Lifestyles Recovery Center moves to larger location
From left, Lifestyles Recovery Center, Inc. Board Member Chris Iversen, Executive Director Karolyn London, Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin, Board Chairman Mark Rehfield, Board Member Paul Press and Chief Financial Officer Eddie London cut the ribbon on the nonprofit’s new location in Paso Robles on Monday. Photo by Heather Young
– Lifestyles Recover Center, Inc., in Paso Robles is now in its third location since its inception in 2001. The new location at 715 24th St. Ste. P was not a huge move, just up the stairs from the previous, but it tripled the space.
“This place is triple the area … so we can do multiple things at once,” Lifestyles Board Chairmant Mark Rehfield said. “Downstairs – it was just too small. There was just one working space so you could only do one thing at a time.”
Not only is there a large meeting room, there’s also a private office for Executive Director Karolyn London to offer one-on-one counseling, as well as a children’s area. “It’s just much more flexible,” Rehfield said.
The center, started by London, focuses on drug and alcohol addiction and anger management. However, it also offers HIV workshops, Narcotics Anonymous, relapse prevention group, individual counseling, drug and alcohol counseling and women’s Alcohol Anonymous.
London said she was called to open such a facility after she made a deal with God. In the mid-1980s she was given a five percent chance of survival while she was struggling with addiction and illnesses caused by it. She’s been clean since 1987 and has been counseling and conducting classes as an American Red Cross-certified HIV/AIDS instructor since 1988.
“I wasn’t supposed to be here,” London said about her miraculous recovery.
“You are supposed to be here,” Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin countered at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday.
London’s survival has led to hundreds of people being helped by Lifestyles Recovery Center, which has the philosophy that addictive behaviors are symptoms of underlying problems and in order for healing to occur, the whole person must be addressed.
Lifestyles Recovery Center works to accomplish six goals to achieve total wellness in a person:
- Evaluate and eliminate problems that contribute to addictive behavior.
- Promote the development of prevention and/or recovery activities.
- Provide coping skills to the victims of those with addictive behaviors.
- Educate and involve the total community in the problems associated with addictive behaviors.
- Facilitate ongoing support for those recovering from alcohol and other drug related problems.
- Work to return the affected individuals to a productive role in society.
The center wholly relies on volunteers and donations. Though London charges for her individual counseling, her position as executive director is volunteer. Volunteers are always needed, call (805) 238-2290 for more information. Donations may also be made via PayPal by going to the organization’s website.
“All services are given without charge to those who need them,” London said. “Support of caring persons is vital to maintain this service. All of the board members and staff give of their time without compensation so our overhead is very low. We attempt to utilize each donation to the maximum extent to benefit the those in need.”
The board of directors includes:
- Chairman: Mark Rehfield
- Chief financial officer and treasurer: Eddie London
- Secretary, Chris Iversen
- Board member: Ruth Haynes
- Board member: Elisha Hinojosa
- Board member and Paso Robles school district liaison: Paul Press
