Just recently, a student from UCLA came down to Northbound because he wanted to learn more about our program. He had bumped into one of our alumni members who had just gone through the program and was curious to see what we were all about. He ended up loving the dynamic that we offer here, and we have since partnered up with UCLA to start creating a sober network on their campus.
When it comes to college, drinking and doing drugs is so incredibly common. Most people spend those four years experimenting, and when they graduate, stop those behaviors and move on with their lives. Some students, on the other hand, wind up becoming addicted and continue battling their disease — some of which end up losing their lives.
Knowing what we know about the patterns of drinking and drugging on college campuses, myself and the rest of the Northbound team are excited to work with UCLA to begin putting together events and implementation new ideology to help keep students sober during their college years. The first thing we are doing is helping host a sober tailgate at the UCLA game on October 11th. I am so psyched to be doing this for a number of reasons. One, I am a huge football fan, so anytime I can go to a game I am thrilled! But more importantly, our sober tailgate event is going to serve as a huge way to show support for those looking to stay sober in an environment where everyone else is drinking.
We will include a number of our alumni at the event to help show these college students that it is very possible to have fun while sober. This is something that myself and other recovering addicts are so familiar with, because we have been working on creating lifestyles for ourselves that are both sober and fun for years now. I truly feel it’s my responsibility to show others the same so they can implement this type of fun into their lives as well!
Here at Northbound, we are so excited to be expanding our horizons and connecting with one of the most widely known and respected colleges in the country. Through this partnership, we get to continue to raise awareness about addiction as a disease and the importance of recovery.
We plan on continuing to work closely with UCLA, and I already have a speaking engagement with other celebrities in the works for early Fall. I’m going to share my own personal testimony and show that there is a light at the end of the tunnel of addiction. While this partnership is new to both of us, we are all very excited to see the results!
Author
-
Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
