The Many Pathways to Recovery With Joe Schrank

Today’s guest is Joe Schrank, a social worker, interventionist, community advocate, and co-founder of “The Fix.” Throughout this episode, Joe discusses the shift in perspective we can have regarding those suffering from addiction. He shares his struggle with addiction, how he went through recovery, and how he helps his clients by meeting them where they are with their addictions. Joe emphasizes that it is necessary to look at all types of recovery instead of thinking that the traditional recovery techniques are the only options. Tune in today to learn more about how you can support someone in your life who is facing addiction, or if you need help with  substance use.  

IN THIS EPISODE:  

• [1:40] September is Recovery Month. Joe wants to bring awareness to Recovery Month.  
• [3:32] How does Joe define recovery? 
• [6:38] What are other roads to recovery aside from abstinence? 
• [10:06] Does AA position itself toward a particular group of people?  
• [15:50] What would it look like if we moved away from criminalization to focus on mental health instead?  
• [19:00] Why do people of wealth and affluence who live in a bubble not get help?  
• [23:02] What kind of screening could doctors do to help those with mental illness?  
• [24:56] What do we value, and why do we not value people with mental health issues (by the way, we all do)?  

KEY TAKEAWAYS:  

• We need to normalize mental health care: talk about it, support people, and offer early intervention to those who need it.  
• Society would benefit  from looking at people who struggle with addiction outside of “they have an addiction” and looking more closely at what they struggle with. People do get better. Recovery is all around us, even if it doesn’t look like the “traditional” type of recovery.  
• Every person will struggle with mental health challenges in their life. Whether it’s life changes, divorce, family growth, retirement, or something else, there will be a time when each of us struggles with a mental issue.  

BIO: 

Social worker, interventionist, community advocate, cofounder of TheFix.com, 

Joe Schrank has spent his life in and around active alcoholism. Joe underperformed on the USC campus, preferring to blame coaches and professors than to enter mental health care. After a girl dumped him for his “drinking problem,” Joe joined treatment for depression and alcoholism. After stabilizing, he returned to school and studied clinical social work at Iona College and then the University of Illinois.  

Following a tenure at Promises in Malibu, CA, Joe established the first sober living facility in New York City –, Loft 107. Frustrated with the lack of media attention  given  the recovery community, Joe founded TheFix.com with Maer Roshan. A big believer in “meeting the client where the client is,” Joe founded High Sobriety, the first cannabis-inclusive treatment center, using medicinal cannabis as an option for some people. Joe continues to advocate for public health policy over-incarceration, alcohol tax justice, and ending the violent and racist drug war.