Casey’s Story: Celebrating Fatherhood and Recovery

Casey Steckling is a licensed social worker and addiction counselor in southwest Ohio who is passionate about working with people in recovery at Emerge Recovery. It is a treatment center as well as a trade school to help men get on track in recovery and take back their lives with a step into the trade schools leading them to job and financial security. 

He is also a person in long-term recovery for the last eighteen years, as well as a father of three children. He says:

“My children have been a grace that came directly out of my recovery, as I was ten years sober when my daughter was born. It has been possible for me to have great patience when changing diapers, dealing with tantrums, having hard conversations, and teaching them respect for life, because I’ve been living on borrowed time.” 

In Casey’s words: 

I am a person in long-term recovery for the last eighteen years, as well as a father of three. My kids would not be here if it weren’t for my recovery. I have a seven-year-old daughter, a five-year-old son, and a two-year-old daughter, and I recently lost a son at 24 weeks. 

My kids would not be here if it weren’t for my recovery. 

My children have been a grace that came directly as a result of my choosing to get well and seek sobriety. 

I was ten years sober when my daughter was born. It has been possible for me to have great patience when changing diapers, dealing with tantrums, having hard conversations, and teaching them respect for life, because I’ve been living on borrowed time. 

I recognize I should not be here, and by proxy, neither should they. Recovery has afforded me every moment, every day, and hour I’ve been allowed to spend with them. It has also given me a perspective of peace that I pray is injected into my daily conversations and the loving care that I provide for them. I value nothing more than God, my wife, my children, and the precious time that I’ve been given because I chose to abstain. 

I’ve worked as a recovery counselor and social worker for more than a decade now, and I’ve seen countless men who are trying to reconcile with their kids. Many of those men have done difficult things, have abandoned their families, or allowed their shame to chase them away from who God created them to be. If those men cannot present as a stable and helpful force in the lives of their children, those kids may continue the unhealthy cycle of addiction. 

The most beautiful gift about my fatherhood is that it is something everyone can relate to.

They either had a dad, or wished they had (a good one). That means that when I am advocating for recovery, I always mention my fatherhood. This is a perfect picture of what society supports when they help save the life of a person-in-recovery. They (and God) have given the world the gift of my children, because they supported my recovery. 

Take it Out of the Circle: 

Here are a series of practical applications based on Casey’s story. Share in the comments below what moves you or ideas you have, too! The circle widens when you share your recovery, wisdom, and hope. 

• Surround yourself with other men or individuals in recovery who model the kind of life you want to live. Mentorship can be a powerful force that shares hope with us and motivates us to keep going when things get tough.
• Set boundaries. It is simple to jump into intimate relationships, sometimes toxic ones, early in recovery. Taking time to get to know ourselves in sobriety and become the kind of people we want to be with someday can pay dividends for the future.
• Access supports that provide family-centric and holistic support. Ensuring care and treatment for our loved ones, including children, can be a great way to involve the whole family in the recovery process.
• Share your story. Maybe you feel moved to share your recovery story in a visible way. Make a post on social media or submit a story for the Circle of Chairs blog. Giving others hope can also help us continue on the path of health and healing.