Technical Difficulties

I have a great staff member to introduce you to but I am having technical difficulties and can't get her picture up. Hopefully this is cleared up by tomorrow.

Cottonwood Staff, Primary Counselor

Here is another great Cottonwood staff member, Peter Biava IV, MC, LPC

It's a pleasure to introduce myself on behalf of the primary counselors here at Cottonwood de Tucson. I am Peter Biava and this last December I celebrated my tenth year here as a counselor. I've worked as an adolescent, young adult and adult primary counselor as well as facilitated family program both here and in London. I also worked in marketing for a year. The most remarkable thing about the treatment here is the people. Talented, friendly, professional caring individuals that work together to make an impact on those in treatment and on each other. We all strive to make an impact on the lives of our patients so that they leave both supported and challenged to live a life of recovery. As the son of a social worker and a public school music teacher I was taught to be compassionate and creative in building strong relationships so that I could have an impact on the world. Cottonwood is a place that helps me to live those values as well as many others.

I've been humbled by the strength and courage that the patients access while in treatment and after they leave to face the same world but as a transformed individuals. To me growth and recovery is about facing your pain and fears and building the strength to live your life in accordance with your vision and purpose. So many patients and staff challenge themselves each day to do this with amazing results. I know for myself I have grown as a person and counselor by being here and experiencing the support and challenge of the treatment we do. One of the big lessons I'd like to share is about finding answers. So many of us try to find answers for our challenges in all the wrong places; drugs, alcohol, compulsive habits and hurtful relationships to name a few. I know for myself that I've thought almost certainly where or in what form the answer for a problem would be, only to realize later that the answer was somewhere else, thus learning that "you have to find the answer where it lies, not where you want it to be". This simple admission has saved me lots of struggle in the wrong direction and opened me up to possibilities I didn't consider.

"May Love and Courage guide you."

Cottonwood Staff, Mental Health Technician

I want to introduce you to another great member of Cottonwood's staff, Andrea Quiroz, MHT

My name is Andrea Quiroz and I’m a Mental Health Technician I Here at Cottonwood De Tucson. I have been a tech here for nearly a year and have enjoyed my experiences greatly. The best thing for me to have experienced here at Cottonwood is patients who come to Cottonwood, sometimes at their worst and seeing them the day they leave, thankful and most times the best they have been in months (even years).
I was born here in Tucson, Arizona and raised in a small town that lies on the outskirts called Marana. I recently moved back to Arizona after living in Europe for 4 ½ years. I had the privilege of working along side the men and women of the 173d Airborne Brigade in those years. I was actively involved in family readiness working with soldiers as well as family members to prepare for the coming deployments or re-deployments. I have to say it was the most rewarding 4 ½ years of my life!
I found that working here at Cottonwood is very similar to the experiences I had working with the military. In both organizations I found myself working along side other outstanding team members to prepare individuals as well as family members for the unfamiliar road that lies ahead. Providing support and encouragement is also another common element of importance noted. However, providing a service for the greater good is far yet the best!
Because of my experience with the military and Cottonwood I have decided to return to military service and serve as a member of the Air National Guard. I will be fortunate enough to continue my service to Cottonwood while at the same time serving my country. I hope to work in a field similar to the one in Cottonwood, helping and encouraging individuals for a better life we all deserve. I now see that Cottonwood truly is a new beginning for everyone.

The best way out of a problem is through it - Anonymous

Addiction, Recovery, Cottonwood, Nursing

I have talked before about the great staff we have at Cottonwood. Today I want to introduce you to one of our wonderful nurses, Brian Law, RN

When asked to write about yourself, it always proves to be a difficult task. You don't want others to get the wrong impression of you and, as I've always found, it is a royal pain just figuring out what to begin with. (So lets keep it simple and start at the beginning... Mostly due to the fact I can't think of anything more witty to start with!)

I was born 28 years ago in a sunny little town feared by many (mostly due to it's 120 degree weather) known as Yuma, Arizona. I am a July baby, and as many native Arizonan women know, being pregnant in a town whose weather is known for the immediate evaporation of any form of fluid isn't an easy task, but somehow mom did it. I spent most of my childhood doing three basic things: 1) Getting into trouble with my “gifted” friends, 2) Playing a major role in my baby brother's upbringing (in his first 3 years of life he consistently and stubbornly referred to me as “not the momma”), 3) Reading lots and lots of comic books. The heroes that existed in comic books had a huge influence on me. I never really took to their unique sense of fashion, but their dedication to helping others in need was something I seem to really take to heart. The combination of that, and my experience with the upbringing of my baby brother Branden really made it so I wanted to dedicate myself to a career that enabled me to help others.

Knowing that I wanted a career that enabled me to help others was easy. Finding a career that enabled me to help others turned out to be very hard. First and foremost, capes aren't cheap and honestly makes anyone below 6 feet tall look fat and stumpy. All kidding aside though, I spent years at the University of Arizona searching for my fated career. In high school, I was good at everything and tested very well. In college, I really didn't excel because I felt lost and not knowing what my ultimate career goals just compounded that feeling. It took a near death experience to help me find what I wanted to do with my life. In the end, all it took was my Mazda truck flipping 5 times and over a quarter of a mile on the I-10 heading east towards Tucson to place me on the right path. I still don't have any memory about what occurred the 5 hours after the accident but what I do remember clearly is how the nurses at the hospital helped me out. It was seeing those nurses in action that inspired me to join this profession and what fuels me still in this career path. Today, I aim at excelling in this profession and the idea of helping more and more people drives my passion in and for this career and what led to me work at Cottonwood for nearly 3 years now.

Addiction, Recovery, Therapeutic Recreation

As I have said before one of the nice things about working at Cottonwood is being associated with the great people we have here on staff. I want to introduce you today to Richard Patterson, MS, CTRS, our Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Hello. My name is Richard Patterson. Everyone calls me Butch, a nickname that was given to me by the nurse in the hospital where I was born. I was the biggest baby in the nursery.

I have worked at Cottonwood for some 14 years. I am a recreation therapist by training and the Coordinator of Recreation Therapy Services. People often tell me I have the BEST job at Cottonwood as there is kickboxing, Rocks and Ropes, outings, Challenge Course and "Funstitute". People see the results but not the preparation that goes into making these activities not only fun but therapeutic.

What part of the job do I enjoy the most? It is being present when someone recognizes they can have fun without the aid of mood altering chemicals or feeling guilty for being happy. It is looking at the face of someone who has just completed the 45 minute kickboxing workout (butt boxers included) without any rest stops. It's hearing the joy in an individual's voice when they complete their first rockclimbing wall.

What is my favorite activity? Whatever I am doing at the time. If I had to put it down I guess it would be Rocks and Ropes because it gives patients so many opportunities to gain insight into their own behavior and problem solving.

Favorite Saying

"Man does not cease to play because he grows old; man grows old because he ceases to play".