Learning How to Do Life
Chuck Novak’s life hasn’t always been easy. A substance use problem led to five years in prison. While incarcerated, Chuck decided to use his time to change his life for the better. He earned a paralegal certificate and started on a path to recovery. Today, Chuck is a Master Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor and a SMART Recovery Regional Coordinator in New Hampshire.
In this podcast, Chuck talks about:
- His experiences with addiction and being incarcerated
- How simple decisions were difficult after being released
- Changing the vocabulary for returning citizens
- How he became interested in becoming a counselor
- Using SMART tools within the tools during his meetings
- The role of regional coordinators is morphing
- Implementing “Operation Bed Bug”
- How the InsideOut: A SMART Recovery Correctional Program® aligns with the Federal Bureau of Prisons programing
- Consulting for the Drug and Mental Health Courts in New Hampshire
- Learning how to do life
- Discovering there is Life Beyond Addiction
