Addiction is an all-consuming disease that can have us do, say, and think things we never would otherwise. It can cause us to abandon our instincts for self-preservation and ultimately turn us into a version of ourselves that we no longer recognize. It’s only natural...
We recently broke down the AA Preamble into separate parts, noting that it was important to understand the text which begins every AA meeting. But the Preamble doesn’t technically begin every meeting. Both AA and NA meetings generally start with the Serenity Prayer....
The family members of addicts and alcoholics often suffer terribly until the afflicted individual finally agrees to seek help. Parents, children, spouses, siblings and others all suffer their own pain as they watch a loved one struggle. When the addict or alcoholic...
A common misconception about addiction recovery is that once a person gets clean, they’re fully recovered. But it would be far more accurate to think of sobriety as a journey rather than a destination. And as we embark upon this journey, we encounter many obstacles...
Throughout this series on AA’s Twelve Concepts for World Service, we often use metaphorical interpretation to explain how these concepts apply to our personal recovery. Sometimes, this requires a bit of outside-the-box thinking. In the case of Concept VIII, however,...
For some time now, we’ve been elaborating on the Twelve Promises listed on pages 83-84 of Alcoholics Anonymous. These pages, included in Chapter 5 (“How It Works”) discuss the benefits of working Step Nine of the AA program. But as we say in many other articles in...
Heroin addiction has reached epidemic proportions. Its widespread availability and increased use has created a major global health crisis. A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states that heroin use in the U.S. has been...
Aside from addicts and alcoholics themselves, nobody suffers more than those forced to watch a loved one suffer. They sometimes blame themselves for their loved one’s disease, especially if they can identify past enabling behaviors. Such people experience constant...
Our series on the Twelve Promises offers something interesting that you won’t get from our series on the Twelve Steps or the Twelve Traditions. While each of those other series focuses on things you must do in order to maintain a principled way of life, this series...
Many recovering addicts and alcoholics view relapse as synonymous with failure. We see it as a sign that we have learned nothing from our daily regimen of meetings, meditations, and calls to our sponsors. After spending weeks, months or even years working toward our...
In its fifth chapter (“How It Works”), Alcoholics Anonymous begins explaining the Twelve Steps in a fair amount of detail. Continuing this discussion, “Into Action” covers all of the remaining steps except for Step Twelve. You’ll want to read it in full, as there’s a...
While Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (the 12&12) covers each of the Twelve Steps in separate chapters, Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book) preceded this book by nearly thirty years. As such, it should come as no great surprise that the Twelve Steps receive a...
Amethyst Recovery offers two forms of therapy. In a day/night program, clients meet with their case load for group therapy on a daily basis. They also generally meet with their therapist for one-on-one sessions once per week. Upon graduating from day/night treatment...
The Seventh Promise is something we actually talk about quite frequently on this site. Perhaps you may not have noticed, but it’s true. This is the promise that relates to selfishness, something that pretty much all addicts and alcoholics have experienced at one point...
sober.
Whether you or your family member is struggling with addiction, you are not alone in this journey. Explore our expansive addiction resources, including our guides for teens, parents, and spouses, as well as relatable recovery stories from Amethyst Alumni.
Call our 24/7 helpline to speak with an admissions cordinators and get the support you need when you need it.
Laurel McGinnisLaurel, as the Director of Corporate Compliance for USR, is responsible for ensuring that the facility follows all federal and state regulatory requirements, accreditation standards and industry best practices. Laurel has over twenty years’ experience in legal and regulatory affairs in both the public and private sectors. She attended the University of Kansas where she studied political science, and she is designated by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) as a Certified National Investigator and Inspector (CNII). Prior to joining Amethyst, she served as the Director of Enforcement for a state regulatory body.
Brie RodriguezBrie joined the Amethyst Recovery team in 2017 as an HR assistant. Her over 15 years’ experience working in healthcare administration and management quickly launched her into a leadership role. Now serving as the Director of Human Resources since 2018, she leads our organization through the intricate requirements of recordkeeping, recruitment, staff development as well as compliance. While also directing all aspects of HR including payroll, benefits administration, performance management, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, as well as licensing and accreditation standards.
Brie graduated as a high school valedictorian with a major in Health Technologies and continued her studies at Springfield Technical Community College with a focus on healthcare. She served in Operations and HR for a finance company for ten years, before returning to healthcare and eventually arriving at USR.
Brie works closely with the leadership team to develop and implement effective HR strategies that support our organization’s goals and values. As an HR professional, Brie’s primary focus is on ensuring that our organization attracts and retains the most talented and qualified individuals to help us fulfill our mission of providing compassionate care to those struggling with addiction. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by those working in the substance abuse field, Brie is committed to creating a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to make a difference in the lives of others.
Brie is known for being compassionate and empathetic as well as for her ability to navigate complex and sensitive situations and find solutions that benefit everyone involved. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and their fur babies!
CORI BAIZACori’s key responsibilities include supervising financial operations, and daily financial reporting and account management. Cori’s goal is to ensure all patient’s needs are met in an accurate and timely manner. She is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator with The Florida Certification Board and licensed Notary Public in the state of Florida. Her experience includes accounting and finance training.
JOHN GAUJohn’s key responsibilities include maintaining the day-to-day operations from both a clinical and housing perspective. John’s goal is to monitor every department to ensure proper policies and procedures are in place and client care is carried out effortlessly. John joined Amethyst as a behavioral health technician where he quickly developed strong personal relationships with the clients through support and guidance. John understands first hand the struggles of addiction and strives to provide a safe environment for clients. John is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator.
MARK GUDIMMark’s key responsibilities include handling day-to-day maintenance matters and oversees our Environment of Care management plan in conjunction with Joint Commission and DCF regulations. Mark’s goal is to provide a safe environment where distractions are minimized, and treatment is the primary focus for clients and staff alike. Mark received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Economics from the University of Rhode Island. He is a licensed residential home inspector in the state of Florida and relates his unique experience of analyzing a property and/or housing condition to determining any necessary course of action at our facility.
Jeffrey M. Bishop, D.O.Dr. Jeffer M. Bishop was born and raised in Florida. He joined the U.S. Navy while attending the University of Nebraska for this undergraduate degree in Medicine. When he left the Navy, he went on to graduate from e Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1985.
He worked in Family Medicine for 35 years before retiring from his practice. He then went on to be the Chief Medical Officer at Wellington Regional Medical Center for an additional seven years until resigning from his position in 2013 and started Addiction Medicine.
He is a member of over a dozen professional medical associations and in his free time enjoys a number of different activities. Although now retired from racing, was a member of the International Motor Sports Association and Sports Car Club of America. Dr. Bishop is also a certified open water scuba diver, he enjoys fishing, traveling, and hunting.
AMANDA MARINELLI, DNP, BBA, AG NP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-APAmanda Marinelli is a Board Certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 10 years of experience in the field of mental health and substance abuse. Amanda completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Post Masters Certification in Psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University. She is a current member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society.