He had been an elementary school teacher for more than 25 years when the pandemic lockdowns moved classes online. "I went remote with my students," he explains. "It didn't work for me. I was spending 12-14 hours a day on schoolwork and my drinking increased as my stress increased."
Karl's alcohol use only got worse, until eventually, "It cost me my teaching job," he says. "But I was a teacher and so I thought it was the loss of my identity." From there, his mental health challenges worsened, until he tried to take his own life. Finally, deemed a danger to himself, he was taken by law enforcement and sent to crisis care.
Once he was in stable condition, Karl went to residential treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford's Center City campus, where "life started to change," he recalls. "My counselor made me believe in myself when I didn't. And I found a core group of guys who I still speak to daily. It was hard work, but it was rewarding. I learned practical skills and created a toolbox for a life in recovery."
He was one of the early patients in Hazelden Betty Ford's newest programs, which was made possible through the generous support of the Goldring Family Foundation. This new model, known as "Co-Occurring Enhanced" care, addresses people's complex mental health challenges while also treating their substance use disorder. A multidisciplinary team help people with more than one diagnosis—so they can truly find healing.
"I was in the right place at the right time as this program was launched," he says. "Somehow, they met me where I was at. Actually, you could say they found me, and even I didn't know where that was," he laughs. "My counselor was amazing and my experience with Hazelden Betty Ford was so profound."
Karl believes that Hazelden Betty Ford's fully integrated treatment model made all the difference to his recovery. "My sobriety didn't get in check until my psyche and those needs were in check," he says. "I can't be sober if I'm not well."
The next part of his personal recovery journey will be pursuing a master's degree at the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School to become an addiction and mental health counselor. Harnessing his passion to help people grow and learn, he is inspired to work with people as they take their next steps on their recovery journeys.
