About Me
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About me
My name is Theo de Vries and I believe that anyone can recover from the disease of addiction.
I am an international certified interventionist, recovery coach, recovery companion, safe passage transporter, and motivational speaker. At the heart of my experience, however, I’m a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. This places me in a unique position to blend my professional training with my insight as a person in recovery to provide the most effective individualized plans for your recovery, that of your loved one, or for your respected but suffering colleague.
My story of addiction and recovery
Having come from a loving but dysfunctional family in the northern part of the Netherlands, I know intimately the struggles many of us dealing with addiction have been through. I suffered the heartbreak of losing my father at just 14 years old, quickly having to assume the role as the eldest male in the house. In just moments I lost the remainder of my childhood and was expected to be an adult.
While I managed to achieve the milestones at school, the grief from the loss of my father manifested physically and mentally, and I began to suffer with symptoms of a burn-out. After some intervention by a social worker, my life seemed to improve for a short while.
I then found a new life in the middle of the country, dating briefly and starting at a new school. I struggled to settle in school, so instead I started working. Around this time, at 18 years old, I discovered a group of co-workers who smoked, used marijuana, and drank. It seemed very appealing, and the moment I tried smoking and drinking I was hooked. I loved the effects; suddenly I was no longer stuck in my mind. I felt a sense of peace, and my thoughts became quiet. The desire to quell my uncomfortable feelings became so alluring that for the next eight years, my drug use quickly escalated to having all of the hallmarks of substance use disorder.
Drugs and alcohol played a very destructive role in my life. I lost days of work, eventually losing my job. Debt piled up. I was unable to maintain relationships, and was dishonest in my interactions with family and friends through lying and stealing. I was so desperately alone, and I was physically unwell, suffering with the lung health of a 50-year-old.
Finally, in 2010, I reached “rock bottom”. I faced a choice: get help or die. I can only describe that moment as one of grace because I chose to live. That decision led to a treatment center in Scotland, and a 12-step program of recovery.
Today, I have been in recovery for over nine years. I no longer live in the lonely and isolating prison of addiction. I have the tools and resources that help me navigate the ups and downs of life. I have processed my grief, and I lead a healthy, fulfilling life.
How I help others with their recovery
Inspired by my own recovery from addiction, I felt compelled to help guide others on their path to recovery. I deeply believe that we all can recover.
I am certified as follows:
- CCAR certified recovery coach (Janique Svedberg, Road to Recovery, May 2016)
- Walking coaching workshop (Paulien Vervoorn, June 2017)
- Certified Sober Interventionist (Sober Academy, September 2017)
- Trained in Arise comprehensive care with Intervention (Arise Network, May 2018)
- Certified Recovery Specialist (International Recovery Institute, April 2019)
- Trained in Case Management and Interventions (CCMI Intervention911, June – November 2020)
Through my experience and in-depth training, I can help inspire others out of addiction and give them the tools and individualized plans to lead their own fulfilling lives. I believe passionately that I can always meet someone where they are: whether that’s intervening and helping someone see the role drugs and alcohol is playing in their lives, kickstarting someone’s life in early recovery, or acting as a sober companion and guide for someone in the first few days, weeks, and months of recovery.
My work takes me all over the world. My clients include individuals who live in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. People trust that I can work discreetly, within the confines of their resources, and respect their confidentiality at all times, which makes me the ideal choice for clients in these countries.