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Traveling in Recovery With Alexander Brown

Mar 15, 2023

Alexander (Alex) Brown is the Founder & Principal of Recover Hospitality. Alex’s consulting and travel agency is dedicated to assisting individuals who struggle with mental health and addiction. Traveling to places associated with past substance use can be a trigger for individuals in recovery. Alex discusses planning vacations that allow individuals in recovery to travel successfully. He also discusses crisis intervention plans, accountability platforms and recovery-focused travel ideas. Tune in for some great ideas in this Beyond the Balance Sheet episode.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

  • [01:36] Alex discusses his journey of substance use and why he left the hospitality industry. 
  • [05:13] Alex suggests ways to stay sober while traveling and describes some of the pitfalls to avoid
  • [06:35] Plan an active wellness vacation and avoid destinations where alcohol is the main activity. Look for recovery-focused travel locations 
  • [10:21] Have a crisis intervention plan in place while traveling. When possible, have an accountability platform.
  • [13:24] Alex talks about what support for the individual in recovery should look like, and the role of family members traveling with them
  • [15:43] Air travel has its triggers. A crisis management relapse plan should be in place when air travel is involved
  • [17:20] Finally, Alex shares tips on travel when mental health or addiction is an issue

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

  • Contact a travel agent and tell them you want a non-alcoholic environment on your vacation.  If the agent questions you, they are probably not the right travel agent. 
  • It is essential to create opportunities that help resist temptation when planning a vacation for an individual in recovery. 
  • A wellness-focused destination for the sober traveler takes some of the stress out of vacation plans.

RESOURCES: 

Beyond the Balance Sheet Website

Alexander Brown – LinkedIn

Recover Hospitality – Website

BIOGRAPHY: 

Alexander (Alex) Brown is the Founder & Principal of Recover Hospitality, a consulting company, and travel agency dedicated to increasing the accessibility of the hospitality industry for individuals who struggle with mental health and wellness, specifically addiction. Alex grew up in a family business that has owned and operated hotels since the 1960s. Alex worked in hospitality management for over a decade in both the rooms and food & beverage divisions. As a person in recovery, Alex knows the temptations in corporate and leisure travel; and has witnessed the toll addiction has taken on individuals, families, communities, and the hospitality industry.

In 2017, after completing the sale of his family’s 5-star boutique hotel, Alex left the day-to-day operations of the hospitality business and spent two years helping to build and manage a recovery coaching team for a health-technology company. During this time, Alex witnessed people in early recovery struggle to maintain connection and accountability when traveling. Many individuals chose not to travel or dine out due to the stressful environment. By establishing Recover Hospitality in 2021, Alex uses his personal experience in recovery, extensive hospitality knowledge, and coaching experience to limit temptations and add individualized support for travelers who have struggled with substance use and other mental health concerns.  Additionally, Recover Hospitality offers consulting services for hospitality businesses looking to better support the mental health of both guests and staff.

Alex graduated with a degree in economics and business from Rollins College. In addition, he has completed the UMass Boston Addiction Counselor Education Program. He is pursuing a Master’s in Social Work from Boston College, with a concentration in mental health and certification in neurobiology for social work.

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