On this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna brings you another story from our special former participant series where she extends the opportunity for former participants to share their journey with others.
Growing up in a small Arizona town, Alex Carey “had good grades and a ton of friends,” but by her mid-teens the party culture and a move to the Phoenix Valley accelerated risky choices that culminated in an adolescent placement at a residential treatment program—an experience she describes as shame-based and traumatizing, leaving her more wounded than helped. After returning home, Alex spiraled: a DUI at 17, mounting alcohol use, surgeries that introduced her to opioids, and several “summer vacation” trips to adult treatment that didn’t stick because she was still performing rather than telling the truth. Everything changed in 2017—after a relapse, an overdose, and waking up from life support—when Alex walked into treatment committed to radical honesty about her pain and needs. That honesty became the turning point: she embraced recovery, rebuilt from nothing, and later sought deeper healing through intensive trauma work, including EMDR. Today, approaching eight years sober at the time of recording, Alex is a married mom to a two-year-old, a photographer at heart, and a treatment professional connecting people to trauma-informed care at Cottonwood Tucson. In this conversation, she contrasts coercive adolescent models with adult treatment that respects autonomy, shares grounded advice for parents and inspires hope in young adults who fear treatment will always look like it did when they were kids. Alex’s story is a testament to what becomes possible when recovery is honest, individualized, and trauma-informed.
NOTE: The podcasts in this series can include sensitive subjects such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, hospitalizations, psychotic episodes, and other traumatic experiences which include parts of the treatment journey. No topic is off limits and not all stories are positive but they are real, raw, and transparent.
*Listener discretion is advised*
Alex’s Resources:
Cottonwood Tucson
Connect with Joanna Lilley
Therapeutic Consulting Association
Lilley Consulting on YouTube
Email joanna@lilleyconsulting.com
#TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #EmotionalHealing #TraumaRecovery #Sobriety #Addiction #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #PinnaclePeakRecovery
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.