Our mission is to make the world a better place by training the people who help others. Our students choose to pursue an education in the behavioral healthcare field for various reasons, and we’re proud to be a part of their journeys toward making a difference. Each month we feature a student who is on the path to truly making an impact on the lives of others. Our Student of the Month, Steve Swarner, shares his experience with ATI:

I work as a treatment facility manager. I love to ride motorcycles in the spring and summer. When I have the room, I get out my reloading equipment and reload various cartridges to use in the fall and winter months. I am divorced but have two beautiful grown children: a boy who has kept his dreams close to his heart, and a daughter who loves traveling the world, writing, and following her inner light.

I am passionate about work, and honestly, I am passionate about most of my endeavors. I really enjoy the spiritual journey that working in the substance use field allows me to be part of; I get paid to see miracles happen. I am passionate about the need for change in the American culture. I also attended college at Idaho State University for two and a half years right out of high school, go Bengals!

I decided to pursue education for drug and alcohol counselor related roles because I am a Certified Recovery Coach and was able to work in a grant program in a similar role where I am employed now. With my years of recovery, taking the next step to help people was an easy choice and my employer made it easier by agreeing to pay the tuition.

I chose ATI for my educational needs because there aren’t any schools in Idaho that provide the needed curriculum for a credential as a Substance Use Disorder Associate, so I started googling schools that fit the needs of the credentialing agency in Idaho. ATI fit those needs and did it at a fair price. What I like most about studying at ATI are the weekly online classes where we were able to interact and discuss topics between peers and the professors.

Doing classes online was the only way I would have been able to obtain this educational goal. When I become certified, I plan to work at a residential treatment facility assisting clients any way that I can.

What I like most about my job are the connections I make with people who are struggling with substance use who reach out for help and can find that help in the skills, references, and support I am able to provide. I’d like to be able to help the treatment center I work for expand their services to reach a greater part of the community. After obtaining this education, I will be more knowledgeable in this field and be of better service to the clients we serve.

In the future, I would eventually like to be a CADC, and if we are really dreaming, I’d love to become a Gestalt Therapist.