Welcome to the Rock Bottom and Back website. In this blog, I will share stories about the amazing people we have featured in Rock Bottom and Back, keep you updated about upcoming events, offer resources that can help you if you are having a difficult time, and provide information about how you can become an inspiration to others. I hope this blog, as well as the book and its companion DVD, will motivate you to reach out to someone in need if you are at a happy place in your life or provide encouragement and guidance if you are hitting rock bottom.

The process of writing Rock Bottom and Back was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had as an author. Throughout my career, I’ve interviewed thousands of people, but I’ve never conducted a back-to-back series of interviews that was so emotional—sometimes even heart-wrenching—and so inspiring at the same time. By courageously retelling their experiences, the heroes in Rock Bottom and Back collectively gave us the recipe to recovery and a happy life—hope, faith, and giving of oneself to others.

When Earl Heard and I embarked on this project, we wanted
 to feature people from all walks of life who had hit rock bottom for a variety of reasons. Our goal was to show that we all face difficulties in life, and we all have our own reasons for reacting to life’s challenges in ways that aren’t good for us. Sometimes our choices can lead us to dark places we might never have envisioned for ourselves. Sometimes rock bottom is forced upon us through loss of a loved one or through trauma that we experience. Other times, our environment and the influences around us can lead us to drug or alcohol abuse. Before we realize what is happening, we become addicted and our focus in life alters. Whatever the reason for hitting bottom, it is important that we use those experiences to make life better for ourselves and those around us.

Often, we get so caught up in our own problems that we don’t take the time to look beyond ourselves. Many of us do not recognize on an individual level how significant our lives can be. Jerry Strickland, a successful businessman and philanthropist whose story is told in the book, learned through his own recovery that it only takes one person to start a chain reaction. One act of kindness can have a ripple effect, leading to another and another. And, as all of those featured in Rock Bottom and Back discovered, happiness and healing can come through reaching out to others in need.

I would like to urge each of you to share this book with someone you know who may be hitting rock bottom. Let’s work together to share this message of hope.

My best to you,
Susan