Benjamin Carnes, LCDC

 I was born in the Houston area and have lived here my entire life. When I was 15 years old, I got high for the very first time. After that first high, I used whatever substances I could find as much and as often as possible. I was hooked right away. In mere months I tanked my grades, alienated my friends and terrified my family. Everyone could see that I was completely out of control and feared the worst.  

 It was at this point that I decided to quit at least until I was 18. But to my astonishment, I couldn’t stay clean. Even though I genuinely wanted to leave the destructive path I was on, I was powerless to change my own behavior. I tried my hardest to avoid temptation and remind myself of the importance of staying clean, but when push came to shove I just couldn’t say no.  

 Once I made the decision to take active steps to fully address my addiction issue and live my life differently, the miraculous happened. I got help that very likely saved my life. 

 Before I knew it I stayed clean for a month, then 6 months, then a year. I was fully committed to living a life of recovery: a new way of living that gave me tools to face life’s problems rather than running away from them. Throughout this early recovery process my family and I were meeting with a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. My counselor helped me and my family to develop and maintain the tools we needed to live our new lives. I was so inspired by how she helped us that I decided to pursue becoming a counselor myself. I always wanted to help people, and now I had ways in which I was uniquely qualified to guide others through their recovery journeys the same way I was guided through mine.  

 I attended classes at both the Institute for Chemical Dependency Studies and Lone Star College, where I graduated with distinction with a degree in Human Services- Chemical Dependency Counseling. During my college years (2015-2018) I worked in two different community programs (Teen and Family Services and Palmer Drug Abuse Program) as a member of youth staff and as a counselor intern. I had completed the circle from a member of the group to helping facilitate these programs for others.  

 In 2018 I began work as an Outpatient Counselor at the Phoenix House helping some of the most vulnerable members of our community to navigate financial challenges, legal troubles and addiction. This helped me to develop valuable insight into the struggles faced by low-income families trying to find addiction help for their loved ones as well as by people whose situations are further complicated by legal issues.  

 Next, I worked with adolescents and their families attending residential treatment at the Prevention and Recovery Center. This post helped to deepen my passion for working with young people and their families who were facing the same challenges my family and I faced. This is where I also developed a skillful approach in working with teens and their families to create a collaborative and positive approach to recovery, rather than an ‘us vs them’ power struggle between parents and their teens.  

 In 2020 I moved to The Prairie Recovery Center where I utilized my counseling skills and experience in just about every way imaginable. I facilitated group counseling sessions covering topics on everything from relapse prevention to time management and communication skills. I worked with the treatment team and the clients to develop a plan that would set them up for the best possible chance of success when transitioning from residential treatment to an outpatient setting. I mastered the art of using excellent documentation to communicate with insurance companies to get the coverage our clients needed. 

 Finally I worked at Symetria Recovery working primarily with clients struggling with opioid addiction. I facilitated group counseling three days a week and individual counseling every day. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of the efficacy of a harm-reduction approach to recovery. My work at Symetria also served to grow my affection for helping young adults (age 18-25) navigate the challenges of school and entering the workforce.