- Alcohol
Dianne and her husband have 43 sober living homes in California. Her husband has 19 years of sobriety, and she comes from a family of alcoholics. Diane had always been interested in addiction treatment and helping people. While completing her PhD, she did a two-year intensive program in the substance abuse field.
Dianne describes her situation growing up as, “a circus. You don’t realize that you are in a dysfunctional home if you are always in it. Only when you visit somebody else’s home do you say, ‘Wait…They don’t live like me?’” Dianne’s father was a mean drunk, and lots of emotional abuse happened at home. Her father never found sobriety and died in his 50’s as a result of multiple illnesses related to his drinking.
Her husband had many years of sobriety when they met. His passion is working with people in recovery, and Dianne sees helping as a real pleasure. She especially enjoys seeing people grow every day and loves the special culture she found while helping people get clean and sober.
Dianne never had a problem with alcohol or substances. She did the usual party drinking and is grateful she didn’t inherit her family’s alcoholism. She drank a few times more than she should have in her life, but when the relationship with her husband began, she decided not to drink anymore.
Dianne gives the following advice to those seeking recovery: “You are going through a very rough period trying to get sober, but an incredible community of people in sobriety is waiting to support you and help you find your true calling and your true spirit.” Diane encourages recovering individuals to go to meetings, stay connected, seek help if needed, and reach out.