Nick Slovak: I got sober when I was 21 years old

Nick Slovak, the Chief Operating Officer of Advaita Health, joins the Finding New Waters podcast to discuss the critical evolution of behavioral health care. He shares his personal journey of finding sobriety at age 21 and how that experience shaped his mission to create more accessible treatment systems in North Carolina.The conversation explores the transition from high-end private pay models to an integrated, insurance-based system of care that addresses the crisis of psychiatry wait times. Justin and Nick dive into the importance of supporting healthcare providers and why building a genuine community remains the most vital component of long-term recovery.TIMESTAMPS[00:00:00] Introduction to Nick Slovak and Advaita Health[00:02:10] Nick Slovak's personal recovery story[00:05:07] Moving from private pay to insurance models[00:07:36] The feedback that changed their business model[00:08:55] Scaling care and working with insurance payers[00:13:26] Defining the integrated model of care[00:15:28] Solving the crisis of psychiatry wait times[00:16:48] The courage required to ask for help[00:20:02] Prioritizing provider support and staff wellbeing[00:23:16] Why community is central to the recovery process[00:27:18] Emotional health as a lifelong journey[00:29:18] How to contact Veda Health and Advaita HealthNOTABLE QUOTES* "I got sober when I was 21 years old."* "The gene of addiction, I think runs, fairly deep."* "You just run a very expensive sober living."* "It remains accessible to get the help that you need."* "Access, um, is really an important piece."* "Community is central."LINKS & RESOURCES* Primary Website: newwatersrecovery.com* Advaita Health: vedahealth.com* Aim Wellbeing: aimwellbeing.com* Green Hill Recovery: greenhillrecovery.comDONATION / SUPPORTNot mentioned in transcript.CALL TO ACTIONSubscribe to the Finding New Waters podcast for more episodes on recovery and mental health. Please like this video and comment below to let us know your thoughts on the integrated model of care.KEYWORDSAdvaita Health, Nick Slovak, Justin McClendon, Finding New Waters, addiction recovery, mental health North Carolina, behavioral health, psychiatry wait times, insurance based treatment, Raleigh recovery, substance use, integrated care, recovery journey, sobriety, mental health stigma, healthcare operations, Veda Health, Aim Wellbeing, Green Hill Recovery, substance use provider, PHP, IOP, outpatient care, medication management, provider burnout, healthcare culture, behavioral health home, adolescent mental health, young adult recovery, North Carolina healthcare.HASHTAGS#NickSlovak #AdvaitaHealth #FindingNewWaters #Recovery #MentalHealth #Sobriety #NorthCarolina #BehavioralHealth #AddictionRecovery #HealthcareReform #Psychiatry #MentalHealthAwareness```🎙️ 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