Jessica Crate 

All right, everyone, welcome to our mental health Mondays. Today we have a very exciting guest. But first and foremost, thank you for joining us. Here at CTC, our mission is a world of connection, vitality, and well-being where kids and families thrive. My name is Jessica Crate. I‘m the visionary spokeswoman for CTC. And our mission is to collaboratively improve the lives of youth and families by fostering a culture of health through prevention. We believe connection is prevention. And so, in the essence of that, we have here our friend Matthew from Turning Point Centers.  

Matthew Govin is a Utah native from Park City. While attending the University of Utah, he left for a higher calling, and joined the United States Marine Corps, and lived in Orange County. No stranger to the hardships of battling mental health himself, he went through depression and anxiety, which led to severe drug use. The silver lining to that, though, which I love about his story, is that not only did he recover from that, but he celebrated five years of sobriety in March, and moved back to Utah, and is now the executive administrative assistant to the CEO, CFO, and Senior VP at Turning Point Centers.  

Matthew, thank you so much for joining us today. Tell us a little bit more about yourself. And what do you love about working with Turning Point Centers? 

Matthew Govin 

Thank you for having me on the show, Jessica. When I talk about my story, upbringing, and life, it‘s still interesting to me how I ended up battling mental health and drug addiction.  

I graduated from Park City High School, and I played football. After that, I went over to the University of Utah and studied film and entertainment. I had a normal upbringing with two parents, siblings, and friends. My Grades weren‘t too shabby either. So, where did I go wrong?  

And that‘s important with mental health and addiction. There doesn‘t always have to be some significant trauma. It‘s not a certain type of person that eventually leads to these circumstances. When I tried to play football at the University of Utah, and it didn‘t work out, I contemplated on what I should do with the rest of my life. So I joined the Marine Corps. And I loved the experience. I loved the service. And the military taught me a great deal about respect and discipline, things I needed to help me shape up.  

As I got out of the military, I found myself in Orange County. And towards the end of my enlistment, I noticed the surfacing of issues in my life. And I didn‘t understand where they were coming from. But all I could do was try and combat those feelings, emotions, and struggles with drugs and alcohol. It was my solution to my internal problems I didn‘t understand. And that‘s okay. I think a lot of people don‘t know what they‘re battling. And when I was out in Orange County, that‘s when I got embedded into the recovery world.  

Orange County does a terrific and fantastic job with numerous programs, support systems, and treatment centers. I started to understand the processes, how they work and how they could help someone like me. And so I went through my fair share of hardships, even to the point of below “rock bottom.“ I was homeless. I had trashed all my relationships, but I held on to some organizations and communities that provided care, food, resources, and direction for someone who was lost, like myself. And at the time, I took and took because that‘s all I could do to survive. I showed up at food shelters, churches, recovery events, and employment events.  

I finally felt grounded during my last day at a sober living facility. And that‘s when I started to build my foundation and sobriety. Over time, I was able to get back on my feet and start giving back. And for me, that‘s what recovery, sobriety, and living were all about. It‘s the process of giving back and helping someone else out of the ditch. 

Jessica Crate 

I love your story. And what I‘m passionate about is how you went from being broken to coming out on top. And being able to say, “I‘ve been there, I can relate, and I know what you‘re going through.“ And “here‘s the tools I‘ve used to come through.“  

So shed a little light on what you do at Turning Point? And how you foster mental health and wholeness? 

Matthew Govin 

Turning Point Centers is a licensed dual diagnostic behavioral health treatment center that treats addiction and the root causes of addiction. This includes the overall behavioral, cognitive, and mental health aspects of addiction, which are important when assessing these issues. If you don‘t address the root causes, that‘s when relapses happen.  

For someone who needs a really strict curriculum, they can go to residential or an intensive outpatient. We also provide virtual outpatient for people whose lives just aren‘t matching up. We want to help facilitate all aspects of people‘s lives, whether it‘s virtual or in person. So we provide a whole spectrum of care.  

Turning Point Centers are a non 12 step program. This means that we take a scientific approach and focus on cognitive behavioral therapy rather than the steps. We have master–level therapists that clients meet regularly. We also have certified counselors, a board of certified doctors, and we‘re accredited by the Joint Commission and the DHS.  

It‘s a wonderful treatment center. And I‘m really happy to be working here. 

Jessica Crate 

Well, we‘re grateful for the role that you play and for reaching out and being part of what we do here with Communities That Care and collectively working together. It‘s wonderful to be able to unite all different forces. And so, what I‘d love for you to share with us is several different roles Turning Point Centers play and your personal experience. What role do you feel that community connectedness play in our mental health? And throughout the pandemic? How has it affected your ability to stay connected with others that you work with? And what do you foresee this year? 

Matthew Govin 

As far as the community goes, I want to start off by reading our mission statement. Turning Point Centers’ mission statement is to be a lifelong partner to our patients by providing the necessary resources to support and sustain meaningful, long–term recovery. I say this because our community is built up by people who contribute to society. And if we‘re able to help one person recover, that ripple effect is an unknown variable. One person that gets better can affect hundreds, even thousands of people. As far as how we connect with the community, especially during COVID, in 2020, Turning Point was awarded a national award, a silver award in treatment outcomes, which is a testament to our staff and the people who seek help.  

Years ago, it might have been taboo to address how so many people suffer from mental health. It wasn’t something that was openly discussed and shared for many reasons, including the fear of judgment and stigma attached to it. But now, with COVID, it put almost everybody at a disadvantage. Since COVID, If you weren‘t directly affected, I guarantee you, someone you know, is going through it, whether it be in a mental health capacity or addiction. That‘s where we saw a big increase in the need for help.  

What sets us apart competitively and embeds us into the community is our alumni program. I personally wanted to be part of the alumni program as soon as I joined. It ties into our mission statement, our values, and our vision. It‘s a patient-centered focus. We take our clinical excellence, and we put it in play. And as soon as a client is with us, they‘re with us for life. What that means is that when you‘re done with us, we provide follow–ups and host events; Mental Health Awareness Month is right around the corner. And there‘s a lot Turning Point plans on doing. Next week, we‘re going to Dimple Dough Park, a wildlife area, right around a couple of our centers, and we‘re doing a community pickup. We will be cutting down brush, picking up trash. So the community sees we don‘t just treat; we also help out in the community. We provide a forum that helps keep our patients connected years and after they‘ve been through our program. And I think that‘s the key to being of service. And in a community that is of service to each other is a thriving community. 

Jessica Crate 

Absolutely, it‘s so powerful when you can put those things into action, work together, and hit the nail on the head. It‘s one thing to talk about, but another to put it into action and walk the walk. And I love that you guys are doing that with Turning Point.  

What are some actions somebody can take right now to foster their well–being during this time? For themselves and to stay connected and thrive? And to continue moving forward? What are some tools you took away from your own recovery journey? 

Matthew Govin 

Well, piggybacking off the things I previously said, it‘s all about getting involved. I go on-site and look for events being posted and things that are up and coming. Hopping on Instagram is super easy to try and see what‘s happening locally. So that‘s what I do personally, so I feel part of the local community. But as far as building on your tool belt, to help with mental health. Especially if you are struggling in a family dynamic, it takes many years. Statistically speaking, it takes about seven years for a family to put the pieces together and find out that a loved one is struggling. So it does take time before they are ready to ask for help.  

If you have a struggling family member and you really want to help, don’t hop on everything quickly. Do your research. Pick a treatment center, a community, or pick a resource that really speaks to their individual‘s issues.  

Here at Turning Point Centers, our advisors occasionally refer patients to other places simply because we wouldn‘t be a good fit. We‘re not trying to take on everything and everybody. 

I think a strong thing to hold on to is to open up and share. It‘s not taboo anymore. It‘s not bad to say, “I have problems, and I‘m struggling.” Everybody has problems. It‘s whether or not they have the strength to voice it and take that leap of faith. While some are ready, others may not be. And that‘s okay. But by showing indirection and being there for one another, and having the resources on your tool belt, you can make a difference. 

Jessica Crate 

Thanks for those tips. And I love some of the highlights that you put in. We‘ll make sure to put the Turning Point Centers link below and some of the tools you guys have. It‘s great to have you as part of what we‘re doing with Communities That Care.  

And now, one of my favorite questions, if you could wave your magic wand, Matthew, what would you like to create or see in our community during this time and shift in our world? 

Matthew Govin 

If I could make something possible, especially with COVID, it would be to bring back families together. I don‘t know how I would do it. But I think a good start is participating in good community events that are safe and sticking to safety guidelines. I feel that people need to stay connected, whether it‘s social or virtual. For me getting through my recovery and my hard times, I didn’t have a lot. So if I had some sort of magic wand, I would try and bridge that gap. 

Jessica Crate 

I love that. Connection is key. As humans, we‘re wired to connect and be connected. And my last question for you is, since being part of Communities That Care, how does being a part of organizations like this help you with your work? 

Matthew Govin 

This partnership is important, especially when we‘re talking about saving lives. Providing resources needed and creating a partnership with Communities That Care, we will be able to help a community that is lacking in one area; with our expertise to guide and influence a positive approach to something they need and vice versa, we can take in and receive as well.  

Working with Communities That Care to spread the word to help as many people as we can. That‘s a beautiful thing. So I think Turning Point will continue to outreach and try and be there for one to one. So thank you so much for opening up this opportunity and letting me share about our company. 

Jessica Crate 

Thank you so much. We high five and applaud you and congratulate you on all the work that you‘re doing. What is the slogan quote you‘d like to leave our viewers with as part of your legacy, having gone through mental health coming out of that and now inspiring other humans? 

Matthew Govin 

I‘m a huge movie buff. I have tonnes of quotes running through my head. And I don‘t know which one to go with. 

Jessica Crate 

Or saying or anything that you‘d like to impart on the viewer.  

Matthew Govin 

Sure, I would just leave it at this. You‘re not alone. And you‘re worth it. No matter what you‘ve gone through, life is full of change. And I don‘t think you should discount yourself and your family. Everybody‘s worth a second chance. And with that, other people are deserving of a second chance as well. So if you‘re walking down the street, and you have the ability to throw $1, or shake hands or look someone in the eye, and say “hi,” do that because you have no idea how much that will mean to somebody else, It really goes a long way, especially in a world of today. 

Jessica Crate 

Well, thank you so much, Matthew. And, you heard it from him. So go out, reach someone today and connect, whether it‘s for your own grid or someone else‘s because that ripple effect is the key. So thanks again for being part of our video podcasts here today, on behalf of our executive director, Mary, Krista Smith, and myself. We thank you so much for joining us on our mental health Mondays. And you can visit all of our videos and blogs, and resources at CTC summit county.org. And thank you so much. This is Jessica Crate. And Matthew, thank you so much for joining us, and we‘ll make sure we have all the links included below. Have a wonderful day, and make it a great week. Bye for now. 

Bio: Matthew Govin is a Utah Native from Park City. While attending the University of Utah, he left for a higher calling and joined the United States Marine Corps. While living in Orange County, he was no stranger to the hardships and lifestyle of battling mental health himself. From depression and anxiety leading to drug use, Matthew has seen his fair share of how tough and dark taking on those issues alone can be. The silver lining in his experience is in the help he received. Receiving the help he needed from organizations and the community, Matthew has gotten his life back and celebrated five years of sobriety in March. He moved back to Utah to join a wonderful team whose mission is to help those just like Matthew. He is now the Executive Admin Assistant to the CEO, CFO, and SVP of HR at Turning Point Centers.