My sober sisters and I had tons of fun in R2R in treatment! Max, through his consistent effort and talent got every single one of us to play an instrument or sing. Most of had never played piano, drums, guitar, tambourine, etc. We were on our way to making a hit album! Recovery is not easy nor would I call rehab fun, however this class allowed us to be silly, enjoy the moment, and heal in a super creative way. We also touched on the effects of our disease in our song writing and how we overcome it. You also get a rad guitar chip for milestones. This group of talented and thoughtful musicians are truly a gift in the world of recovery. Absolutely anyone will benefit from R2R!
First of all Max is the best, he makes sure that you are having fun while you learn, You play instruments, sing and dance. First you create a song, name the title of the song and then sing. If you are feeling down, Max will find a way to lift your sprits. I always look forward to seeing Max. Overall the whole group makes you feel happy.
Max is super awesome. He have a lot of patience,help us motivate, I really get in to it. I love all of the instrument. My favorite is the piano. Thank you so much for everything, really appreciated.
I have had the pleasure of getting to participate in Rock to Recovery early in my sobriety journey and it is one of the coolest, most freeing experiences. It helped me let go and not worry about what people were thinking because the facilitators are encouraging. I now get to work in a facility that is lucky to have Rock to Recovery every week and the girls love it. It is their favorite group and we are always excited to hear their songs. Thank you for the good work you do in empowering us and getting us in touch with creative outlets. Thank you for making us smile. #rockon
Max is a really great teacher and gets everyone involved. I have learned so many new things about music and developed a passion for it. Not only are we having fun but we are learning lots about recovery. This is one of my favorite groups to be in and I look forward to it every week.
I really enjoyed this "Rock to Recovery class". Max, the Music instructor had true meaning to this class. He included things to help with our recovery and made it very memorable and fun. He helped us get out of our comfort zone and allowed us to try instruments that some of us never tried before. It was a really great experience. He has a lot of knowledge in recovery and in music and he definitely reminded us that we can have fun being sober. One of my favorite classes in recovery.
I absolutely love rock to recovery it helped me feel so connected to others and make treatment actually fun! I know you read that right fun! Max is amazing at what he does I played every single instrument which was new to me. The Rock to Recovery concert was also incredibly amazing.
Rock to Recovery has been helping veterans for many years now with great success. Not everyone responds well with traditional treatment. Brandon has really help us veterans reduce or anxiety and give us a sense of purpose with the gift of music. There is no judgement and everyone is welcome to find a different way to cope with mental health and drug issues. Its been a blessing for me and many others!
The feedback I have heard from clients regarding their experience in working with Phil is amazing. I can’t imagine our program without R2R!
The first time I sat in a Rock to Recovery session with Phil, I was blown away! It was such a great experience and made all the clients smile and engage. It was a special moment to witness.
Rock to Recovery has been an incredible partner for our women in our care. They continue to go above and beyond in the quality of groups and care they provided. We have given them 5 stars from day one and continue to all these years later.
Rock to Recovery has been life changing for me. As a program administrator for this organization, I get to watch beautiful people who have struggled just as I did, break through barriers and allow themselves to embrace the present moment. there is nothing like getting to connect with those who are struggling and give them hope for better days. This is an amazing organization and I hope everyone has the chance to experience it.
The men and women who facilitate these groups are top notch folks. Healing energy and great energy can be felt by all who participate in the sessions and clients regularly say amazing things like "this changed my whole day" and "I haven't felt this good sober before" after groups. Two thumbs up!
As a program administrator and board member of Rock to Recovery® for over 10 years, I am grateful and honored to do this testimonial.
I have watched the healing, power of writing, playing, and recording music with thousands of people. Sharing this gift is one of my favorite experiences of life. Music is the medicine!
Rock to Recovery has given me an opportunity to share the gift of music with teens in the juvenile justice system! This is a lifelong dream for me to be able to give back to a population that is underserved and underrepresented. They love the music Sundays! Without Rock to Recovery NPO this wouldn't be possible!
R2R shows the power that music has to heal the body, mind and spirit. And when it is backed by this passionate group of musicians who have been there before, it's truly life changing. They work with the often overlooked members of our community and those that will benefit the most. This program helps individuals but as a result helps our families, communities and the world.
My first experience with Rock to Recovery was when we hired them to do groups at my treatment center Balboa Horizons over 10 years ago. We had them do a women's group and a separate group for the men. The healing and shifts that happened for our clients was so powerful and effective. families and clients were very grateful. I still run into alumni that share about how impactful that group was on them.
With that said, I have since been honored to serve on the board for many years now. This isn't the first board i have served on so I feel qualified to say that I am very impressed with the integrity and mission of the board and the members that I get to serve with. I hold in high esteem - Wes Geer the founder and President and have tremendous respect for the principles and values that he governs the board with. This is a profound non-profit.
Very proud to be a part of this amazing cause. R2R has helped so many people struggling with addition and trauma. Amazing team and tremendous experience with so many talented people and artists.
I have been to the events that Rock to Recovery non profit has done in celebration of their work in the field of overcoming addiction. It is an amazing community of sincere and genuine musicians, who have turned their lives around and have an impetus and yearning to share their positive experience with others
I was a participant of Rock to Recovery® in my treatment center. It was my favorite part of the week and gave me hope to continue working my program. As a musician I was blown away at how other musicians and non musicians were able to come together and create an inspiring piece of music.
Rock to Recovery is a deeply impactful organization working to help people transform their lives through the powerful experience of playing music.
Rock to Recovery has been crucial to both my recovery and music journey. I’ve struggled with finding community support and being involved socially and this group motivated me to get out of the house and connect with others in recovery. Being able to express myself through music has helped my healing in so many ways. I never thought I would be able to write and play music with others and now I’m doing it with the help of this amazing group and the facilitator. I’m truly grateful for this experience and recovery opportunity in this mode of expression.
I’ve been a part of the Breath Works group that meets on Tuesday mornings at 8 AM & on Saturday mornings at 10 AM that focuses on PTSD, Anxiety, and Trauma. This amazing group has become a golden community to me, but has helped me in many ways. I owe it to our guides, Elsa & Sonny! I would not have come this far without my amazing teachers and this trusting & hallow space that is created every time.
Where do I even begin? While I have known of and been a fan of the organization's work with recovery and rehabilitation centers for years, come 2020, that role would shift to grateful client.
In March, their organization brought pandemic offerings of online meetings for Breathwork, Meditation, and Music therapy to Zoom for the general public. This was implemented to support the recovery community and public through these tough times.
Come the end of 2020, I finally made myself a priority and allocated time in my schedule for the same. Attending three events a week, the last three months of Breathwork and Meditation zooms have been life changing for dealing with the losses and trauma I experienced in 2020.
These donation based services are accessible to anyone with a smartphone and data. They're so good, I've even participated from a parked car to not miss one. I cannot say enough good things about their facilitators.
Rock to recovery has been a central part of my rehabilitation. A great community that is understanding of anyones problems. Rock to recovery-helps so many people who are struggling today.
I have joined breathwork breakthrough sessions by Rock to Recovery established by Wes Geer last year around the time when the pandemic started. I can not express enough how grateful I am to be a part of this amazing community which is so far away from me physically as I’m based in Cape Town South Africa, yet they are always so close to me, right in my heart! ♥️
I have had self doubt/self esteem and anxiety issues ( to name a few..) my whole life . But since I joined breath work sessions I am finally loving being me.
I feel like this huge burden of fear and negative self talk is completely lifted off my shoulders. I also notice a big difference in the way I react to stressful situations now, and how I’m seeing things from a better and clearer perspective . The support I get from this community is absolutely incredible and it means the world to me! I highly recommend it to everyone , especially people who suffer from any sorts of trauma or mental blockages that stop them from being their truest and happiest selves.. I absolutely love Elsa and Sonny !! They are Amazing facilitators , Super Rad humans and true angels !! Their work creates a ripple effect around the world as we all take some gems of wisdom with us after each session and carry them further into our lives, affecting others around us in a positive way! ✨
Since the Covid pandemic began, I feel myself shifting towards a darker state. I was encouraged by my therapist to seek out mindfully engaging practices, such as yoga, meditation and the like. At someone’s suggestion I started utilizing the Breathwork Breakthrough classes that Rock to Recovey offers. The results were instantaneously positive. These classes, facilitated by Sonny and Elsa, have made a huge difference in my physical, mental and spiritual well-being. I highly recommend them to anyone wants to enlarge their awareness to come and join us.
Sonny and Elsa are truly fantastic moderators for this breath work group. Very grateful for the commitment to assisting humans on their road to fulfilling their amazing potential.
Breathwork class has been an incredible experience. Sonny and Elsa are amaaaaaaaaazing and I will never miss this. Thank you thank you!!
I discovered Breathwork breakthroughs right around the time the pandemic started. Having meditated for many years and also struggled with living a alcohol free lifestyle, this ticked all the boxes. A group of like minded individuals, all with their own stories, a passion for music, meditation and healing - meeting twice a week to help each other. The unity, laughter and tears we have shared has been one of the highlights of my year. Through this group I have been able to strengthen my spiritual life, regain faith in humanity during an unprecedented time of political and social unrest and truly reconnect with a magic that so often than not, lives under a cloud of mental chatter.
Big thanks to Rock to Recovery for providing this group and a safe place for “healers to heal. “
I always look forward to meditation with Jeremy, on Wednesday evenings. He has been very helpful & he has a gentle disposition. Having a lifetime of meditation through the teachings of my Dad, it has been wonderful to be exposed to a variety of practices with Jeremy. He has enhanced a powerful tool in my recovery. I am grateful for R2R, providing services to us in recovery & friends/family, during this pandemic. The help of R2R has kept me stay sober, THANK YOU!!
Due to the pandemic, the last year has been hard on a lot of people. For me, one of the brightest parts of this past year has been R2R's many programs. My favorite program is Throwdown Thurday, which is an online music session led mostly by Sonny Mayo. The opportunity to work and learn from a talented and accomplished musician is absolutely amazing. Sonny adjusts each session to accommodate each person's musical ability for a truly encompassing experience. I am truly grateful for coming across this program. It has truly made 2020 mentally bearable. RH
I've been attending Jeremy's Wednesday night meditation class. It's so helpful to look forward to it in the middle of the week and to benefit from it for the end of the week. It's been especially helpful to have this meditation group during Covid. Jeremy is very skilled at leading us in meditation practice. I leave the meeting feeling encouraged and refreshed. I appreciate this meditation class so much and have rearranged my work schedule to be able to attend.
Thank you for all you have done for me and fellow veterans, I was in treatment (for like the 10th time), well one day one of our recreation instructors, informed me that she spoke with someone from an organization called RockToRecovery, it’s a music therapy session, well she knew I liked music so she asked me if I would attend, well I did attend, that was over 3 years ago, I still go to this day, since being involved in RockToRecovery, my life has been so awesome, I have over 5 years sober, I have a home and my son living with, plus I have purpose now I having music back in my life, Addiction took everything from me, but through the healing power of music I was able to gain everything I lost and then some. Thank you so much to all the great people from RockToRecovery,
Rock and roll saved my soul
I had the honor and pleasure of watching Rock To Recovery in action at an adolescences treatment center. Watching the kids playing an instrument, smiling and happy while building their self esteem after listening to the song they wrote and completed was amazing! Writing lyrics, producing, recording truly is good for the soul and great for recovery. Wesley also generously volunteers his time to speak at my events I put together for International Overdose Awareness Day. This non profit is full of inspiration and so much fun for those in treatment. Thank you Wes and team for all you do!
The owner of Rock to Recovery Wesley Geer lead my Rock to Recovery groups in addiction and mental health treatment. He showed me how to have fun sober which was a novel concept to me at the time. I have been to Rock to Recovery's concerts. They are incredible. I never knew how much fun I could have sober. I am five years sober now and work in the addiction and mental health field. Wes always answers my phone calls and texts if I have a question about planning an event or marketing one for work. I believe in everyone that works in his organization too. The world really needs an organization like Rock to Recovery. They change lives!
I've been a supporter of Rock to Recovery from the get go. The work they do is life changing. I've been to the benefit shows, I've met people whose lives they changed / saved and it's truly a magical thing to witness. The love, dedication and passion they pour into this program and their clients is beyond admirable. Music truly does heal and it's my belief that those in recovery will benefit 10 fold from this program, if given the opportunity. Hopefully with more donations, R2R can continue to grow and thrive throughout the US. Thank you for all you do!
I was fortunate to be able to attend a Rock to Recovery Retreat in Costa Rica… I can tell you the very idea of attending was incredibly terrifying for me. Not knowing anyone very well, traveling to a place I’ve never been and no idea what to expect, however I knew in my heart it was something I needed to push myself to do and I’ve never regretted it. By the time the week was over I felt like I had grown so much and learned so much about myself, had many breakthroughs, not to mention made friends and memories that I know will last a lifetime.
I have been to Rock to Recovery events and see all the hard work they put in to help others, not only in our community but all over the world and I feel genuinely honored to know them. As a person in recovery as well as a person that has always connected through music (like everyone does) I am so thankful for their organization and the healing they are bringing to so many lives.
I participated in a Rock to Recovery retreat in Costa Rica. It was a life-altering experience on many levels. The facilitators helped me to release some blocks that had been keeping me back from important health concerns and creative undertakings that I wanted to push forward. We participated in a variety of activities that collectively helped me find a new outlook and motivation to make important changes.
After the event, I was more in tune with my intuition and was able to locate services to continue the healing process. It also helped me to finally launch a non-profit ten years in the making! My life has continued to improve beyond what I imagined possible, and I credit the time I spent with this amazing organization as a critical factor in those changes.
I am a HUGE Rock to Recovery fan. Their charity concert in LA was a blast and I can't wait for the next one! You don't have to be in a treatment center to be part of this RAD organization. I listen to their podcast every week to keep myself inspired and connected.
From team building to opening up minds, I’ve seen this non-profit open doors that medicine just can’t do. Every time that I witness or take part in a Rock to Recovery session, I am impressed at how each staff member takes time to connect with everyone involved. The song writing process helps patients to escape for a moment, seek clarity and reminisce. One of the things that I am most impressed with is the willingness of everyone to help people learn how they can use the tools that they learn in Rock to Recovery in their daily lives. Through years of being involved with the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, I have witnessed multiple warriors return and mention that they were excited to have picked up a guitar on journal to start writing lyrics to express themselves and have found healing through music.
Getting to participate with R2R has not just opened my heart up to music again, it has encouraged me to engage in forms of art in general in my recovery and as The most powerful resiliency tools I use on a daily basis. I am humbled and so thankful for those who continued to show me love through music when i didn’t have the ability to love myself.
Working in SUD, I've seen quite a few various treatment modalities. None of them even come close to touching Rock to Recovery in terms of transformation, or excitement, from consumers. Maybe it's the fact that clients get to be with a real rock star who's had their own addiction story to share, or maybe it's that clients are empowered to create a song, from concept to completion. Whatever the case, Rock to Recovery speaks to the mind-body connection, and gets to shake up the doldrums that often accompanies "just another treatment episode". The most elegant feature is that R2R is suitable to re-awaken the musician who has let their talent lapse, or for a non-musician who hasn't so much as even picked up a tambourine; either the client walks away with a new skill, or gets back in touch with their inner rock star. Keep rocking out, it works if you ROCK IT!
Rock to Recovery has provided a supportive and healing program. Working with them has been one of the best therapies I’ve experienced in the recovery spectrum and I highly recommend.
Rock to Recovery has come into our treatment center every week for 6 months and the clients absolutely love it! The benefits are many and the whole vibe changes after the group. The clients get a whole positive change of perspective. Thank you for doing what you do...it’s MAGIC!
My Name is David Longridge (Pres. Balboa Horizons Recovery Services , since 2004 So. Calif)
Wes and his staff @ Rock to Recovey, have been an incredabile service to our clients and our program, I dont think anyone knew "Music Is The Medicine" could be such a potent catalyst for change, long lasting change and a way for people to heal, process the fears and traumas they have been suffering with for years, and give themselves an opertunity to become the people they were always meant to be!
Rock to Recovery is a very (hip) spiritual program and a blessing to our progam and ultimately to our clients and their families :))
Rock to Recovery "YOU ROCK" :))
Sincerely,
David Longridge
Founder/ Pres.
Balboa Horizons Recovery Services
When founder of R2R, Wes Geer, paid a visit to Touchstones in Orange, CA he expressed that it was an establishment that he related to and could envision himself as a teen in a treatment program like ours. The young adolescents really connected with him from the very start...they sensed a genuine man who really cared and not just some famous rockstar. Since the incorporation of Rock to Recovery and Clinton Calton’s amazing passion and talent, the kids at Touchstones have been blessed with the opportunity to express themselves through the art of music. It truly is an experience like no other and watching these kids opening up and enjoying themselves in the R2R sessions is what it’s really all about. On behalf of Touchstones and the Social Model Recovery Systems agency, we are forever grateful for what Rock to Recovery has done for our adolescents in recovery!
Rock to Recovery is a beautiful and essential program in the work of recovery. I worked as a therapist at an outpatient treatment center where they hosted weekly Rock to Recovery group sessions for the clients. The work of recovery is arduous and painful. R2R provides a dose of much-needed joy while also enhancing clients' sense of self-efficacy and sparking their creative appetite. It is an alternative avenue through which clients can access and articulate their emotions via the creation of music and lyrics. Sonny, the facilitator that led the sessions, is one of the best humans I've met and was much beloved by the clients.
After struggling with addiction for years before treatment I had completely lost all will to create. Sonny helped me to sing for the first time in years, not only that, but write, record, and sing with an AMAZING group of people! I had always had awful stage fright and the atmosphere of these experiences helped me to grow and come out of my shell. I’m so proud of the music that I was so lucky to help create, and I’m still creating to this day because I’m no longer afraid of putting myself out there. Much love to sonny & drew
Thank you Sonny for creating a life changing therapy organization. Thank you Brandon for being the most Rad teacher. I was in treatment in Malibu and was struggling with my depression and was not looking forward to the normal group therapy sessions they made us go to. When I went to my first Rock to Recovery session I was blown away by Brandon and the concept if making music as therapy. It was the only therapy that allowed me to be present in the moment and forget my problems while I was playing an instrument or writing a song. Im not much of a musician at all but the way the walk you through everything made it so easy and enjoyable. I would recommend this to All recovering addicts. I still keep my 30day guitar pick they gave me and will do so forever because they plyed a huge roll into my first and last recovery. Im forever grateful for this program! To everyone involved with Rock to Recovery you are RAD!
When I first got into Rehab in 2016 in West LA, Rock2Recovery was coming in weekly to provide some spirit, strength, and hope through music to us as we struggled through the early days of sobriety. Often it was simply being in a room, lowering the shoulders, and getting out of my head for an hour or two that was the major contributor in my desire to move forward as a sober man. My instructor Sonny was fun, engaging, supportive, and most of all loving. Having a Rad rock&roll dude to spend time with and kick ideas off of, make music with, and understand that sobriety “can” be fun was instrumental in my recovery. We made original songs where everyone got involved, even some of us that were struggling for energy and enthusiasm in prior groups. Tired of constant self reflection and process groups, Rock2Recovery opened the door to a willingness that helped save my life. I am forever grateful for my experience in that room and I continue to attend events put on by the company, as there arms extend well beyond the classroom and into the world of philanthropy.
My name is Jason, I am currently a member of the band "Finally Living" I play drums and percussion. The experience with the band has been fantastic.
I am the Executive Director of Balboa Horizon, a residential treatment center and am pleased to share my experience with Rock to Recovery. One of the reasons I agreed to come work for Balboa was the owners willingness to “step outside the box” in their search for innovative and better ways to treat addicts. Rock to Recovery, the brainchild of Wes Geer was one of those ideas they were willing to try.
For 4 years I have been conducting “exit interviews” with clients leaving treatment to see what worked for them, what didn’t and what we could have done to be a better treatment center. We are talking hundreds of men and women, and almost every one of those clients rated rock to recovery as a favorite group. Clients early in the recovery process are often overwhelmed with guilt and shame, can be defiant and negative-plagued by uncontrollable mood swings, deep seated fears, low confidence and poor self-esteem. When they get to rock to recovery, they form and name a band, they write a song, they practice the song and they record the song-and in that process community and connections are being formed and our clients are able to move beyond their comfort zone in a safe atmosphere.
Clients in Rock to Recovery, over a very short period of time report a decrease in depression and anxiety, and an increase in positivity. The experience of most is one where confidence is enhanced, self-esteem improves, connection to peers is deepened and clients start having fun-sober. Music, something most of us enjoy has an incredible healing power. Wes Geer and the Rock to Recovery team is making a huge impact on the lives of people recovering from addiction and PTSD. I routinely sit in to listen to the magic, and often end up dancing…………
I have worked in the field of addiction for 18 years. For the last five years at Balboa Horizons we have been very blessed to have had Wes and his team or better yet family of Rock to Recovery musicians working with our clients that suffer from substance abuse, mental illness and/or other related traumas.
What Rock to Recovery achieves is nothing short of miraculous. I have seen rapid change and healing happen in front of my eyes with some of the most traumatized broken individuals, that honestly felt they were never going to get better after seeing professionals for so many years without having any success. In other words, I believe the work that Rock to Recovery does is so vital that it is sometimes the difference between life or death for people with deep emotional wounds. THESE GUYS SAVE LIVES!
As an MFT working in treatment for addiction, I've had the great privilege of participating in Rock to Recovery sessions on a weekly basis at multiple facilities for the past 4 years. In all my therapeutic training I've yet to encounter a more effective and transformative treatment modality than Rock to Recovery. I've witnessed clients with crippling social anxiety step up to the mic, overcome their biggest fears and sing their hearts out. I've seen countless addicts enter the sessions carrying mountains of shame and leave feeling like they just played a sold out show at the Hollywood Bowl. Each week the clients are blown away at the fact that they can write, perform and record an original song in less than 90 minutes. It works wonders for self esteem in early recovery and most importantly it shows these guys that they can still have a lot of fun in sobriety. It's both healing and energizing; and for those more non verbal mental health clientele it opens up a doorway for emotional communication. R2R is all kinds of rad and lives up to every bit of the hype!
I encountered Rock to Recovery when I was invited to sit in on a session at a treatment center where I served as Director of Addiction Research. The impact this program makes on participants is mind-blowing. It helps people find courage, resilience, a sense of teamwork and enjoy a job well done. The creativity unleashed is beautiful. Most important, it inspires people to stay in treatment and supports their recovery. I support this program and its work wholeheartedly.
Rock to Recovery has been providing groups in the substance abuse treatment centers I oversee for the past five years. From the first group, it was evident they were doing something truly special. Their groups are fun and engaging for the clients. They also provide an avenue for them to express themselves in ways they are not always able to with traditional talk-therapies. Creating a song that expresses their feelings is sometimes much less threatening for clients who have difficulty verbalizing their struggles. Music is such a positive creative outlet and many clients have found their experiences in Rock to Recovery to be incredibly healing. They also feel a sense of accomplishment and community at the end of the group when they have worked together to create something positive. Wes, and his entire team, are wonderful examples that you can live a sober life full of passion and fulfillment. Veronica Parker, M.S., LMFT, Clinical Director of Casa Capri and Windward Way Recovery
I am one of the founders of Anchored Tides Recovery. We are an all women's after care program. Rock to Recovery brings so much joy to our women by cultivating their creativity through music. I have seen the facilitators break down barriers with our women and it absolutely warms my heart. I have walked into the group and seen them all participating and singing along. I have heard nothing but positive feed back from our clients!
Rock to Recovery came to a recovery retreat I hosted and did so much to help inspire the group creatively. Seeing our participants write and record a song in an hour was heartwarming and I'm so grateful to Brandon for the gift.
This program helped me to explore my creative passions after feeling so lifeless and dead from my active addiction. I’m so very grateful to of had sonny and Brandon believe in my talents and revive my musical/lyrical confidence. Truly a spiritual experience in itself.
I'm the founder of HomeFront Rising, a nonprofit that helps improve the lives of veterans through the arts. Rock to Recovery's mission is similar, so we're natural allies. The two groups jointly present workshops to veterans and others who live at Century Villages at Cabrillo in Long Beach. The standard of excellence is high in every regard. I'm particularly impressed by how Rock to Recovery's Will Nephew adapts to circumstances and personalities. Our participants are very diverse, and Will makes it work for everyone. The veterans love it and look forward to it!
As a recovering alcoholic of just over 5 years, and a Bad Religion fan for 23 years, I wanted to check out this show to listen to BR bassist Jay Bentley tell his story. My girlfriend, who is also a recovering alcoholic joined me. We enjoyed it so much, not only listening to the show together, but discussing the show together as well, it has become a Sunday night tradition for us. We have even mentioned the show in our local AA meetings here in Kansas. Can’t say enough about this amazing radio show about music and recovery.