Gina Kaye (Host): Welcome to Hope Beyond Addiction, a podcast by Our Hope, a nonprofit that provides hope, healing, growth, and recovery to women located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I'm Gina Kaye. And joining me today is Tripp Corl. For this podcast, we are going to dive into the history of Our Hope Association and hope to come away with the knowledge that there is Hope Beyond Addiction. Tripp, how did Our Hope Association first come into existence? And what social or healthcare needs motivated its founding?

Tripp Corl: Our Hope was started in 1972. Back then, very few people talked about alcoholism or addiction, especially among women. It was a disease known for mainly men to have issues with. And women were in the home and their struggles were more private. And it was just not recognized. And so, there was a small group of leaders in town that recognized this potential need for women to get help. And so, there was actually two women that started it. And they were both alcoholics themselves and they started by running AA meetings out of a home that they were boarding in.

And this was on Lion Street, which is where our home got eventually purchased for Our Hope so that they could continue their mission. This filled a need for the women to have a safe place to go get the treatment that they need in a women-only environment?

Host: Can you describe the key figures who helped shape Our Hope Association in its early years, and how their contributions still influenced the philosophy today?

Tripp Corl: Yes. The first two women I referenced in your first question were the two alcoholics that started running meetings. Their names were Luisa Thorpe and Juanda Lamiu. And they started doing those meetings out of their boarding home back in 1972. And they soon recognized a need. So, they approached two men, Stephen Bryant and Bill Nelson, to help them purchase a home on Lion Street, which is in the Heritage Hill District of Grand Rapids. And in '74, Bonnie Welch Bryant, who was my grandmother, was the first board president of Our Hope, and Nancy Mueller was tapped as the first executive director.

And I mentioned these six people. There were other board members, and then probably other community members that were either women or had women in their lives that there was recognition that they needed help. So, they all kind of came together and said, "Let's help women. Let's figure out a way to treat them with dignity and get them the help that they need. And that is still the basis fast forward today, which is over 50 years later. We are still serving only women. And we provide that safe environment to treat them with dignity and warmth

Host: That's fantastic. I understand that there is a need for that. And for you guys to have such a strong philosophy, it's very heartwarming. And my next question kind of goes into how does your personal family connection to the founding of the organization shape your involvement and perspective on its legacy?

Tripp Corl: Of the boards that I've served on, Our Hope, it has a more special place in my heart, because it started partly with my grandmother. There were many people that helped make it what it is. But I have a lot of alcoholism specifically in my family, both sides, but particularly that side. So, I know a little bit about the disease and the problems. And my grandmother would be considered generation one, I suppose. And all generations, second, third, and fourth generation have been involved with Our Hope since her involvement way back when.

Host: And I feel like, when it's personal, it's easier to just dive in and just put your heart and soul into a project or an association like this. And I think that's just amazing.

Tripp Corl: Yes, thank you. It's great to be able to give back and to help those that are suffering from a disease that I grew up in a household that started out with that disease becoming a problem. And thankfully, both my parents sought help. And I think I turned out okay at the end of it all. But that's not always the case. So if I'm able to come alongside people that are trying to help those that struggle, then I'm feeling like I'm doing a very good service.

Host: Perfect. Let me ask you from a historical perspective, what were the major milestones that allowed Our Hope Association to grow into a respected center for recovery?

Tripp Corl: First of all, I think it was our focus on women only. There was a recognized need for women to get treatment. But the idea of being able to be in a home that didn't have men And that only had the women that you relate in the way that they could together, without any of the pressures of men and women maybe being mixed and especially with it being kind of a male-dominant disease, if you will. So, I think that was the first one.

And then, as they developed the way they treated women, they ended up settling on a 90-day residential program, which is, I think, still to this day, kind of the gold standard, as far as effectiveness of treating somebody. So, you're in residential. You stay there for 90 days and you go through a structured program that helps you learn how to deal with the disease that you have and you are living with other women that are suffering from that same disease in different places on their journey. And so, everyone sort of helps each other and nobody's in there alone. So, I think that was a milestone, and we still do that today.

Another was getting CARF-accredited. CARF's an organization that sort of makes sure you're dotting your I's and crossing your T's. One comparison I would use, most people are familiar with an organization called the Better Business Bureau. And so if you go online to investigate a business, if you see that logo, you might be inclined to feel better about that organization, that they've been properly vetted by an organization that's sort of authorized to do so. And CARF serves that purpose in our field.

And then, lastly, I would say we've been around for over 50 years. So, we've got a 50-year reputation for successfully treating women with addiction. And I think that says a lot about the quality of the program.

Host: Absolutely. That's fantastic. In what ways has Our Hope evolved then since its establishment?

Tripp Corl: It started with just AA meetings. And now, it's evolved into a full-fledged program. First, we started with residential treatment, where instead of just running meetings, people would actually stay there, and then be away from the home environment. You know, that's the one thing about going to meetings, is you still have to go home and go right back into the environment that could potentially get you in trouble again. So, you live at the house and you learn how to navigate that life before you are put back in it. And we went from serving just a few women at a time to we're in our new building now, and we still own the house on Lion Street, so we have both buildings. And we can serve around 50 women at a time right now.

Another thing is, now in this new building, we offer a 10-bed detox unit. One of our problems up until recent years was being able to serve those that are at that stage where they want help, they're literally needing to detox. We don't offer it, so we kind of have to put them on a waiting list, hope they can go to the right place, get in there, successfully detox. And then, we hope that their bed is available when they're done. Now, if someone is at that stage, we can take them in right away and when they're ready, they just transition right into residential, which is in the same building.

Host: Tell me how does Our Hope address the stigma that's often associated with seeking treatment for addiction or behavioral health? And to dovetail on that, I'm also curious if referrals are required or can someone just self refer to the program?

Tripp Corl: Okay. Well, first, I look at it as kind of a three-pronged approach as far as the stigma. First of all, we educate the women that both alcoholism and addiction are diseases. They're not a choice that anybody makes. You might make the choice to take that first drink or to do that first drug, whatever it is. But eventually, when you become addicted to whatever it is, you kind of lose the ability to make a choice. It becomes extremely, extremely difficult. And so, we want people to know that it's not necessarily anybody's fault. And then, we remind them that they're not alone and that there are those that have gone before them and there were those that follow them with alcoholism or any other addiction.

 And then, third, we provide a safe place for these women to heal from It, and to be real with each other, to learn from each other. And, hopefully, we still have the philosophy that no one's ever cured of the disease of addiction, but you can get to where you're a great functioning member of society in recovery from your addiction.

We love to get referrals. But if anyone out there is listening and feels inclined to get in touch with our hope for any reason for yourself or a loved one, I would strongly encourage it. We definitely take calls from people that are reaching out for help.

Host: If a woman listening right now is struggling or unsure or maybe afraid to ask for help, what do you think your grandmother would want her to hear?

Tripp Corl: I'd say she'd want to hear us say that if a woman is struggling, first of all, they should seek help. They do not need to do it alone. In fact, statistically, I would say the odds are not in anyone's favor to try and go this voyage alone.

 Very easy, kind of as I said earlier, you might talk to somebody and they say, "You should stop doing what you're doing." And you say, yes, I should. And then, you go back home or back to whatever environment it is that you might have been influenced to make bad choices. And there you are again.

So, seek help from somewhere. I can specifically speak for Our Hope that it's a great place to seek help. I think women deserve a safe place for recovery, and our hope is a safe place. You are living in a house with people that understand the disease, understand what women are going through, and your roommates and colleagues, so to speak, are suffering from that same disease.

Host: I feel like a good takeaway message, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, is that you're never alone. And as a woman speaking on behalf of this type of program, women like to speak to other women and they bond very well. So, I feel like this program is very successful because of that. And again, someone going through this process and knowing they're not alone is huge.

Tripp Corl: Absolutely. I think it's pretty much the only way to go. From my knowledge, most recovery programs, 12-step style programs, whether it's NA, OA, AA, whatever it is, the success is the fact that it's the gathering of many and not one person in a silo. Even the people that have been getting help for years, they obviously help new people with their wisdom because they've been around the block. But then, the new person also helps and I'll call them long timers and not old timers. Long timers can get reminded that all it takes is one bad decision to go really far backwards. And that comes with being around others and sharing your experiences and your strength and hope.

Host: Tripp, we very much appreciate your willingness to educate us all about the history of Our Hope Association. And thank you so much for all of the information you shared today.

Tripp Corl: You are very welcome. Glad to be here. Thank you for having me.

Host: To get help today or learn more about our hope, please visit ourhopeassociation.org. Thank you for listening to Hope Beyond Addiction, a podcast by Our Hope. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it on your own social media channels. I'm Gina Kaye. And this has been Hope Beyond Addiction, a podcast by Our Hope. Thanks for listening.

Disclaimer: All content of this podcast is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions discussed on this podcast episode.