28: What is it Like to Run a Detox Center

Steven Ginsburg: 0:00

We're changing lives, we're saving lives, we're helping people grow, we're making a difference. When it's all said and done, that is where the Lord has seen fit to call me to make my mark through Restore, and I am grateful for every moment of it.

Steve Coughran: 0:13

This is the Addiction Recovery Podcast with Steven T Ginsburg, founder of Restore Detox Centers in sunny California. Enjoy your experience. Enjoy your experience, steve and I love our conversations when we're talking about saving lives, and it's not just this pie in the sky dream or just words that we throw around lightly, but literally, as you're running Restore in Poway, California, you are saving lives. The other day you forwarded me a review from somebody. We'll keep their identity anonymous here, but talk a little bit about that review and what did they have to say? And let's get into what it's like to run a detox center like you're running right now.

Steven Ginsburg: 0:58

Steve, thank you. I appreciate the topic and, yes, that was a very impactful moment. I screenshot it, sent it over to you and just you know, you see a mom reaching out taking some time writing a review about her daughter and the long and short of it explaining. You know, my daughter was at the end of her rope. The team comes in. Restore, provides a place, it's safe and my daughter's moving on with her life and she's approaching 90 days of sobriety. And it happens because of the help and the support of the team and the people and the emphasis and the focus of a place like Restore and no matter what else goes on and so much does go on and you certainly know a lot about it and have been exposed to a bunch of it. No, matter what occurs.

Steven Ginsburg: 1:45

Those moments are what make it all worthwhile, and those moments are what help you realize. You know, we are here fighting the good fight, a day at a time and a person at a time.

Steve Coughran: 1:56

Yeah, I agree. I mean, when you sent me over the text, I was like, yes, this is exactly why you get out of bed every day. This is exactly why you put up all the phone calls and all the other headaches and hassles. It's not like you ever look at your clients or community members as a hassle. I'm not saying that. But look, let's just be honest with each other. There's a lot that goes into running a detox center. I mean, there's just drama and there's issues and there's just I mean there's just a ton of things and the stakes are extremely high.

Steven Ginsburg: 2:26

Yes, sir, yeah it's life and death and you start to realize, and you start to fall back on hey, this is what I signed up for and this is what I'm equipped for. And then you start to rely for me. I rely on my program of sobriety and understanding that I'm right where I'm supposed to be and that I've got to continue to provide the solution. And look, if it was easy, everyone would do it. It's not for the meeker faint of heart and it's a rodeo, but it's exciting and you're never bored and it's never the same day twice and people's lives are depending on providing the solution. So you've got that willingness to come alongside them and support them in the solution.

Steve Coughran: 3:02

Sure, I agree. I mean, look in my job I've been a CFO before of companies and it feels like all the weight is on my shoulder. Sometimes when financial statements are in progress but leaders need these financial statements, I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm under so much pressure to deliver these financial statements and I just can't get them out the door because we're running into all these issues. And sure it's like, yeah, we don't submit the financial statements and the banks can't get them out the door because we're running into all these issues. And sure it's like, yeah, we don't submit the financial statements and the banks don't like that if there's compliance issues or whatever.

Steve Coughran: 3:31

But at the end of the day, people aren't dying With your job. You don't take the phone call, you don't facilitate the group, you don't have that conversation with somebody to get them admitted to restore. They can die, which is crazy. I mean that just seems like a lot of pressure. Share with me and share with the audience. What's it like to run a detox center and what kind of things stress you out, or what is just the one thing that keeps you up at night?

Steven Ginsburg: 3:57

So the most consistent thing that stresses me out, the thing that when I wake up at night and I do, first of all, I don't believe in laying in bed and trying to fall asleep on your own.

Steven Ginsburg: 4:09

That doesn't work for me. So I will grab my iPad and I will often start to read and start to look at things and start to look things up, and I like that I've turned a negative into a positive. It is very hard for me when people don't realize how imperative it is that the solution that we promote and provide at Restore, where we believe in 12-step programming, we believe in working a 12-step program, we believe in making sure people understand it's a disease and, a day at a time, they're granted a remission based on their footwork and they must continue their footwork. It's when people don't really take hold of that that we're treating and they don't realize how high the stakes are and they're not willing to do the footwork. That's what drives me and that's what keeps me up and that's what's so imperative and important to me to continue to convey and get across, least of all, which on those three days a week where I am in re-examining the solution and the hope behind the solution.

Steve Coughran: 5:14

Yeah, I agree. Well, and it's interesting that you say that. I was listening to a podcast the other day and it was talking about how we mistakenly believe that we have control over things, like we want to have control over our businesses, we want to have control over our kids, and so on and so forth. And for me, I'm not like a controlling person where I try to manipulate people or control people to do certain things Not that at all. But oftentimes I find comfort in controlling my schedule, for an example, when I schedule everything out and I can look on my calendar for the day and it's really pretty and blocks of time and I'm like, okay, now I know how my day is going to go down. But the reality is you never know when the next thing is going to pop up and it completely wipes out your planned day.

Steve Coughran: 5:58

And I think the same thing is true with business. I mean, you may think you're in control of your business, but look, we're all one disruption away from being out of business. Consumer behavior can shift, social trends can shift, there can be a war, the economy can go bust, whatever it may be, and your business is totally obsolete. So in life I think we oftentimes have this misbelief that we're in control of things, but really it comes down to influence. So let's talk about that here for a minute, the difference between control and influence.

Steve Coughran: 6:29

Because with you, you can't control these people's lives. You can't control whether or not they're leaving and restoring they're going to stay sober, but you do have an incredible influence over them. Talk to me a little bit about that. And how do you think about that in your head? Because I'm sure in a perfect world you would love to probably just control them, like put your arms around them, say I love you, like stay sober. You know, like I want to force you to do this because I love you and I care about you, but in reality you only have influence. Share your thoughts on that.

Steven Ginsburg: 6:59

I really love what you just brought up and I'm really grateful you brought it up because I like talking about this from this standpoint. Here's where I believe I feel called, where we can separate ourselves and where Restore can separate itself the person we're treating. We have an ability to be a part of their family's lives too. We have the ability to be a part of their loved one's lives as well. We have the ability to reach out and follow up. We have the ability to invite them back as alumni. We have the ability to welcome them back with open, loving, nurturing arms if they have a relapse, and not just say we care, but show we care through actions and deeds, not words. And that's where we start to set the bar. We earn that right. I want to earn the right to my ask, and here's my ask Don't let this disease kill you. Allow me to earn the right to ask you to not let this disease kill you.

Steve Coughran: 7:56

Yeah, well, and I love what you said about actions versus words. I mean, my wife loves to remind me of that because she's definitely like hey, Steve, don't just tell me that you love me, show me that you love me. And I'm like, okay, got it. Okay, I got to be better with my actions and aligning my actions with words. And this isn't to poo poo on other facilities. Look, we're all in the same business of same lives. But I would say I mean we all know what it feels like to go to a doctor's office or go to you know some other organization and you're just another number. I mean, who doesn't like to walk into the restaurant? And they're like, oh, hey, Steven, you want the usual with mustard and spicy pickles or whatever your fancy is.

Steve Coughran: 8:38

When we are recognized like that and when those words are backed by actions, I mean it's huge. And I agree, you go to Restore's website restoredetoxcenters. com and you read the messaging on the website. This isn't just a bunch of garbage that we throw up to try to attract people to the facility. These are words that are carefully chosen because we want to understand who we're dealing with individuals with addiction issues and families who have loved ones who are struggling with addiction and I agree with you a hundred percent and I've seen it in action just by being at group, at the house. Like you, back your words up with the actions and with your giant heart.

Steven Ginsburg: 9:17

Thank you, I appreciate it and that's where to answer your question and it's a great question. It's actually a satisfying question to answer Because it lends itself to what we believe in in the culture and what we do at Restore, and we're never disparaging another facility. It's just look, I'm grateful we're a six-bet, I'm grateful I could tell you about everything, about every single person we are treating right now. I praise God that that's what I was called to and for and I believe in that and it's what's needed to overcome this disease. It's cunning, baffling and powerful. It's insidious. It's an opportunistic infection. Unless we meet all that with everything we've got collectively we're focused on the individual and the result there's no hope.

Steve Coughran: 10:03

Yeah, I agree. And it's like look when I turn around and build companies that's what I do for a living at Coltvar. In case you're wondering and listening, when I'm helping organizations and I can go into their business and I know their business I pick up the phone and I say hey, tom, how's it going? Hey, did you ever close that deal on XYZ Project? And how's Susan? Is she performing better? I know you had a review with her last week. What's the follow-up on that? They're like oh my gosh. Seriously, steve, you totally care, and I think the same thing is true in your business. If I was to send my precious son or daughter to get help, I don't want to send them to a facility where they're going to be another number. Because here's my personal opinion, steven, and you could agree or disagree.

Steve Coughran: 10:47

I believe love heals and I don't just say that to be trite. Really. Let's just say you're struggling, you're in this dark, deep abyss, you're depressed, you don't even know if you want to live anymore. And you go to a facility and you're just given your number, you're given your room and it's like okay, we got programming here at this time and that time and we'll help you out along the way versus. You walk in and the facility is like metaphorically and literally opening their arms to you, like hugging you, being there for you and helping you to heal. I just feel like that love can transform lives way more than some like expert program or whatever it may be. Like. Obviously you got to work the program. I'm not saying anything about that. I just think love makes all the difference.

Steven Ginsburg: 11:35

Huge difference, and it's gotta be the foundation. We want the foundation poured in stone, not set in stand. That's what we're looking for.

Steve Coughran: 11:44

Yeah, I like that. So, Steven, I know we have conversations where days you're just exhausted, you know, because your heart's into it, your mind's into it. You know there's just a lot that goes into the business. But why do you do this every single day? Because I know there's struggles. I mean not just from like, I mean just administratively running a business, doing the billing, dealing with insurance companies, but then also you have, you know, community members that are struggling, they have their issues, there's parents that are concerned and it's just like you're constantly connected. So talk a little bit about that, Steven. Like, why do you keep doing this?

Steven Ginsburg: 12:19

I unequivocally and thank you. It's another great question that I'm happy to answer. I feel the entire reason why I am sober, I feel the entire reason why I was saved, was everything that led up to this point, to where we opened Restore and we started focusing full-time on Restore, and Restore is coming up on seven years and you know that's pretty good, like praise the Lord. There's a lot of places that don't last for seven months, let alone seven years. And here we are going into our seventh year of operation and we've treated tens of thousands of people and we have some of those people are now team members and many of those people are in long term sobriety.

Steven Ginsburg: 13:00

And I feel like I was saved and I feel like I am sober for this calling specifically and this was the plan all along and it is not my place to question the plan. My place is to contribute to the plan as it has been presented and this is the plan and that's what keeps me going and I only have to keep going, just like my recovery steve. I only have to keep going a day at a time and the days add up and that's the beauty, and some days are tough, some days are great, some days are just switzerland, like it's all just fine, it's neutral, but it's all good and it's all for the better good, and we're changing lives, we're saving lives, we're helping people grow, we're making a difference and at the end of the day, that's what, when it's all said and done, and I am a dust in the wind. That is where the Lord has seen fit to call me to make my mark through restore, and I am grateful for every moment of it.

Steve Coughran: 13:55

Yeah, I know, and I think there's insanity in both of us.

Steve Coughran: 13:58

We're both a little crazy because we chose entrepreneurship and we went down this route. We could be doing so many different things with our lives, but I think it just speaks to where your heart is and it's a testament to your journey and your path and how you're committed to saving lives. So, Steven, you're doing amazing work out there and for everybody who's listening, I'll just say this to build up Steven. He's fine without me, but I share it with you because more people need to hear this story. So the biggest compliment you could pay to us is when you're listening to this podcast. If there's somebody you think can benefit from it, just share it. Just share it, tweet it, put it on social media, text it. Whatever you may do, the more people that get to hear about this story and what we're trying to do at Restore, the more lives are going to be improved. So thanks for being such an incredible member of our audience and just for supporting us and tapping into the show. We really appreciate it.

Steven Ginsburg: 14:53

Amen, Steve. Thank you for your part. As always, we're focusing on the importance and the imperativeness of the solution and if you are out there and you are struggling, we are here with you and for you and all things. Have a sober and safe rest of your day.