I’ve Found So Many New Loves

By: Christian V., Transformations Alumni

Hey Y’all, my name is Christian Vann and I am a proud alumni of Transformations Treatment Center.

I grew up in a family of active Alcoholics and Addicts, so I learned at a young age to use drugs and alcohol as a solution to life. It was a poor solution, but I didn’t know another way of life.

When I first wanted to get sober, I spoke to someone close to me who had attended Transformation’s Treatment Program. The radical change I saw in that person upon their return was so drastic, it instilled hope in me that I could do the same thing. So, I hopped on a call with someone from Transformations admissions and I was on a plane the next day.

At the time, I was so miserable in life that I tried to take my own life by crashing a car, but my attempt was not successful. When I went to Transformations I was recovering from a near-fatal car accident that had left both my body’s functionality and my mental health in a terrible state. 

During my time in treatment, I had the privilege of meeting and working with an incredible staff who helped me process and work through my Childhood Trauma, my Character Patterns both assets and liabilities, and they led me to a path of living that really works.

In Treatment, I met Transformation’s personal trainer who was also on the path of sobriety. Her main goal was to offer her help to a young adult who had lost his way. She promised to guide me in reclaiming my body’s functionality and to teach me how to regain my physical shape. However, what I learned from her went far beyond that. She showed me that while working on the “outside” (my body) might be the easier part, but working on the “inside” (my Spirit and mind) is the true challenge. I had to be willing to tackle both aspects. This amazing woman ignited a passion within me for pursuing a career in fitness, and that decision ultimately saved my life and gave me a meaningful reason to stay sober.

Since the day of my departure from Transformations Treatment Center, so many amazing things have happened because of their help and living a sober life in recovery. I’ve found so many new loves in my life and have been able to accomplish so many things that I used to believe were impossible for me. I’ve been blessed with career that I love, a peace in my head and heart today, I have a design for living sober that really works, I have amazing friendships and relationships, I was able to drive again, I was able to get my dream vehicle, I met a woman who I’ve been with for over 3 years, we are engaged to be married, we just bought a home together, and so many other amazing things.

One of the most important things that I gained in my life from sobriety is the love to be of service. Today, I am a director for a non-for-profit called “Lift: The Obsession.” My best friend and I host a workout every Saturday at 11:00 AM for men and women in recovery every. We created a safe place for people in recovery to start their health a wellness journey, and they get to be around other people that share a common bond. One of the coolest things I get to do is, when a newly sober person wants to pursue a career in fitness, we get to help. We raise money to pay for personal training certifications, that allow them to embark upon their new journey.

Today I have many purposes in life to stay sober. One of my favorites, I’ve highlighted below.

My primary purpose in serving at LIFT: The Obsession is to pay forward the incredible experience I had. I want people to feel secure when embarking on their journeys of sobriety and fitness—knowing that they are not alone. My aim is to help individuals establish connections with one another and kindle a passion for fitness, companionship, and spiritual growth. LTO provides an environment where people can discover that it’s not always about building muscle; sometimes, it’s about building fellowship, nurturing discipline, and embracing unwavering consistency. With luck, we can inspire another person who is new to sobriety to explore a career in fitness, providing them with a platform to practice sober principles in every aspect of their lives.”