Staying Fit with Coach Carl
Emerging reports support the inclusion of structured physical activity as an important component to successful drug and alcohol recovery. Studies of patients being treated for substance abuse suggest exercise promotes a sense of accomplishment; physical strength; improved health; and increased confidence in staying clean and sober.
This is something that Coach Carl, former NFL coach-turned-physical trainer, says he’s known for a long time. His desire to help recovering addicts through personal training comes from his own battle with addiction. He says he emerged with the need to “pay it forward so that others can have access to the tangible successes that mindful physical activity can offer.”
Coach Carl is a professional trainer at Fit 4 Life, a company that engages recovering addicts with physical fitness programs. His program is part of the “4 Pillars of Recovery,” those being: physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental. He guides his physical trainees through the first pillar, physical fitness.
His philosophy, which is backed up by studies published in Mental Health and Physical Activity, is the body is made to move. When it comes to addiction recovery, his personal experience tells him that, “the body will respond before the mind does.”
Coach Carl was brought on board the BBC team hosting regular exercise classes free of charge to their clients. This supplemental program is another addition to the ever-expanding list of support services aimed at addressing addiction recovery in a holistic way. The program aims to support clients during their recovery as a way of improving their self esteem, stimulating the body to rebuild and heal, and of course, to release smile inducing endorphins that research shows help reduce cravings.
A generous philanthropic grant has made the expansion of this physical fitness possible. Wes Perdue, Director of Operations at BBC, says this grant is seed money that is intended to provide clients with a structured way of getting in touch with the physical component of recovery, “there are many stresses that our clients undergo during their recovery, and the way we look affects the way we feel, especially about ourselves.”
Launching this free program for BBC and Vivre clients is the first step toward shoring up support services that lead to positive outcomes in recovery.
For more information, or to make a referral call 602-626-8112. For youth on MMIC/AHCCCS, they can receive up to 90 days of IOP treatment at no cost to them.
We also have both in-network and out-of-network options with insurance companies, and have private pay options available. For more visit Building Blocks Counseling http://buildingblockscounseling.com/ 