From the NBA to Recovery, Community, and Purpose | Patrick Balsley & Mike Gminski

In this episode of the Finding New Waters Podcast, host B. Reeves is joined by Patrick Balsley, founder of Sana Counseling, Sana House, and Sana Recovery Foundation, and Mike Gminski, former Duke and NBA basketball player turned recovery advocate and mentor.Together, they explore what recovery really looks like when it’s built on safety, humility, community, and purpose.Patrick shares how Sana has grown from a small counseling practice into a multi-phase extended care program for men, along with the launch of the Sana Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit created to support families, reduce stigma, and help communities navigate addiction and recovery.Mike opens up about his journey from elite athletics and broadcasting to deep personal loss, addiction, surrender, and long-term sobriety. He shares how recovery reshaped his faith, purpose, and identity, and why transparency and community are essential to healing.This conversation dives deep into surrender, humility, gratitude, family recovery, and why addiction is less about substances and more about the way we relate to life itself.⸻⏱️ Chapters00:00 Introduction02:00 Patrick Balsley’s return and the growth of Sana05:00 Sana Counseling and Sana House explained08:00 Psychodrama, safety, and clinical culture12:00 Sana Recovery Foundation and family support16:00 Mike Gminski’s athletic background (Duke & NBA)19:00 Alcohol, broadcasting, and gradual progression23:00 Loss, grief, and spiraling addiction27:00 Intervention, accountability, and entering treatment31:00 Recovery, faith, and public transparency36:00 Surrender, humility, and healing40:00 Community, safety, and long-term recovery45:00 Gratitude, purpose, and life after addiction49:00 How to connect with Sana⸻🔑 Key Topics Covered• Extended care and long-term recovery• Family healing and community education• Addiction beyond substances• Surrender and humility in recovery• Grief, loss, and relapse risk• Professional athletes and addiction stigma• Faith, gratitude, and purpose⸻🎧 Listen, Share, and SubscribeFollow Finding New WatersInstagram: www.instagram.com/newwatersrecoveryFacebook: www.facebook.com/newwatersrecoveryLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/new-waters-recoveryTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@newwatersrecovery_nc⸻🎙️ Watch & ListenWebsite: www.findingnewwaters.comSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NOV2g85KExFWU5mTz5GjwApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-new-waters/id1684075608YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjfAIXtiOgy1XFcwAduXgXwYouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJOc6yLcjibGGAKgLYPCN47etJCY89mn