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Spero Health Clinical Insights
In the United States over 20 million Americans ages 12 and older have substance use disorder, and since the year 2000 over 700,000 Americans have died from drug overdose. In this Spero Health Clinical Insights series, we take a deeper dive in some of the most common and complex clinical issues facing providers on the front lines working to fight the drug epidemic. To learn more about clinically effective ways of assisting this patient population tune in now.
Spero Health Clinical Insights
Connection, Community, and the Culture of Recovery
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In Episode 31 of the Spero Health Clinical Insights Podcast, David Hayden is joined by co-host Dave Hoerman, Dean of Spero University, for a conversation about the powerful role connection, community, and culture play in recovery.
People struggling with addiction often enter treatment carrying more than substance use—they bring with them the routines, relationships, beliefs, and behaviors that shaped their addiction. Recovery requires more than stopping substance use; it requires building a new culture rooted in connection, purpose, and belonging.
David and Dave explore how treatment teams help create that culture through trust, consistency, healthy boundaries, and authentic relationships. They discuss why patients need to experience something different when they enter treatment and how teammates play a critical role in modeling the behaviors, values, and support systems that foster long-term recovery.
The conversation also highlights the importance of helping patients build recovery-focused connections outside the clinic. From community support groups and recovery meetings to reconnecting with personal values and healthy activities, patients need tools that help them replace old patterns with new opportunities for growth.
Whether you're a clinician, recovery professional, or someone interested in understanding what helps people sustain recovery, this episode offers valuable insight into how connection and community create the foundation for lasting change.