Success is Subjective: Real People. Raw Stories. Embracing a Non-Linear Life!
Interviews of people who took a break from life at one point or another to get help, grow up, or just to reassess their life direction. Some guests struggled with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, a death in the family, or just decided college was not the place for them. These stories are all-to-real, and yet we don't talk enough about how common it is for those who took a gap year to defer college, went to college and took a break, or those who struggled launching into the workforce post-college graduation. This goes out to all the young adults and parents of young adults who are struggling and contemplating what will happen if they walk away right now.
Success is Subjective: Real People. Raw Stories. Embracing a Non-Linear Life!
Episode 344 - Running, Numbing, Rebuilding: The Life I Didn’t Plan with Clay Cross
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Clay Cross grew up in a high-achieving environment that looked stable on the outside, but behind the scenes was shaped by addiction, secrecy, and a lack of emotional safety. From an early age, he learned to suppress anything beyond success or anger—carrying that mindset into boarding school and eventually into young adulthood. As expectations around achievement grew, so did his substance use. What followed was a pattern of expulsions, broken trust, and increasing distance from the life he was “supposed” to be building. After a turning point, Clay stepped away from everything familiar to pursue recovery—eventually becoming the owner and CEO of the very program where he once sought help. But his story isn’t just about sobriety—it’s about redefining success, rebuilding identity, and what it really takes to feel at home in your own life.
Clay's Resources:
Website: Ascend Recovery
Instagram: @ascendrecovery
Facebook: Ascend Recovery
Connect with Joanna Lilley
Therapeutic Consulting Association
Lilley Consulting on YouTube
Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com
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