I carried a couch. And I mean that quite literally. The couch is not a metaphor. Not a joke. You can see it in the picture. I am not bragging–ok, well, maybe a little. But in reality, I did it for Chris. I did it in memory of my brother. Interestingly, I’m not even the first to do it. It’s starting to become a tradition around remembering Chris–couches.

In 2024, a whole bunch of people carried a couch for chris. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t in very good shape. I didn’t want to go because I had work to do. And it would have been a burden on my family. Little did I know that my wife would get extremely ill that weekend and have to be rushed to the ER to save our baby. It worked out, but I missed out on something very important–something that would have meant a lot for the process of mourning Chris.

Giving Tuesday is December 2, 2025

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity—a day when people and organizations around the world come together to make a difference.

For those of us in recovery, giving isn’t just one day—it’s part of our way of life. Every day we share our time, compassion, experience and strength to help one another heal. But on Giving Tuesday, the world joins us in that same spirit of generosity and hope.

At 4 years sober, I thought I understood everything there was to know about substance use. I thought I had the compassion necessary to be of maximum help. I had learned the language of abstinence, where everything between the first high and entering sobriety was dead space. Space where there was no solution, where if a person is harming their body every day, their holistic health couldn’t really be managed. Everything could be addressed once they just stopped.

How a Career in the Behavioral Health Field Helped Launch My Recovery

My first job in sobriety was as a server in a restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. I was not particularly good at it, nor was I motivated to improve. It was clear that food service wasn’t my calling. After a few weeks, I learned that a local youth wilderness therapy program was hiring field staff and I jumped at the opportunity. When they offered me a position for the summer, they must have been desperately short staffed. I was 23 years old, on an indefinite break from my bachelor’s degree, fresh out of rehab and still living in a halfway house. I did, however, possess one intangible quality that set me apart from the other instructor; I could relate to the clients.

In the heat and sunshine of summer, it can be difficult to navigate socializing and sobriety. With all the barbeques, live music, pride parades, and pool parties, there are many challenges for people in recovery. While it is always an option not to attend some events that may be too triggering, it is equally important to find a way to gather and celebrate life. A helpful tip that people often learn early in recovery is to always have your own transportation and bring your own beverages. Summer, however, allows for physically active gatherings which are less focused on sitting and drinking. Finding these activities can keep your body and mind busy enough to avoid potentially tempting situations. Swimming, fishing, dancing, and cooking are all wonderful ways to enjoy community with a focus on something other than “partying”. Gathering with our recovery communities is a great building block to learn how to socialize without chemical assistance. But most people in recovery have family and friends that are not sober. If events with your loved ones are centered around substance use (alcohol or otherwise), you can always be the one to organize an alternative event to enjoy one another in a different setting. A single support person can be all you need to try something new or dip your toe into what you used to love.