Culture of Positivity: A Conversation with Seth and Tommy

Culture of Positivity: A Conversation with Seth and Tommy

Curious about how others handle their sobriety journey? This conversation between co-hosts Tommy Lagan and Seth Provencio gives a candid look at life inside Elevate Addiction Services and what a genuine culture of positivity looks like in treatment. Seth sets the tone early with what he calls his “stubborn positivity” – a bring-it-on attitude that carried him from accepting he might die an addict to running programmes and supporting clients in crisis.

He jokes about failed 75 Hard attempts, but the point is clear: “Okay, that’s a fail. Let’s start again.” That same resilience is what he now offers to clients who want to walk away from treatment, even if it means literally walking miles beside them in 100-degree heat to keep them safe. Tommy and Seth swap past war stories – sneaking drugs into rehab, leaving treatment, coming back – and show how those experiences now fuel their work.

Tommy talks about turning “15 years of drug use… into something good” and seeing his career in recovery as a living amends to his family, especially his mum who spent years worrying if he was alive. They also talk about Elevate’s internship path, fitness culture, and graduation ceremonies, where staff read family letters and often struggle to keep their own emotions in check.

One dad’s share about his daughter saying, “I only want to play hide-and-go-seek inside… because every time you go and hide outside, I don’t see you for days,” hits both men hard and shows what’s really at stake. Whether someone is “recovery curious”, a family member on the fence about treatment, or a graduate heading back into everyday life, this episode leans on humour, honesty and lived experience to show that a different future is possible.

What small step could you take today to mirror the best parts of treatment in your own week?