How Addiction, Recovery, and a PHD Built a New Life with Dr. Zach Miller

In this raw and powerful episode of Finding New Waters, we sit down with Dr. Zach Miller, co-founder of Solutions Healthcare and a man whose story defies the odds. Zach takes us from using IV opioids at 14 and living on the streets, to building a life in recovery, earning his GED, and eventually earning his PhD in under a year.He opens up about the hard truths of early addiction, how structure and accountability helped him thrive, and the lessons he’s learned as a treatment provider and researcher. We also explore his dissertation, which revealed a surprising link between health insurance type and opioid overdose risk.[00:00] Welcome & Intro – Meet Dr. Zach Miller and his work in recovery[03:00] Early Addiction & Homelessness – IV opioid use at 14, kicked out in the snow[07:00] Wilderness Therapy & Mentorship – Finding purpose through pain[12:00] The Power of Structure – “I hate it, but I thrive in it”[17:00] Plus One Minus One – A brilliant recovery framework born from real experience[22:00] Getting a PhD in 11 Months – The journey back to academia[27:00] Dissertation Results – How insurance type predicts overdose frequency[34:00] Solutions Healthcare – His growing network of treatment centers in Florida[38:00] Final Words – On humility, leadership, and staying teachableFrom Addiction to Academia – How Zach rebuilt from nothing and never stoppedThe Importance of Structure – Why addicts often resist what they most needThe “Plus One Minus One” Model – Self-awareness in actionOverdose Data and Insurance – His PhD research explainedHumility and Leadership in Recovery – Why ego is the biggest relapse riskDr. Zach MillerPhD, Co-Founder of Solutions HealthcareDr. Zach Miller is a recovery advocate, entrepreneur, researcher, and co-founder of Solutions Healthcare, a growing network of treatment centers in Florida. After surviving childhood addiction and homelessness, he rebuilt his life through mentorship, structure, and relentless self-work. Today, he holds a PhD and leads with a trauma-informed, accountability-based philosophy that’s saving lives. His dissertation research uncovered how insurance types correlate with non-fatal opioid overdose rates—an insight that’s reshaping how we view access to care.📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterthanideserve22🌐 Website: https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.comSolutions Healthcare: https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.comPlus One Minus One FrameworkFind a 12-Step Meeting: https://www.aa.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/newwatersrecoveryFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/newwatersrecoveryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-waters-recoveryTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@newwatersrecovery_ncPodcast Website: https://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#DrZachMiller #SolutionsHealthcare #OpioidOverdose #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryResearch #FindingNewWatersPodcast #StructureInSobriety #LongTermRecovery #PlusOneMinusOne #FromGEDtoPhD