After 25 years in behavioral health, Ian found himself wondering if all he had left to offer was a bowl of candy on his desk — a small gesture in a system that had lost its soul. What followed was a reckoning with profit-driven treatment models, personal burnout, and a rediscovery of what real recovery work looks like.

In this deeply honest and thought-provoking conversation, Ian shares how being fired from a for-profit program became the catalyst for transformation — leading him to embrace trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and a radical truth: the expert on the client is the client.

From challenging outdated addiction models to unpacking the thin line between support and enabling, Ian’s story is a powerful look at what happens when compassion meets accountability — and when professionals learn to truly listen. ...