'We've All Been Through the Jungle': Spotlight on Robert Cagle
Asana Recovery Alumni Newsletter, July 8, 2023
For Robert Cagle, learning to set boundaries for his relationships has been just as important as getting support from others in order to stay sober. Both were skills he learned at Asana Recovery.
Yet, the most important thing he discovered in treatment was inside himself. “Finding a new perspective is the thing that really stuck out to me,” Robert says. “Getting a new perspective on life, a spiritual awakening, like they say in AA.”
The biggest challenges after treatment
For Robert, the biggest challenge after being discharged from Asana Recovery was “going back into the environment that was hostile to me. I dealt with it by staying close to my family and people that were sober. Not putting myself in situations that were dangerous.”
Building a community of people in recovery has been crucial for Robert. When he struggles, he calls his sponsor or friends from Asana, “talking to people who are supporting me on my journey.”
Another challenge for Robert has been trying to reinvent himself, despite his past. “Sometimes a job is hard to find when you got a background on you,” he says. “People hold onto the ‘old you’ until you can show them the ‘new you.’
“Just keep persevering. Keep growing, keep your head up. Don’t give up before the miracle happens.”
‘We’ve all been through the jungle:’ Helping others find their way
Through his own recovery work, Robert discovered that he liked helping people and wants to help others recover from addiction. “Sometimes it just takes the right person to walk with them and talk with them. Sometimes just one word,” he says. “I know what it’s like, I’ve been there. We’ve all been through the jungle. We’ve all been broken.”
Living in a sober house since leaving Asana Recovery’s Beachfront residential program, Robert is studying to get his certification as a drug and alcohol counselor.
Formerly living in Oklahoma, Robert is in the process of getting established in California. He hopes to help start up an Asana Recovery alumni program there.
Want to be featured in our newsletter spotlight?
Every month, we’ll be featuring an interview with a different Asana Recovery alum. We hope you can learn from their experiences, be inspired by their recovery and keep updated on your fellow alumni.
If you missed our last spotlight, you can still read it! Spotlight on Marie Kilcrease.
If you’d like to be featured in an Alum Spotlight, please contact your admissions counselor. If you don’t have their contact info, check the list below:
Kimberly Brave: 405-999-0550
Amir Askari: 949-560-2945
Nick Ono: 949-763-0222
Sabrina Johnson: 562-889-1825
Krystal Smith: 949-244-6822
Next Alumni Gathering
Asana Recovery hosts a monthly gathering for alumni in Oklahoma. It’s important to stay connected to our recovery network and have fun! On the second Saturday of each month, alumni have the chance to get together for a recovery meeting and/or a social activity in either Oklahoma City or Tulsa. Participants at last month’s gathering, an Oklahoma City Dodgers Game, had a blast! If you have a *cool* activity idea for this month’s gathering, reach out to Kimberly.