The life events I’ve experienced have consisted of bullying, anxiety, and heartbreak. That coupled with my inability at the time to express emotion, it all turned inward.

At the age of 13, I started experimenting with illicit drugs. Looking back, it was self-medicating at its best. My substance use quickly progressed over the years and eventually got out of control. I found myself in a very negative cycle that I couldn’t get out of alone. Eventually (at the age of 20) I checked into a substance abuse treatment facility. My own life experiences have given me the gift of empathy when treating others that are going through the same struggles I overcame.

Once discharged from my treatment center, I was introduced to 12 step meetings. I was skeptical, but I started to notice that I felt better after each and every meeting. It felt “good” to be helped. It was at that point where I made a decision to go into a “helping profession”. I mulled the idea of Psychiatry, but at the time, I didn’t trust myself with my own prescription pad. My next best option was to pursue my Doctorate in Psychology.

At Recovery Unplugged we utilize the power of music as a catalyst to connect with clients and break down barriers. We have all the components of a traditional treatment center; we just use untraditional approaches. Music targets the same areas of the brain that drugs and alcohol do. All our facilities have live performance stages that our clients utilize daily. Music really does have the power to save and change lives.

When people first hear of Recovery Unplugged, they are somewhat skeptical. Recovery Unplugged is a complete and total music-immersive experience. People tend to think our clients sit around, bang drums, and sing the Kumbaya. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We have a very comprehensive clinical approach that consists of an individualized trauma track, as well as a family program. Recovery Unplugged has undergone a longitudinal study that has demonstrated empirical evidence that our methods not only work but work more effectively than traditional modalities.