Why Getting Sober Isn’t Enough: Trauma, Culture & Recovery | J. Carlos Rivera

J. Carlos Rivera (0:00)

We could get rid of the alcohol and drug, we can get rid of it, go to a treatment center, get clean and sober. But if we don't work on those deep rooted issues, which is the fear, anger, guilt, shame, if we don't work on those that are inside, then eventually we will relapse again, we will hurt.

We will hurt somebody.

SPEAKER_2 (0:40)

If someone has a problem with substance use disorder, please call one call placement. That's 888-831-1581.

And if we can't help you, we'll make a referral to someone who can. Please, we're out of time. One call placement is affiliated with Carrera Treatment Wellness and Spa and One Method Treatment Centers.

Richard Taite (1:01)

Before we start the conversation today, I want to deliver a personal message. Every day, families across America lose someone they love to an overdose. That's why I've partnered with the CDC Foundation through their COPE, Community Overdose Prevention Efforts Campaign, and committed to matching every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000. I've spent my life helping people recover from addiction. But if we can get to the place of prevention first, this would help save so many more lives. I hope you'll join me in supporting the CDC Foundation's Overdose Prevention Work at cdcfoundation.org/cope.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Today on We're Out of Time, we sit down with Carlos Rivera, whose life and work have been shaped by personal challenges, cultural heritage, and a deep commitment to healing Native and Indigenous communities. Carlos has spent decades addressing addiction, trauma, and wellness in tribal communities, drawing from both his lived experience and professional expertise. In this conversation, we explore the intersection of historical trauma, cultural identity, and recovery, and the lessons all of us can learn about resilience, hope, and real healing. Carlos, thank you for joining us today. For people meeting you for the first time, what is Generation Red Road, and why did you feel called to create it?

J. Carlos Rivera (2:37)

Yes. Thank you, Richard.

Generation Red Road, it was created out of necessity during my career in national trainings, specifically for the Native American community here in America. Red Road is a concept that came out of a vision generations before I arrived here, from a medicine person who had a vision, who had this vision that there was a path that the Native American people can achieve during their walk in life to live a better life. And so, during that time, there was a lot of losses within our Native American people. We lost our land, we were massacred, we were, alcohol became an answer for the pain that was, that our communities were feeling. And so, you know, during, during this time, you know, Black Elk was the medicine person's name. He had this vision of, you know, mending, mending the hoop, is what he called it.

Which also, you know, we're talking about the Red Road being a path that our Native people can walk on. And on this path, it's a path of healing, it's a path of sobriety, language, culture, spirituality. And so this vision came generations before we all arrived.

Richard Taite (4:28)

What was the medicine that he was using?

J. Carlos Rivera (4:31)

Well, it's a deeper understanding. When we say medicine, we're referring to our Indigenous medicine. You know, we're referring to the natural plants that come from Mother Earth. Sage, cedar, sweetgrass, natural tobacco, and many, many more.

And so these individuals who we call medicine people, they have a vast knowledge of not only that, but also the spiritual connection.

There is a Western concept to the word medicine. You know, that's taking prescription medication. You know, that's going to your doctors and receiving medical care for some physical problem that you're experiencing. That's the Western concept of medicine. When I say medicine from an Indigenous perspective, we're referring to spirit. We're referring to sage. We're referring to natural plants that have helped our people. And it doesn't necessarily mean that you're ingesting it. It also means that you're clearing your space around you, that you are, you know, you're also bringing it close to your body. And so those are the spiritual medicines that I'm referring to. And so when we talk about medicine people, they have that vast knowledge of the Indigenous medicines that we include when we are working with our people in the mental health field, because if we're only bringing in the Western concepts, and we're bringing in Western concepts into our Indigenous world, it's not going to work.

Richard Taite (6:25)

Thank you for explaining that to me. We use sage all the time, Oknay.

Usually when I leave a room, everybody's sageing the place.