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At Guild, the path to recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is not linear, and it’s never walked alone. Through trauma-informed care, peer support and a commitment to meeting people where they are, Guild helps individuals navigate the complexities of recovery with dignity, compassion and hope.

A Holistic, Human-Centered Approach

Guild’s programs are built on a foundation of holistic care. “We look at somebody as a whole person,” Alyssa, Guild Youth ACT Therapist, explains. “Not just someone who experiences a substance use disorder.” This means addressing physical, mental, emotional, and social wellness — not just symptoms.

Leslie, a Peer Support Specialist for ACT, adds that Guild’s ACT teams include specialists with lived experience. 

“I’m not just a peer support specialist — I’m also in recovery,” she shares. This lived experience helps build trust and connection, especially with clients who may feel misunderstood or judged in traditional treatment settings. “That gives me a different kind of expertise. I’ve been through it.” 

Housing First, Harm Reduction Always

Both Alyssa and Leslie emphasize Guild’s commitment to housing-first and harm-reduction models. “You need housing in order to stay stable with anything,” Leslie says. “When people relapse, that’s when they need help the most — not punishment.”

Guild doesn’t require sobriety as a condition for care. Instead, staff work with clients who may still be using substances, offering support without judgment. “That creates a lot of trust and openness,” Alyssa notes. 

Leslie agrees: “If someone relapses, I don’t judge them. I say, ‘I’m glad you’re back. You’re still trying.’”

Navigating Barriers with Empathy

Clients at Guild often face overwhelming systemic barriers: insurance issues, housing instability, stigma, and lack of access to integrated care. “The field has been historically siloed,” Alyssa explains. “Mental health and substance use were treated separately, and people got bounced around.”

Leslie sees this firsthand. “Mental illness and substance use go hand in hand,” she says. “If you don’t work on both, recovery from either is nearly impossible.” She also helps clients explore treatment options tailored to their needs.

What Hope and Healing Really Look Like

For Alyssa, hope and healing are reflected in long-term relationships and peer support. “Meeting with someone who has experienced something similar makes the connection feel more human,” she says.

Leslie’s perspective is deeply personal. “You can’t have healing without hope,” she says. “I lost hope completely. I couldn’t get sober for my kids, and I felt like I didn’t deserve to live.” Her recovery began when she chose to get sober for herself. “Once I realized I deserved a better life, I could give my kids a better life.”

She now uses her story to help others. “When people hear I’m a ‘chronic relapser,’ they realize they’re not alone. That’s why peer support is so important — we’ve been there.”

Trauma-Informed Care: Understanding the Whole Story

Guild’s trauma-informed approach shifts the narrative from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” This lens helps staff build trust and avoid assumptions. “There’s always something underneath,” Leslie says. “Behavior is communication.”

Alyssa adds that this approach is especially important with youth clients. “Trust-building takes time,” she says. “We focus on understanding someone’s story, not just their symptoms.”

Breaking Misconceptions

Both Alyssa and Leslie want people to understand that SUD is not a moral failure. “It’s not a personality flaw,” Alyssa says. 

Leslie agrees: “I didn’t wake up one day and decide to ruin my life. I loved my kids. I just didn’t love myself.”

They also challenge the idea that recovery must follow a single path. “Everyone has their own pathway,” Leslie says. “AA works for some, but others need SMART Recovery, Dharma Recovery, or something else entirely.”

How You Can Help

For those wondering how to support individuals in recovery, Alyssa and Leslie offer simple but powerful advice:

1. Listen without judgment. “Even if you’ve heard it a million times, this could be the time it sticks,” Leslie says.
2. Avoid labels. “Ask people what language they prefer, and avoid terms that may be stigmatizing, such as ‘addict’ or ‘alcoholic,’” Alyssa urges. “Instead, use person-centered language like ‘an individual with a substance use disorder,’ because it’s something they experience — not who they are.” 
3. Celebrate small victories. “Getting through a hard day without using is huge,” Leslie says. “Even if it’s just one day, that’s a win.”
4. Support without conditions. “Tough love made things worse for me,” Leslie shares. “I needed to know I was loved unconditionally.”

Through trauma-informed care, peer support and a commitment to meeting people where they are, Guild helps clients move toward recovery — not just from substance use, but toward a fuller, more hopeful life.