77: Chris Paulson: From Addict to Therapist - Chris's Story of Overcoming Adversity and Helping Others Along the Way

Summary: Chris Paulson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over fifteen years of experience working within the field of behavioral health. He holds a masters degree in clinical psychology and has a wealth of clinical experience and expertise, having previously served as a clinical director, clinical supervisor, director of admissions, program director, etc at a number of behavioral health organizations ranging from the non profit to the private sector. Chris has been sober for over sixteen years, and much of his personal experience has helped shape his belief systems surrounding the effective treatment of substance use disorders. In 2018 Chris helped start and co-found a detoxification and residential treatment program in Washington state called Discover Recovery. To a large extent, this recent endeavor has been the culmination of collective experience borrowed from his previous work experiences. His life has not been idyllic, as he has had to overcome a significant amount of personal adversity, however, his ability to weather these proverbial storms has reinforced his belief in the process of healing and the ability to persevere. Chris has appeared on national television as an expert on addictive disorders, was previously a keynote speaker for the University of California's Collegiate Recovery Conference, and continues to strive to be a voice of compassion and humanism within the world of addiction.