Mental Health Monthly: Tim Gibbons on Overcoming Addiction and Building a Life of Strength

Mental Health Monthly: Tim Gibbons on Overcoming Addiction and Building a Life of Strength

 

In this episode of Mental Health Monthly, hosts Dan DeGryse and Chris Muscle sit down with Tim Gibbons, a retired Chicago Fire Department battalion chief, to explore his remarkable 40-year journey in recovery. Gibbons shares candid insights into battling alcoholism while rising through the ranks from firefighter to chief, all while building a successful business and family life. He addresses the challenges of denial, the courage required to seek help, and the vital role of peer support and professional guidance in sustaining long-term recovery.

 

The conversation highlights the power of vulnerability, setting boundaries, and the importance of positive connections. (Those connections make up the “kitchen table talk” that supports change.) Listeners will gain a hopeful perspective on recovery, not as a loss but a reclaiming of life, purpose, and self-worth.