Former Program Participant Series - Episode 324: Jail at Seventeen, Recovery at Twenty-Nine: Chris Kelley’s Journey to Himself

On this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna brings you another story from our special former participant series where she extends the opportunity for former participants to share their journey with others. Today’s former participant is Chris Kelley. Chris shares his honest journey from growing up in Cape Cod’s party culture, to court-ordered detox and time in county jail as a teenager, to finally entering long-term recovery at 29. Now 15 years sober and the Executive Director of Berkshire Transition Network, Chris talks with Joanna about the deeper emotional work behind recovery, the moment his “dam broke,” and how community, self-inquiry, and aligned purpose shaped the life he leads today. It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation about transformation, trauma, and what “the work” really looks like. Chris also reflects on how unlearning old patterns became just as essential as building new ones.

NOTE: The podcasts in this series can include sensitive subjects such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, hospitalizations, psychotic episodes, and other traumatic experiences which include parts of the treatment journey. No topic is off limits and not all stories are positive but they are real, raw, and transparent.

**Listener discretion is advised**

Chris’s Resources:
Berkshire Transition Network
Newport Academy

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