Sean Patrick: My Recovery Journey at Red Door Life: From Darkness to Leadership

Sean Patrick, before coming to Red Door Life in the depths of his addiction and in his recovery you can see his physical transformation. Sean Patrick with his medal at the Spartan Race.

There was a time in my life when crystal meth owned me. My days were marked by chaos, homelessness, and choices that cut against the deepest parts of my values. Addiction didn’t just take my stability, it shattered my sense of identity. I carried adversities and traumas I didn’t believe anyone could possibly understand, and the weight of that isolation convinced me I was beyond repair. My life was unmanageable, and I truly believed I had no way out.

In 2022, everything began to change when I found Red Door Life. From the moment I arrived, I was met with something I hadn’t experienced in years, compassion. The staff at Red Door Life offered me not just treatment, but time and space: time to grow, space to stumble, and boundaries that reminded me that I was still worth holding accountable. They showed me that love and structure could exist together, and that was the foundation I needed to start over.

Red Door Life operates on the 12 Dimensions of Health & Human Wellness, and this framework became a roadmap for my healing. My addiction wasn’t just about substances, it was an attachment disorder that had seeped into every part of my life. By working through each dimension, I began to see where my addiction had left its mark, on my body, my mind, my spirit, my relationships, my community, and beyond. Slowly, over the course of three years, I was able to repair each of those areas in some way.

The people I met along the way became anchors for my recovery. Monique introduced me to practices that helped me reconnect with my body and breath. Chris reminded me that physical strength could mirror emotional strength, guiding me back to resilience I thought I had lost. Rachel showed me how to turn inward, tapping into tools I had always carried but never believed I could trust. Each practitioner, in their own way, gave me permission to discover balance, wisdom, and purpose within myself.

And then there were the staff, the ones who stood by me through my relapses, who held me when I couldn’t hold myself. They didn’t give up on me, even when I wanted to give up on myself. Near the end of my stay, my client advocate gave me something that changed the course of my life: a clear outline of goals and a recovery plan that felt not only possible, but practical. For the first time, I believed I had a path forward.

Today, I live a life of purpose. I have friendships rooted in authenticity, security that comes from integrity, and a deep sense of connection to the world around me. Most importantly, I have the chance to give back. As a Healthcare Equity Leader at Red Door Life, I carry my lived experience into everything I do. I know firsthand the depths of despair and the power of compassion, and I use that knowledge to make recovery accessible, equitable, and human-centered for others who are walking the same path I once thought I wouldn’t survive. I now help others at Red Door Life follow a similar recovery journey, guiding them from darkness toward healing, growth, and leadership

Red Door Life didn’t just save me, it gave me the chance to become the person I was always meant to be.