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Director Addiction History
A
Non-Profit Organization 501c3
A winner never quits and a quitter
never wins!
Circle of Light Support and
Recovery Center
8757 Annetta Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63147
(314) 381-4225
Support and Recovery at its Best through a
Spiritual Concept
According to a wise
old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is
especially true when talking about the plague of alcohol and other drugs
that are mind-altering, which has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions
of drug users and have a constant and harrowing effect upon their
families, friends and community at large.
My name is Travis
Mitchell and I am the Director of Circle of Light Support, Recovery and
Relapse Prevention Center. My education, major, and field is Psychology -
Substance Abuse. I attended the Addiction Academy and the Advance
Addiction Academy on substance abuse for faith organizations sponsored by
(CCFC) Committed Caring Faith Communities, (DEA) U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration, (DMH) Department of Mental Health, and (ADA) Division of
Alcohol and Drug Abuse held in Jefferson City, MO at Lincoln University.
Knowing this
about me
 ,
also know this, without God, I
cannot bend over and tie my shoes. For 28 years, I abused alcohol and
other drugs and was always in denial. I abused practically every legal and
illegal drug known to man and I am not boasting about my stupidity either.
I suffered from depression, shame, guilt, loneliness, low self-esteem, and
isolation which caused me to be very reckless with my life. My
mental state was in shambles and I was tired of few successes and many
failures. I had good intentions just like you, but learned good intentions
are just vanity without the direction of God. Like most of us it begins
with our personality. Personality consists of behaving, thinking, and
feeling and as I look back, I failed three out of three. My addiction
could have been avoided if I had the proper direction before and after I
began abusing drugs.
I have first-hand knowledge of drug addiction from
three perspectives: first, in seeing the damage it does to peoples’ minds
and how this leads them to commit aggressive, criminal and perverted acts
on society; secondly, in having overcome drug addiction in my own life
beginning March 14, 1994, and lastly in having experience and success in
helping others overcome their addiction to drugs and alcohol. Just for the
record, alcohol is considered a substance/drug too. Alcohol is “king of
the depressants,” with its worldwide use beginning in prehistory, its easy
availability in most cultures, and its widespread acceptance as a socially
approved substance. Depressants can produce both physical and
psychological dependence (Schacter, Gilbert, and Wegner p. 321)
Most addicts overcome their addiction because they
understand that we must seek help outside of ourselves. Others evaluate
their personalities through their parents and learn, just like I did, one
or both parents were alcoholic’s, but that is not an endorsement for them
or anyone else to become one. They may say or think, “Well mom and dad
drank and were successful, so I guess I can too.” People will often endure
significant inconvenience to maintain their addictions. This is how my
Pastor, Jeff Johnson Jr. described it to the congregation one Sunday
morning. He said, “My great, great, grandfather was from a cannibal tribe
in Africa and they ate a lot of people.” “That does not mean I have to.”
As a loving husband, the father of twin children age
12, and owner of my own business, I want others that are struggling with
an addiction to experience the same peace, love, and satisfaction that I
have known in leading a useful and constructive drug-free life since March
14, 1994. I do not suffer from any previous psychological disorders
anymore so therefore, I do not need to take any prescription medication
either. I understand my direction in life, my true calling, and I am sold
out for this cause. I am elated where God is taking me with His sustaining
power and effort to meet the challenges in the community. I am humbly
honored and exceedingly grateful that God chose me, a “nobody” to be the
Director of His program at Circle of Light Support and Recovery Center to
help, enrich, empower, and assist others through their challenging and
perplexing addiction.
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