Matko Mosunjac, joins KJ in this episode. He is 34 years old. Born in Croatia and brought to the United States as a baby. While his parents were adjusting to a new country, a new language, and a new culture, He was becoming a true southern boy, the last generation of kid without a cell phone, social media, and pressure. He had a happy childhood filled with free play, many friends, sports, outdoor activities, visits to Croatia every summer, and loving parents. He went through the parochial Atlanta Catholic school system from elementary to high school, which gave him a sense of community, security, and routine.
When he left the security of his primary family and entered the college world, different doors began to open. On the one hand, academically, he was doing well. However, the freedom that he encountered fostered the breeding grounds for the beginnings of my alcoholism and addiction. His addictive behaviors were almost justified in the college culture, and was unaware of the firm claws that started to grasp him. Despite this reality, Matko successfully graduated from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in social work, then moved on to graduate school to obtain his master’s degree at NYU, upon returning to Atlanta, the reality of where his addiction/alcoholism was snowballed to the point where he could not keep his job or relationships with his friends, girlfriends, and parents. His parents noticed a drastic change in his appearance and behavior, suspecting a mental disorder, but they were not completely aware of my use.
This was when his recovery started. The whole of his family was lost as they had never encountered anyone up until then dealing with substance use disorder. As seen in many movies and TV shows about addiction, the immediate conclusion was that inpatient rehab would fix the problem in just a couple of months. Little did he know that the road towards recovery is not a TV show, and it took him almost 5 years of different approaches until he found the way to sobriety. Currently, Matko is a licensed Master’s Social Worker working as a therapist in a private practice with a focus on men’s issues, addiction, life transition issues, grief, loss, as well as working with the adolescent population. I met KJ while I was a patient at Black Bear Recovery Center, and I am excited to share my story in the hopes that some parts of my story can be helpful to others.
Family Counseling Associates of North Georgia
888-850-4891 ext: 183
Residential Treatment: https://hickeyhouse.com/
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https://www.pursuitofrecovery.com/
painting by Matko Mosunjac
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