Recovery Month with Leah Cook (Recovery Point)

Recovery Month with Leah Cook (Recovery Point)

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This conversation with Recovery Point’s executive director, Leah Cook, gives you a grounded look at how much support, care and sheer graft sits behind those choices. Hosted by Lake Morehouse for The Association Spotlight Series, the episode focuses on Recovery Month and what it really means for people in treatment across West Virginia.

Leah shares how her relationship with Recovery Point began over a decade ago as a university capstone project and grew into a career that, as she says, “fills my soul” in a way no other job has. You’ll hear how Recovery Point’s four facilities in Parkersburg, Bluefield, Charleston and Huntington mark Recovery Month with community events, volunteer projects and a big annual golf tournament.

A major theme is storytelling: Leah explains how they’re “putting a big focus on gathering stories of our graduates… especially focused on the family,” reminding everyone that behind every outcome report is a person and a ripple effect on loved ones. The episode pushes back on the idea that success in recovery is just finishing a programme. Leah notes that “successful is not only a graduate.

It’s not binary, right?” and talks about people who leave early to reunite with children or take job opportunities, yet still use the tools they learned to stay on track. For anyone wondering how they can help, Leah offers concrete suggestions: volunteering to cook meals, teaching practical classes like budgeting or nutrition, donating everyday items, and becoming a “recovery ready employer” willing to hire people who’ve done the hard work to turn their lives around.

The tone is practical and hopeful, with plenty of real-world examples. If you’re curious about how communities can stand beside people in recovery long after September ends, this chat gives you plenty to think about and plenty of simple ways to get involved.