Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Flesch.
Hi Christy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I lived in Florida until I was 10 then my parents moved us to Salem Oregon. After high school I couldn’t wait to get out of Salem but had no idea what I wanted to do so I moved to Portland with my boyfriend at the time. On a whim I decided to go to Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in 2003 and graduated with a 4.0 in May of 2004 while working full-time.
That’s when I met my future husband. I didn’t realize at the time that he was an alcoholic and it would start me down a difficult road. Working as a Chef all over Portland combined with late nights, a rowdy crowd and an alcoholic and drug using husband led to an inevitable problem with drugs and alcohol that escalated slowly over time. I ironically divorced my husband because he wouldn’t give up drinking for me then quickly became an alcoholic and drug addict (prescription pills and marijuana) myself.
I was able to maintain and even advance my career until I got so sick when I was 32 I ended up in the hospital and was diagnosed with alcohol induced pancreatitis. The doctors warned me that if I kept drinking I would starting losing pieces of my pancreas, be in and out of the hospital and eventually it would kill me. So in true alcoholic fashion I kept drinking, hoping it would kill me because at that time I had nothing to live for. I got into an abusive relationship and over the next three horrible years I cycled through alcohol use, snorting meth, marijuana, living in my car off and on, multiple suicide attempts and being afraid for my life.
Finally at 37 I lost everything in one week and my mom who was aware of my addiction problems offered to take me in (here in Corvallis) if I got sober, went to AA meetings and put my shattered life back together. So that’s just what I did with my 9-month old golden retriever Harley along for the ride.
With the help of my mom and an incredible Alcoholics Anonymous community and program I’ve been sober since 11/17/2018, 7 &1/2 years. I met my second husband Leslie in the rooms of AA and we were married in September of 2020 and planning a life and kids together. In the beginning of 2021 I switched careers leaving the food industry I had spent 20 years in to start my own business as a mobile notary and signing agent, which was quite successful. Leslie purchased Bullfrog, the guitar shop in downtown Corvallis, that he had been working at for years and loved. That August he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and 24 days later, 10 days after our first wedding anniversary, he was gone. I spent the next year crying on my couch and trying to figure out how to put my devastated heart and life back together. Everyone rallied around me and I managed to stay sober through the pain of grief.
As I contemplated my next career it made sense to me that I would work with other addicts who wanted to get sober. I did training to become a CADC I (certified alcohol and drug counselor level 1) and started an unpaid internship at Acme Counseling. During this time I met my third husband Jeff, also in the rooms of AA. Six months later (October of 2023) we got married and I started as a paid counselor at Acme. It was Jeff’s amazing love and support that inspired me to go back to school and strive to be bigger in the world. He has been and continues to be my best friend and biggest supporter without whom I wouldn’t have the unique and extraordinary life I never imagined I would have.
I loved being a drug and alcohol counselor so much that in fall of 2024 at the age of 43 I decided to go back to school at LBCC and start working on becoming a full therapist and social worker with online classes. I want to be able to treat addicts and people struggling with addiction like me holistically for addiction, mental health and trauma. Because that’s how they occur, as a package deal. I’m now two terms away from completing a AAOT (finishing at the end of summer term this year) and am waiting to find out if I’ve been accepted to the online Social Work program at PSU start this fall.
Recently I got my CADC II and am also now a QMHA-R (qualified mental health associate registered) so I can start working on getting my mental health training hours for addiction. I have also held and will continue to hold the DCM (District committee member position) for this District (21) for AA. It involves running the District and coordinating everything that happens within it, including all the other service positions, and events and activities for over 40 groups that have almost 90 meetings a week and spans Linn and Benton counties. This is a two year position over 2025 and 2026 and also involves about six yearly weekends of travel.
So I currently work full time as a CADC II at Acme Counseling, go to school full time online at LBCC, am the DCM for AA’s District 21, am happily married and still have my golden retriever Harley, who just turned 8.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not smooth, lots of struggles:
Divorced an active alcoholic at 30.
Becoming a drug addict (pain pills, meth and marijuana) and alcoholic.
Getting pancreatitis.
Multiple suicide attempts.
Abusive relationship.
Not being able to hold a job for my mid-thirties.
Living in my car on and off for several years due to drug use and abusive relationship.
Having to move back in with my mom at 37.
Getting sober and building a life of recovery.
No longer being able to work as a Chef because of COVID.
My second husband dying quickly of colon cancer right after our first wedding anniversary.
Taking an unpaid internship to get my drug and alcohol counselor career going even though I really needed to be bringing in money.
Going back to school a 43, having to start over with an associates degree from nothing and figure out how to fit that in while working full-time and having an intensive service position.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently work as a CADC II (certified alcohol and drug counselor level 2) at Acme Counseling. I specialize in addiction counseling for those who are both mandated or bring themselves in for outpatient treatment. I do many different modalities including CBT, DBT and mindfulness and positive psychology-based practices.
Most of my clients have a combination of mental health concerns, trauma, neurodivergence and/or addiction that have become intertwined and inseparable over time, making it very difficult to know where to start. I’m extremely proud to be working at Acme Counseling where every staff member understands addiction and works for the benefit of each client’s unique needs while supporting each other. This is hands down my favorite job. Between my amazing co-workers, my fun and creative office space and the many dogs that come to work each day, I feel like I finally found a job where I belong.
Every day I get the joy of providing the spark of hope or support to people who are struggling, just like I was, and need a little to help to go on to live incredible lives full of possibility. I’m most proud of committing to going back to school to become a social worker and therapist. I want to be a part of changing a broken system where addicts are needlessly stigmatized and punished when all they really need is some help and understanding. For that to happen those of us in recovery must be an active part of that change.
What I believe sets me apart from others is that I love people, especially addicts, and believe that with a little humor and zero judgement I can hold the calm space needed for people to discover what they are capable of and heal. A belief in the Buddhist way of life and a background in meditation helps significantly with this.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Instead of luck I believe in good karma and the idea that when you’re on the right path the universe conspires to help you succeed. Ever since I decided to make a career in the addiction recovery field the universe has made things fall into place for me. Although I have to put in the work and let go of the outcomes, I’m constantly blown away by this amazing life that I get to share with the incredible people around me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.acmecounseling.com
