Timothy Strang’s Regaining Life: A Counselor’s Guide to Addiction Recovery — a compassionate and practical resource for professionals, loved ones, and anyone affected by substance use disorders.
Timothy Strang is a dedicated counselor, educator, and advocate with years of hands-on experience helping individuals and families navigate the complex journey of addiction recovery. He is the author of Regaining Life: A Counselor’s Guide to Addiction Recovery, a compassionate and practical resource for professionals, loved ones, and anyone affected by substance use disorders.
Strang’s work is deeply rooted in empathy, evidence-based practices, and real-world insight. His professional background includes facilitating recovery programs, supporting transitions out of treatment, and guiding individuals toward sustainable, meaningful change. Known for his clear communication and heart-forward approach, Strang bridges the clinical and the personal, empowering readers and clients alike to move from survival to healing.
When he’s not writing or counseling, he works with communities to build stronger support systems around mental health and recovery. Strang lives in Peekskill, New York, and continues to advocate for accessible, human-centered addiction care.
What inspired you to write Regaining Life, and what message do you most hope readers take away from it?
The creation of Regaining Life stemmed from my extended experience of being present with individuals during their most painful and genuine life challenges. During my counseling career, I have been honored to witness firsthand the immense strength required to confront addiction while experiencing both the deep sorrow and healing alongside the small wins that matter most. My goal was to document that experience with authenticity and optimism.
I found inspiration in everyday examples of resilience, where people chose to live despite overwhelming odds. My experience showed me the importance of developing a recovery guide that integrates clinical methods with human connection and empathetic emotional engagement for sustainable healing. This book serves as a trusted companion for readers who find themselves alone or confused during their journey.
The message I most want readers to take away is this: True recovery goes beyond mere substance abstinence. The recovery process aims to restore your life, including your voice as well as your relationships, and your self-worth. It’s possible. Healing is possible. Every person who has fallen can find their way back because there is always a path available. No matter how broken you feel you are, there’s always a way to regain your wholeness.
You open the book with “The Moment of Truth.” Why is that moment such a defining one in the recovery process?
The Moment of Truth serves as the book’s opening because it marks the critical turning point that makes change achievable. Many individuals face their pivotal moment when they reach rock bottom because the pain of remaining stagnant becomes greater than their fear of change. That instant occurs when denial breaks down and reality fully hits. The tipping point for change can occur when someone loses their job or relationship, suffers a health setback, or experiences profound emotional burnout, leading them to declare, “I can’t live like this anymore.”
While people reach their lowest points differently, they all experience a common result, which manifests as clarity. The raw clarity of that moment reveals a powerful truth, which says, “I need help,” and this moment represents strength, not weakness. When a person reaches honesty, they begin their journey toward genuine recovery.
The pivotal Moment of Truth emerges when individuals confront their lowest point and make the choice to take transformative action. This moment marks the initial authentic move toward rebuilding life as opposed to mere survival. The book should begin with this point because it shows respect for the bravery needed to face the truth while serving as the recovery foundation on which all subsequent steps are built.
Shame can be a huge barrier in recovery. How can people begin to forgive themselves and move forward?
Shame stands as both a major obstacle people bring to recovery and one of the most challenging burdens to release. The guilt people experience goes beyond their actions because there is an internal voice telling them their identity is defined by their past behaviors. The belief that they are undeserving of love or healing makes people remain stuck despite their urgent desire to progress.
The process of self-forgiveness begins with compassion. Self-forgiveness requires you to meet yourself through understanding instead of judgment. We acknowledge our past actions through a new perspective while recognizing the pain created without letting it define who we are. I tell people regularly that addiction flourishes when kept hidden and separated, but recovery blossoms through open communication and genuine relationships.
One of the most powerful shifts happens when someone realizes: I am not my worst decision. That truth opens the door to grace. Taking responsibility means acknowledging your humanity while avoiding excuses or denial. You can maintain personal responsibility while making decisions to develop further.
The act of forgiving oneself is not instantaneous but requires ongoing commitment over time. The process of forgiveness demands time to complete and frequently requires a fresh examination. Self-forgiveness is essential because people remain trapped by shame, which leads to relapse when they don’t forgive themselves. Progress requires minimal self-belief that you maintain the right to live an enriched and purposeful existence.
That’s what Regaining Life is all about; it helps people understand that healing remains possible regardless of their past experiences. You must treat yourself with compassion, just as you would show it to someone you love.
You emphasize rebuilding relationships. How can someone begin to repair trust with loved ones they may have hurt?
Trust restoration represents both a significant challenge and a crucial element during recovery. When someone’s been living in addiction, their behavior often causes real hurt: broken promises, lies, emotional distance, even betrayal. Loving people naturally become cautious and doubtful, even when someone is making an effort to transform. Trust restoration demands time as well as consistent behavior and humble actions.
Rebuilding trust starts with acknowledging the hurt caused, without excuses or defensiveness. Effective listening means understanding emotions and letting loved ones voice their pain. Trust is built daily through reliability, honesty, and responsibility, not big speeches. Accept setbacks, stay accountable, and recognize that some relationships may change permanently. Forgiveness leads to peace, even if close bonds aren’t restored. Inner work, honesty, patience, and progress are key to rebuilding stronger and healthier trust over time.
What would you say to someone who’s relapsed and feels like they’ve failed?
I am currently experiencing this journey with someone I have worked with in the past, which makes this question very personal. Observing their struggle with pain and shame alongside the burden of restarting life teaches me how delicate this journey feels, yet demonstrates the strength found in persevering.
If you’ve experienced a relapse and believe you’re a failure, you must understand: You have not failed. You’re human. The recovery journey consists of learning experiences followed by stumbles and subsequent rises to continue moving forward. The healing progress you have achieved remains intact despite experiencing a relapse. The need to address underlying issues becomes apparent while you gain valuable insights from the experience.
Through this relationship, I discovered relapse functions as a part of recovery rather than its opposite. The story continues until you make the choice to stop reading. I understand how easy it can be to spiral into shame and self-hate, but addiction uses these emotions to pull you back. You don’t have to go there.
Forgive yourself, recommit, and reach out. Putting yourself back on your path by asking for support again shows strength instead of weakness. It’s courage. Your survival proves you are not a failure because you still breathe and keep trying. You’re a fighter.
Regaining Life is a book written to guide you during moments like these. This book wants to reassure individuals that they have support and healing remains available at every moment.
What’s one small action someone can take today if they’re ready to start regaining their life but don’t know where to begin?
The most effective action you can take today if you feel lost but ready, is to share your truth with someone you trust. Just one person. Say, “I’m not okay. The simple declaration of needing help breaks through addiction-created isolation and reconnects you with the world while restoring your hope and self-connection.
You don’t have to have a plan. It’s unnecessary to understand the complete progression of the situation. Taking the first step means making a connection. Taking action by connecting with a counselor, contacting a friend, or attending a meeting shows you’re choosing to speak up instead of remaining silent.
At this moment, someone is choosing to take that first step on their journey toward recovery. Though difficult, an important transformation takes place as they confront their suffering. The healing process started for them when they stopped attempting to handle their problems independently.
Begin regaining your life by speaking the truth if you feel prepared to take that step. You are not too far gone. You are not beyond help. You don’t need to perform this task perfectly because you only need to start.
You talk about recovery as a lifelong journey. How can people stay committed for the long haul without feeling overwhelmed?
Recovery requires a lifelong commitment, which initially appears daunting to many new individuals. Through personal experience and professional knowledge, I understand recovery requires daily commitment rather than an all-encompassing lifelong promise of sobriety. It’s about staying present today. The process involves getting up and making one positive decision, followed by another. Breaking recovery down into manageable daily steps makes it achievable for people. As these days accumulate, they build into a powerful force.
I have supported individuals who have experienced repeated cycles of rehab and jail time over many years and who have appeared before courts numerous times. I have witnessed remarkable transformations because of persistent attendance. A friend whom I know well reached a milestone after staying sober for 25 years. Twenty-five years. Their 25 years of sobriety resulted from maintaining humility and connection while making daily recovery choices.
There will be days when it feels difficult and motivation fades while life presents unexpected challenges. The key to success during difficult moments lies in persistence rather than perfection. The combination of community support and personal development alongside ongoing internal work maintains the life-affirming nature of the journey.
Recovery should never feel like a difficult task. The recovery process eventually transforms into a powerful element that defines identity and generates pride.
Life changes: new jobs, relationships, losses. How can someone adapt their recovery practices as their life evolves?
Entering recovery marks the beginning of a new life journey rather than its end. But with that comes change. The various aspects of life, such as new jobs and relationships, together with family responsibilities and loss, form part of our human journey and possess the power to unsettle our established stability. Your recovery process needs to develop alongside your personal journey. The approaches that proved effective during the initial recovery period might become insufficient as time goes on, and that is acceptable.
My most vital message to others is that recovery functions as a dynamic process that requires ongoing adaptation. It has to grow as you grow. You could improve your recovery by establishing new connections with your support network or discovering fresh methods to manage stress while also learning to establish boundaries in relationships that have become unexpectedly serious or demanding. Sometimes it means going back to basics — recommitting to the simple things that keep you grounded: meetings, journaling, therapy, prayer, or mindfulness.
While I was writing this book, I assisted people who were navigating major life changes like marriage and parenthood, as well as career transitions. I have witnessed many individuals navigate through deep sorrow. While recovery remains the connecting thread among different cases, it requires varying approaches to practice. The ability to adapt maintains the authenticity and longevity of the approach.
The key is staying honest with yourself is to ask: How have my needs changed since before? Which aspect of myself requires support right now? Connect with your inner self through attentive listening and compassionate responses instead of judgment. Recovery isn’t just about avoiding relapse. The process involves creating a life where joy and pain, as well as triumph and defeat, can coexist without compromising your identity. Regaining life isn’t simply possible but represents its core meaning.
Many loved ones want to help but don’t know how. What advice do you have for those supporting someone in recovery?
Many individuals who care deeply about someone wish to offer assistance but may feel powerless due to uncertainty about how to help. This uncertainty arises from the distress of watching someone suffer without knowing how to alleviate their pain. It is important to recognize that your presence holds more significance than achieving perfection. You don’t have to resolve all issues, but you must engage with love, patience, and honesty. Support begins with listening without judgment. The individual in recovery must be allowed to express their feelings, even during challenging moments. Simultaneously, it is crucial to establish healthy boundaries. Demonstrating love does not equate to enabling harmful behaviors. Supporting recovery necessitates creating an environment that offers both encouragement and opportunities for individuals to confront their consequences. Both actions are expressions of love.
The most impactful message that can be conveyed includes expressing belief in the individual and being available when support is needed. Recovery is inherently a personal journey requiring individual effort, yet no one should face it without support. My experience indicates that families can heal years of damage, friendships can strengthen through adversity, and parents can learn selfless love while maintaining personal boundaries. Maintaining one’s own well-being while assisting others is essential. Joining a support group, seeking counseling when necessary, and ensuring personal stability are important steps. One cannot give fully if they are depleted. Your ability to remain strong and committed to continuous love can have a profound impact.
What do you want people who’ve never struggled with addiction to better understand about those who have?
Addiction represents a complex human struggle that transcends moral failure. Individuals fighting addiction face widespread disregard and disrespect because their struggles are visible to others. Addiction exists alongside meaningful narratives about trauma and adversity that reveal both suffering and remarkable resilience.
Patience remains one of the key lessons that I consistently share with others. Be kind to everyone. You don’t know what someone is carrying. You have no idea about their personal struggles or the effort they took to arrive today. The path to recovery becomes substantially more difficult when judgment adds to the burden. People require genuine empathy, which isn’t pity-based but instead built on tangible understanding. We must recognize them as human beings rather than treat them as issues to solve or ignore.
My professional experience includes working with individuals who felt invisible for years because they were consistently overlooked and disregarded by their own families. Despite their struggles, these individuals prove to be among the most resilient, insightful, and courageous people I’ve ever met. They don’t need lectures. Their recovery requires dignity, together with support and an opportunity to heal free from shame.
It’s acceptable if you don’t have personal experience with addiction. Showing respect does not require a complete understanding of addiction. Just lead with patience and kindness. A minor adjustment in your mindset can create opportunities for connection while helping someone rediscover their path.
What’s one thing you wish every person in recovery could hear and truly believe about themselves?
I wish every person in recovery could hear this and truly believe it. You are not broken — you are becoming. Your past history and mistakes cannot reduce your right to love and peace because you deserve a complete life, regardless of how many times you started again. Recovery involves rediscovering your true self that existed before the pain started to shape your identity.
I’ve supported people during their darkest times when they faced their reflection with deep embarrassment. I have seen these same individuals rise into beautiful, brave new lives they once believed were unattainable. That’s what I want you to know: Choosing to pursue recovery demands a strength that remains beyond the comprehension of most individuals. That strength is yours.
Let nobody, including your internal voice of negativity, tell you that you have lost all hope. You are not your worst moment. You are not your addiction. Your journey of healing defines sacred work because you are actively working towards recovery. Keep going. You matter more than you know.
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