Michael Leach, CCMA

Michael Leach is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, CCMA, who has been working in the field of addiction since 2015. He was the Director of Rehabilitation at the New Life Retreat in Louisiana before starting his journey with DRS in 2020. Michael spent most of his career training under the board-certified Addictionologist Dr. Rohit Adi. His experience includes working with families during their loved one’s stay in treatment, helping those with substance abuse issues find treatment, and teaching life skills to patients in a recovery atmosphere.

Michael’s ability to help stems from his own struggle with addiction; As a former addict, he understood what his patients were going through. He could relate with them and get them through their difficult times. His personal and professional experience in dealing with addiction allows him to connect with both medical professionals and those struggling with drug and alcohol dependency.

The early part of his career was spent working one-on-one with patients actively withdrawing from drugs. Withdrawal and the fear of going through it is one of the biggest reasons an addict continues to use and can be the most challenging part of the rehabilitation process. His experience in the withdrawal atmosphere has taught him that regardless of what approach a person takes to get off drugs, mental and emotional obstacles always need to be overcome. In his experience, having someone there to help a person through these obstacles can make all the difference during the withdrawal process. He also believes this help can be more impactful if the person getting you through can relate through personal experience.

After working with patients directly for over two years, Michael moved into an administrative role that gave him intimate knowledge of how a drug rehab operates. As the Director of Rehabilitation at the New Life Retreat, he understood what it takes to deliver a drug rehab program properly. Cultivating highly trained staff, adhering to strict state guidelines, and maintaining the safety and security of the clients and staff, are just a few things Michael was responsible for. He realized that making a quality drug rehab center goes far beyond what many people realize. He uses this knowledge to assist DRS in creating its extensive directory of services.

Michael also received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in 2010.

Michael, with his extensive background in substance use disorders, played a pivotal role in co-authoring “Inside the World of Substance Use: A Professional’s Perspective.” Drawing upon years of experience working directly with individuals battling substance use issues, Leach contributed invaluable insights into the complexities of addiction, treatment strategies, and the journey towards recovery.

What motivates you to help people with substance use?

As an individual, I went through my own recovery journey. The first three programs I went to were traditional models that framed addiction as a disease I would have to manage for the rest of my life. For me personally, that approach did not work. It made me feel like I was just stuck with this identity forever, and when I relapsed, it gave me a way to explain it away as something that was always going to happen.

The fourth program was different. It approached addiction as a condition I was in, connected to the choices I had made and the way I was living, and it asked me to take responsibility for that. For me, that was the turning point. Once I started taking responsibility for how I got there, I could start taking responsibility for where I went next. That is what finally made the work possible.

Different treatment models work for different people, and I am not saying the disease model is wrong for everyone. But understanding that not every program will work for every person is something I want to share with people who are still searching for what will work for them.

I did not succeed with recovery until my fourth attempt, and if I had given up, my future would have been entirely different. This motivates me to help others find drug rehab services that can make a difference.

Why should individuals listen to what you have to say about recovery?

It comes down to experience. I’m in a unique situation where I have close to 10 years of experience as both a substance user and an addiction professional. Not only do I know what it is like to suffer from addiction, but I also know how to treat it clinically. My history in both aspects of recovery allows me to speak about drug rehabilitation from firsthand personal and professional experience.

Michael’s perspective on treatment comes from working with patients at every stage of the program, first in withdrawal and later overseeing the full arc as Director of Rehabilitation. A few principles shape how he thinks about the work.

Peer support matters as much as staff support. During his own withdrawal, two other guys around his age were going through it at the same time. The bond they formed and the way they pushed each other through made the process feel less isolating. Later, working with patients, Michael saw the same thing again and again. Staff support is necessary, but sometimes a person also needs to feel like they are not the only one going through it. Being around other people trying to get better can give a person a sense of hope that nothing else can.

Exit planning is where recovery is won or lost. As Director of Rehabilitation, Michael watched what determined whether patients stayed in recovery after they left. The ones who took their exit plan seriously, thought through where they were going home to, and made real decisions about the people and environments they were returning to did the best. The ones who rushed through it often relapsed quickly. An exit plan is not paperwork. It is one of the most important parts of treatment.

You cannot predict who will complete the program. Michael has watched patients he would have bet on completing find a reason to leave because they were doing well, and patients he would have bet against have a breakthrough halfway through and finish strong. That experience taught him to give every person the same level of care and attention, no matter how they look in their first week.

Recovery requires the person to do the work. Michael’s view is that addiction is real and powerful, and the person dealing with it is still responsible for the choices they make from here. That perspective is not about blame or shame. It is about giving the person their power back, because if responsibility is removed entirely, so is the ability to change.

• Withdrawal Specialist 2015-2017
• Director of Rehabilitation 2017-2019
• Certified Nursing Assistant 2016-2018
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant 2019-Present