We are also participating in Zoom meetings with our resident’s home groups and favorite local meetings. 

Financial Considerations for Families

Our strategy of proactive family communications regarding finances has helped us to protect our revenue and keep our clients engaged in the program. While we had no formal financial communications in the last week, we have had a number of calls with parents to discuss their updated financial situations. We can say we would have had 2-3 clients leave almost overnight if we were not willing to provide financial support to families. 

While we have done a great job of working with existing clients and families, we are worried that extended care options will be less appealing simply due to financial uncertainty. Our next goal is to more proactively communicate this information to incoming admissions and potential clients. Green Hill has scholarships available, and we would hate for motivated candidates for extended care to head home after primary treatment simply because of finances. We are a purpose driven organization, and we believe extended care is even more important in this environment. We would urge other programs to make necessary accommodations in an effort to prove to the world that we will always put quality care above financial motivations.

Leadership: Combatting Fatigue 

We continue to place an emphasis on combating the mental fatigue associated with our current circumstances. The 15 minute daily pulse calls for the leadership team have been vital in keeping the team focused and motivated, but also as a barometer for our collective wellness. On the first few calls this week, it was clear that fatigue was setting in. These calls give us an opportunity as owners to hear our people and figure out which members of our leadership team are running out of gas and need some extra recognition or attention. 

The Green Hill leadership team has a dedicated ‘war room’ where Tripp is working around the clock. These uncertain times have an impact on our residents, their families, and our staff. To combat the quarantine fatigue, our leadership team has developed a check-in roster to ensure that our team is functioning at 100%. 

  • Dedicated space and staff to monitoring and adapting to COVID-19 news
  • Updating our team on best practices on a daily basis 
  • Embracing our core value of ‘unity’ during trying times
  • Continuing 15 minute daily pulse calls
  • Continuing the use of our weekly check in trees

Recession Planning 

SBA / Federal Aid: We have spent a significant amount of time this week on the phone with bankers and accountants trying to make sense of the support offered by the SBA. The main applicable offering is the SBA Payroll Protection Program (PPP). While the details of this program have yet to be finalized, and rollout may be slow, we are in the process of finishing our application. We were recommended by our banker to ‘get in the queue,’ even if we didn’t need the funds right away.  At Green Hill, our staff is our biggest asset, and having the means to retain them is vital. This will also simultaneously show our staff that we are committed to keeping them, and their jobs are not in jeopardy. The PPP program gives low interest loans for payroll and rent, and includes forgiveness for payroll taxes. The plan allows businesses to receive 2.5x monthly payroll, but as we said, the details keep changing. 

Not out of the woods: The Federal Reserve and Congress have started to implement the largest ‘bailout’ package in the history of the nation. In the face of a national credit crunch, the Federal Reserve issued a sweeping implicit guarantee for bond markets, while Congress gave much needed aid to small businesses and citizens. These measures calmed markets, and brought peace of mind to the nation, but we are by no means through the worst of this in an economic sense. We are continuing to monitor our financial situation and planning for the worst. We are urging program directors and owners to continue to proceed with caution, and use this time to prepare their business for a recessionary environment. 


Just to reiterate, please contact us if you would wish any more detail regarding any of the topics we covered above. Acting quickly in this environment and staying collaborative may save us all. 

Mindfully,

Meet Our Development Director: Jake Summers

Jake Summers

Could we get some brief biographical information from you? Hometown, previous experience, education, etc.?

I grew up in Phoenixville (suburban Philadelphia) before heading to West Point for college. I started my personal recovery journey in 2010 after I was kicked out of West Point for alcohol abuse. I finished up my degree at Villanova University, majoring in finance.

I had a career in finance for a few years before I had a quarter life crisis and moved to Cambodia. I had always had a desire to work in Asia, and I found a job with a small investment company in Phnom Penh. I ended up co-founding a mango farming and export company, and spent some time living in a shipping container in the jungle. It was an amazing experience, but I determined it was unsustainable for the long term.

Since I moved back, I have been a full time entrepreneur. I own a real estate and construction company in PA, and joined Green Hill to bring some fresh views on ways to run and grow this company to ensure the mission came first. Working at Green Hill is my first stint in the recovery profession, where I oversee the finance department and some of our strategic growth initiatives. I am able to combine my personal knowledge of recovery with my early stage business experience. My role at Green Hill has been the most fulfilling and impactful position I have ever had.

Why did you become a partner at Green Hill?

Our approach to recovery. My story in recovery involves losing my academic and career footing, and I know how hard it is to lose your identity and find a new one. A platform to help young men navigate similar experiences sounded tailor made for me. Tripp invited me down to do some consulting on some projects, and I signed on to be a partner a few months later. His vision as a leader is one that has a chance to change the way this entire industry approaches young adult treatment. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of something like this.

What keeps you coming back day after day?

The people. We have the most incredibly talented and driven staff. We have a sign in our house that says ‘Give a damn’, and that’s my sense in every interaction with our employees. Every one of us wants to grow, help our clients, and help each other.

A close second would be my interactions with parents and families. As the Development Director, I have a lot of chances to show our families that we are a mission driven organization, and we approach finances with a lot of flexibility and mutual understanding. There is not a lot of clarity and transparency in this field when it comes to costs, and I love being able to show families that we prioritize that.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

My mentor / boss in finance sat me down and urged me to stop trying to fit my square self into a round hole in a corporate job. His advice was this: The best thing we can do is to start being our authentic selves as early as possible. My career has been a beautiful adventure ever since. I have zero regrets.

What does your ideal day look like? 

It would start with a quiet half hour in the morning. When I lived in Cambodia, I spent thirty minutes outside on the porch with my coffee before I looked at my phone. It is amazing to see how we make a choice every single day to start our day in calm or chaos, simply by choosing if we look at that portable supercomputer right when we open our eyes. I would then go for a run on a scenic trail. I love running and I love nature. I have done multiple marathons, and I find it to be the most therapeutic experience I can take part in.

I would then jump right into work! I really enjoy working. I know that sounds crazy, but my most fulfilling days are jam packed with critical problem solving and teamwork. Prioritizing self care over work is an ongoing battle for me. I would end my work day with a short meditation and a call to my Grandma, a tradition started when I commuted home from my first job. Our little five minute chat each day keeps me centered and represents an ‘end’ to the day for me. I would then head over to my brother’s house to play with my twin nephews before dinner. They make every problem in my life a heck of a lot smaller, and there is something so exhilarating about earning a laugh from an 18 month old child.

I would head back home and cook a nice dinner. I love to experiment in the kitchen. After dinner, I usually head to a meeting! The relationships I have built in sobriety are the most meaningful thing in my life. Ending the day with my people and my community is probably the best use of an hour I can come up with. I seem to enter every meeting obsessed with the things I didn’t accomplish that day, and leave with a healthy dose of self-forgiveness for doing the best I could. I usually tune out an hour before bed and ‘shut down’ with a book, the guitar, or a documentary.

What superlative would you have received in high school?

I did receive class clown, and I was proud! I was 99% humor, 1% school work. To be completely honest, I barely resemble my high school self after living a life in recovery. I can tell you that, back then, I would not have been most likely to succeed, make a difference, become president, etc.

What’s one message you wish our residents would always carry with them?

“Success is not final, and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

Recovery and life are long term games. Everyday we have an opportunity to grow and an opportunity to practice self-forgiveness, when we don’t.

Who has had the largest impact on your personal/professional development?

Tripp Johnson. I have never seen someone approach personal development so deliberately. He has helped me discover and embrace my core values, and ensure that life, personal relationships, my career, my family, all tap their roots into the same soil (values). It is some really powerful stuff. 

Anything else you’d like the community at large to know? 

I work remotely from Philadelphia and spend a week per month on the ground in Raleigh.

Quick Facts about Jake

Undergraduate: Villanova University

Colleague for a Road Trip: Jay Bylund – that’s easy. He’s hilarious, a great DJ, and a caring conversationalist.

Dream Job as a Kid: Fighter pilot

Favorite Movie: Shawshank Redemption (I cry every time)

Favorite Meal: Bida Manda’s breakfast baguette (I also cry every time)

Favorite Album: Wildflowers – Tom Petty

Karaoke Song: Toto – Rosanna

Mountains or Beach? Mountains

Favorite Book: East of Eden – John Steinbeck

Click here to download a PDF version of Jake’s profile