From Client to Counselor: David Swan's Journey of Recovery and Community at Houses of Hope

"I feel like we have a Family-like atmosphere here. Obviously, it helped me be where I'm at today. I felt very blessed to come back and work at Houses of Hope because I was a client here, and I know the positive impact that has on people in the community." My name is David Swan, and I'm a counselor here at Houses of Hope in Lincoln, NE. I've been a counselor here for 15 years now.

"First off, I'm a house alumni. I came to the program in late 2005 after completing residential treatment here in Lincoln. I really enjoyed the program here and learned a lot about living in recovery." David reflects on his journey, "Residential treatment teaches you a lot of things and a lot of skills, but Houses of Hope is really good for giving you a safe environment to kind of utilize those skills in a place to put those into practice where you have a lot of support."

He shares his struggles candidly, "I had been inpatient treatment eight times in my life for various drug addictions at different times. I always returned back to my environment that I came from for after-treatment, which didn’t lead to success for me. So when I came to Houses of Hope, I had an opportunity to be around other people that were learning to live in recovery." David emphasizes the importance of community, stating, "I learned to gain some skills that I can use in a life in recovery."

"I think there's a wonderful collaboration between our program and the treatment centers here in town," he adds. "For sure. Yeah. I just think we operate with integrity. You know, clients come first. We always try to put the clients first and make sure that their needs are being met at all times to the best of our ability."

David's journey from client to counselor showcases the transformative power of support and community in recovery. His story is a testament to the impact that Houses of Hope has on individuals striving for a better life.