Chris Herren, Former Fresno State Star Basketball Player, Delivers Moving Speech to Addiction Professionals During Annual Legislative Conference
Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) April 22, 2015 -- Valley Recovery Center of California (Valley) was honored to provide the speaker for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals Conference (CCAPP). Former NBA star Chris Herren and Executive Partner with Summit BHC agreed to speak and share his inspiring story of drug addiction and his road to recovery. Summit BHC is the parent company to the local treatment program Valley. Herren’s story reads like scenes from a dramatic Hollywood film score. When he finished, the teary-eyed audience of addiction professionals honored him with a standing ovation. The only thing missing were the boxes of Kleenex that should have dressed the tables. He was the only speaker during the 2-day conference to receive this kind of expression of gratitude.
Although many members of the audience were compelled to share their story with some similarities, there was a common thread that permeated with Herren’s urging and that is to “stop the stigma.” To this day, and after eight years’ in recovery, he admitted that he is not completely recovered and understands it is a process that provides no short cuts, but can only be taken one day at a time. Herren emphasized the need to own our addiction and stop giving the power to others to judge us.
In true Herren fashion, he announced that he is a “hugger” and would accept hugs from anyone who needed one. The line for hugs formed immediately and extended nearly out to the entrance of the hotel. Herren made it a point to greet and hug every single male and female. To him the really special hugs come from others in recovery and he must have felt truly special this day.
“Chris is one of the reasons I choose to work for this organization, says Valley CEO, John Dolores, PhD, Esq., Valley and the parent company Summit BHC is comprised of like minded professionals, driven by passion and a true desire to deliver quality treatment."
About Valley - Located in Sacramento, CA, Valley is a freestanding addictions treatment center serving adults, which provides a full continuum of detoxification to intensive outpatient services. Valley provides you with a meaningful treatment experience in a supportive atmosphere where you can begin to heal, restore, and renew your life. The goal of our Whole Person Care approach is to treat the mind, body, and spirit. Our Whole Person Care approach welcomes each client into our community with a focus on recovery and relapse prevention supported by trained staff with a focus on peer connectivity.
About Summit - Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and founded in June of 2013, Summit was established to develop and operate a network of leading addiction treatment and behavioral health centers throughout the country. The company’s sole focus is on the provision and management of specialty chemical dependency and addiction disorder services within a flexible and dynamic continuum of care. The leadership team at Summit is comprised of senior executives with decades of combined experience in the behavioral healthcare industry. The team has a long and successful history leading and managing world class behavioral health centers and organizations throughout the country. For more information about Summit, please visit http://www.summitbhc.com.
Christina Hawkins, VP of Strategic Development and Public Relations, Summit BHC, http://www.summitbhc.com, +1 804 928 8863, [email protected]
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