How Do You Lead a Treatment Center While Hiding an Addiction? | Doug T.
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Doug Tieman, former President & CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, opens up about his decades-long double life — leading one of the nation’s most respected rehabs while secretly battling alcoholism and sex addiction. In this powerful interview, Doug reveals how his perfectionism, faith, and denial nearly destroyed everything — until one public DUI forced a reckoning.
Growing Up
Doug Tieman’s story begins far from the boardrooms and treatment centers that would later define his legacy. He grew up on a pig farm in rural Missouri, attending a one-room schoolhouse and living by the principles of hard work, faith, and humility. From an early age, Doug carried what he calls “the gene to help people.” Deeply influenced by his church and his parents’ lessons on tithing, he set out to serve others — first as a teacher and later as a fundraiser for faith-based institutions.
“I hated seeing people in misery. That’s what led me into helping others.”
Though humble, Doug’s ambitions quietly grew. His path — from a Lutheran high school teacher in Baltimore to one of the first fundraisers for the Hazelden Foundation — was guided by both faith and fate. As he puts it, “You can have plans — God laughs.”
The First Drink and the Spark of Addiction
At first, alcohol was casual, social, and seemingly harmless. Working at Hazelden in the 1980s, Doug found himself surrounded by professionals in recovery but didn’t yet see his own danger. Out of fear of judgment, he stopped drinking locally but continued when traveling — a pattern that would later unravel everything.
“I didn’t want anyone to think I was an alcoholic. So I only drank when I traveled.”
This separation — between his public image and private behavior — planted the seeds of double life. Alcohol became a doorway to other behaviors that conflicted with his values: infidelity, secrecy, and guilt. Each moral lapse deepened the shame that would later fuel his addiction.
The Double Life of a CEO
Doug climbed the ladder quickly — from Hazelden’s youngest vice president to president and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers by age 40. On the surface, he was the model of success: husband, father, executive, and churchgoer. Behind closed doors, he was collapsing.
“To the outside, I had it going on. But the disease of alcoholism — and sex and love addiction — were progressing.”
His drinking and compulsive behaviors were tied to business trips. At home, he worked harder to overcompensate — coaching his kids’ sports, fixing things around the house, excelling at work — all to mask the guilt. The adrenaline of travel became intertwined with the thrill of addiction.
“I rationalized it by telling myself Karen [the treatment center] was getting a great deal — a guy who worked 80 hours a week. My family was getting a great deal. But I was imploding.”
The Bottom: A Divine Intervention
March 4, 2008 — Doug calls it his “divine intervention.”
That day, he was arrested for a DUI — a public, humiliating fall from grace for the CEO of one of the nation’s top treatment centers. Sitting in a Palm Beach County jail, terrified and disgusted with himself, Doug hit the point of surrender.
“I was so frightened for the eight hours I was in jail, I never went to the bathroom. I said to God, ‘Thank you for sparing me. I’ll dedicate my life to doing the right thing.’”
It was the end of his secret life and the beginning of real recovery.
Getting Help and Rebuilding
Doug sought treatment far from home — at Sierra Tucson, west of the Mississippi — to focus solely on healing, not reputation. There, he faced the full weight of his actions: alcoholism, infidelity, overwork, and emotional disconnection.
His wife, Fran, chose recovery too. Together, they rebuilt their marriage from truth and mutual healing.
“We both say we hated that it happened — but it was the best thing that ever happened to our marriage.”
Returning to Caron after 120 days of treatment, Doug approached leadership differently. No longer led by fear or perfectionism, he led with heart.
“Before, I led with my head. After recovery, I led with my heart.”
He remained CEO for 13 more years — sober, honest, and transformed.
Life Today
Doug retired in 2021 after nearly 30 years at Caron, devoting his life now to service and advocacy. He sits on nonprofit boards — including one supporting survivors of trauma and abusive relationships — and promotes healing through openness and education.
He often reminds people that recovery is not about what you lose — it’s about what you gain.
“The single biggest thing I would tell my younger self: don’t sacrifice your family for your career. Recovery gave me a second chance to do that right.”
Today, his joy comes from purpose, faith, and gratitude — proof that even those at the top can fall, and rise stronger than ever.
FAQs
Can successful professionals struggle with addiction?
Yes. Addiction doesn’t discriminate — even CEOs, doctors, and leaders can suffer silently behind success.What is sex and love addiction?
It’s a compulsive pattern of seeking validation or escape through romantic or sexual behavior, often leading to shame and unmanageability.How do you know when you’ve hit bottom?
It’s the point when your way of living becomes unbearable — emotionally, physically, or spiritually — and you finally seek help.Can marriages survive addiction and infidelity?
Yes. With mutual recovery, honesty, and support, many couples rebuild stronger relationships.What role does spirituality play in recovery?
For many, faith or a higher power provides hope, meaning, and the strength to heal — as it did for Doug.
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