Driven by passion, love, and understanding
Spirit Mountain Recovery (SMR), as a treatment center for the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, was an idea of its co-founders, Chris and Matt Farni. A father and his son who had experienced the ravages of untreated addiction, found a way to recover, and then wanted to work together help others in their personal journey through a similar dark place in their lives and then into the light.
Our first client was a gentleman suffering with a methamphetamine addiction who we put up in the 3rd bedroom of the apartment we were renting at the time. Nursed him back to sobriety, applied what we had learned in our own recovery, got him clinical counseling, and off we went.
SMR was started in Utah. Utah is a beautiful contrast to mountains and desert in the southwestern United States. The mountains although not the highest are majestic in appearance and have a certain calm and peace to them. Also, a challenge of sorts. Something to be climbed and explored. Enjoyed for the peace and tranquility they engender.
Parallels to the recovery from addiction are symbolized by mountains. Mountain valleys and peaks is how addiction and recovery process are typically experienced. From the depths of hopelessness and desperation while suffering from substance use and addiction to the mountain peaks of true peace and joy realized in recovery achieved. The mountains as a name and concept seem to fit with what the SMR treatment experience would represent.
My son Matt’s struggle with addiction since middle school through his late 20’s and my being a direct witness to it as what we didn’t know at the time, the best training we could have ever had in recognizing what addiction is about and how to recover from it. Matt has been sober now for over 8 years and we have been operating Spirit Mountain Recovery for nearly 7 years now. We have a fabulous team of professionals who assist us. Blessed beyond belief.
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The whole experience for us – through Matt’s active addiction and my co-dependency and recovery from it was a spiritual experience. A miraculous event in retrospect. Years of personal struggle – pain, suffering and calamity. A personal journey through addiction and recovery learned the hard way, discovering who we were authentically and what life is truly about.
A spiritual journey. Where we learned to rely on a power or life-force greater than ourselves that seemed to be working through us. A guiding force as we committed to serve others who had struggle with substance abuse and addiction. There is so much spiritual in our recovery. A transcendence from who we were to now perceiving and experiencing life in a completely different way.
It just seemed right that spiritual and spirit would be a part of our treatment center program. Not a program of religious conversion in the conventional sense, but an awakened personal spirit. We had discovered and learned how to access deeper peace with the way the world is and not what it should be.
Putting the two concepts together for our new venture – Mountains and Spirit – Spirit Mountain a place for recovery from substance abuse and addiction – Spirit Mountain Recovery.
Testimonials
Colby earned his nursing degree from the University of Utah in 2013 and has more than a decade of experience working in diverse healthcare settings including corrections, psychiatry, dialysis, and care for U.S. veterans. He later graduated with honors from the University of South Alabama with a Master of Science in Nursing Practice specializing in mental health and substance use treatment. Colby is trained in medication management and utilizes a range of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. He emphasizes a holistic approach to care that considers physical health, mindfulness, nutrition, healthy relationships, and restorative sleep as important components of overall wellbeing.
Dan has worked as a licensed therapist, both publicly and privately, in the behavioral health field for the past 20 years. He specializes in the treatment of young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, family discord, Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), relational struggles, and a variety of learning disabilities. Dan utilizes various therapeutic modalities in his practice including EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Relationship-Based Therapy and Existentialism. He has been a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor since 2009.
Dan in his leisure time is an avid mountain biker, skier, trail runner, and golfer. He has also traveled extensively throughout his life to Nepal, Switzerland, Thailand, Italy and Costa Rica.
They have the best team of staff and doctors on this planet. I am proud to say I am a recovering addict because of their amazing skills and treatment. They have changed my life completely and I could not have done it without them! Thank you for guiding me and paving the path for me to find my true self, and what I am capable of. You are all my family and friends.J.T.