The Power of Connection: Patrick Hall ’96 on Addiction Recovery and Restoring Lives

What originally drew you to the field of addiction treatment, and how has that shaped your vision for Valley Hope’s mission today? 

I initially stumbled into the field during my clinical psychology training. I was pursuing a doctorate in psychology with a focus on neuropsychology, and most of my advanced training was in that area. As part of my internship, I completed a rotation at a veterans hospital in a substance use treatment program, and I fell in love with the work. I deeply enjoyed working with patients who were struggling with addiction and learning about what addiction is and the recovery process.

Since childhood, I have had family members and friends who have struggled with addiction. I’ve witnessed both tragedy and profound healing and restoration as a result of the courage of some people to seek treatment. I’ve seen how lives can change—and how entire families can be transformed—when someone takes that step. Those two pieces came together, and from there, the rest is history.

Patrick and Jill Hall ‘95 with their children Connor ’24, and Catherine ’26 on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

Can you describe Valley Hope’s approach to treatment, and how you balance the clinical, medical, social, and spiritual aspects of recovery?

Valley Hope operates from a biopsychosocial-spiritual model, and that aligns closely with who I am personally. Valley Hope was founded by both a minister and a physician, and I like to talk about how special that is: having science and faith working together. For 58 years, from the very beginning, we have centered our work on hope.

We follow best clinical practices, but we also leave room for the mystery, “the higher power” component of recovery, as we describe it in treatment. Valley Hope is one of the few treatment organizations that employs chaplains on staff because we believe spiritual care is a vital part of the recovery process.

We believe healing starts with prioritizing the person first, and then we build effective processes around them.

Earlier you mentioned that it takes courage to get treatment. Is there still a stigma around seeking addiction treatment, and if you could change one public misconception, what would it be?

There is absolutely still stigma. Research shows that many people who could benefit from treatment avoid it because they feel embarrassed or ashamed to seek help or even to discuss addiction with their healthcare providers.

One of the most important misconceptions I would change is the belief that addiction is fundamentally a moral failure. Addiction is defined by the medical community as a chronic, relapsing brain disease. In many respects, it should be treated like other chronic conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension. Recovery requires long-term care and support, not just a single episode of treatment.

Does Valley Hope take steps to help combat that stigma at both the community and national levels?

Yes, we do. We have community liaisons, alumni coordinators, and staff members who regularly speak in churches, schools, and community settings about addiction and recovery. Education is a significant part of our work, both with patients and with the broader community. We do everything we can to raise awareness while staying focused on our mission. We work really hard on that.

In addition to stigma, what are some of the biggest barriers to treatment engagement and sustained recovery, and how is Valley Hope addressing them?

Another significant challenge is affordability. Providing high-quality treatment is costly, and we refuse to cut corners. Rising healthcare costs can make access difficult for many individuals.

There is also confusion about where to seek reputable care. Unfortunately, there are bad actors in this field, and it can be hard for families to discern trustworthy providers. That uncertainty can prevent people from seeking treatment altogether.

We address these barriers in several ways. While marketing helps, our alumni are still our strongest referral source. Their experiences speak for themselves. We also use independent companies, like Press Ganey to conduct patient satisfaction surveys where we consistently rank in the top 10 percent nationally. That external validation helps demonstrate the quality of care we provide, and sends a strong message that Valley Hope is a trusted place as evidenced by those who have actually experienced it.

Connor, Patrick, Jill, and Catherine  gather for a family photo in front of Frost Hall during Connor’s Orientation weekend in 2020

How do you measure long-term success for individuals after treatment?

We look at what we call “vibrant recovery.” It’s not just about sobriety, but about their quality of life. What does their life look like? Are they gainfully employed? How is their family life? How is their physical and mental health? How is their spiritual health? When someone is flourishing across those areas over the long term, that’s how we define success.

What is the most meaningful feedback you’ve received from someone in recovery or from a loved one?

The phrase I hear most often is, “Valley Hope saved my life.” I’ve heard it in my community, on airplanes, and even while traveling overseas. Of course, we don’t save anyone’s life—they do that themselves—but we have the privilege of partnering with them in the process. Hearing that phrase never loses its impact, and it reminds me just how meaningful this work is and how profound the change can be when everyone is working together towards recovery.

As CEO of Valley Hope and a board member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), what leadership lessons have you learned about providing quality addiction care across the U.S.?

The biggest one is what I refer to as the “power of connection,” and the impact of healthy human relationships.

Research is showing two clear and related trends. First, Americans are becoming increasingly lonely, and that loneliness has real and damaging consequences—particularly for individuals struggling with addiction. Social isolation increases vulnerability, worsens mental and physical health, and makes sustained recovery more difficult.

Second, the evidence shows that healthy relationships and strong social connections have the opposite effect. People with meaningful connections tend to be healthier physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. In the context of addiction recovery, those connections are especially powerful. Strong, supportive relationships significantly improve recovery outcomes, increase resilience, and help people sustain long-term change. At its core, recovery doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in connection.

I’ve also learned it’s important to focus on the big picture. This is a chronic disease. It’s not just one acute episode. And so the more we can think of recovery and treatment over a long period of time, the more beneficial it is for our patients. The research continues to show that as well.

Does Valley Hope have outreach efforts in underserved or rural communities where access to addiction treatment might be limited?

Absolutely. That’s one of our strengths. Valley Hope’s home office is in Norton, Kansas, which is about as rural as you can get. This is where Valley Hope started, so from the beginning it’s been part of our identity. While we now have centers in urban areas, we continue to operate many treatment centers in rural locations across the Midwest, including Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

We also offer extensive scholarship support through the Valley Hope Foundation, and accept Medicaid and other government programs at some locations. We work hard to make treatment accessible and affordable across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Connor, Patrick, Jill, and Catherine gather for a family photo in front of the Ken Olsen Science Center during Catherine’s Orientation weekend in 2022

How did Gordon College prepare you for the work you’re doing today?

Gordon was unbelievably formative for me. I was a psychology major with a Bible minor, and I was hungry to learn more about my faith. The psychology and Bible faculty were wonderful and challenged me both intellectually and personally.

Professors such as Dr. Joss, Dr. Cook, Dr. Wilson, and Dr. Phillips were so important to me and made a lasting impact. They were really amazing. 

The simplest way to put it is that Gordon taught me how to think. I came to Gordon shortly after coming to faith, and it taught me how to think critically through a Christian lens. I learned not only how to understand Scripture, but how it applies across every dimension of life—professionally, personally, and spiritually.

Whether it’s strategic thinking, patient care, or clinical ideas, I try to think of those things from a Christian perspective. And Gordon really helped me in that regard.

For example, I remember my first-semester Old Testament class with Dr. Wilson, which stands out the most. The way he brought Scripture to life and challenged us to engage deeply, understand, and be comfortable with paradox—grace and truth, justice and peace, heaven and earth. It had a lasting impact on how I think. It shaped my understanding of holding complex truths together, and it has stayed with me ever since.

How did your time at Gordon shape your understanding of connecting your faith with your profession? Did it help clarify your sense of calling?

I think so. When I was a psychology major, I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do. Some people know very clearly what kind of job they’re going to have, but that wasn’t the case for me. What Gordon did was create a foundation so that at the right time, I was ready to step through those doors when they opened.

It also ties into what I’ve shared previously about trying to think through everything with a biblical lens. One of the ideas that really came to life for me was Gordon’s emphasis on restoration as an element of its mission. Making disciples is a key piece of that, but part of it is also asking: wherever we find ourselves, how are we helping to renew and restore that space?

That perspective has really formed who I am in my role now. I work in an organization that does not identify itself as Christian, but it is one that is involved in life change and physical, mental, and spiritual healing for people. In that sense, it’s part of a restoration process. I think about it as restoring this piece of land that I get to walk on every day. As I do my best to follow Christ, I try to honor that process and view my work through that lens, and it’s really helped motivate me and keep my focus where it needs to be.

Jill and Patrick leaving Gordon on their last day as resident directors for Fulton in 2005

After graduation, you and your wife, Jill ’95, and your two young children spent time on campus as a resident director. Did your time as an RD influence your vocational path?

Jill and I absolutely loved our time as resident directors. We took John 1:14 seriously: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” That part of our ministry was really important, and it is where you can really make a difference. Students see you at your best and your worst, and you see them at theirs. We had such a great time not only learning from students, but also investing in them and working alongside staff. We experienced the power of community firsthand.

That experience reinforced my belief in the importance of connection, belonging, and presence. Those values have stayed with me and are now instrumental in Valley Hope’s strategic work and approach to care.

In 2005, Patrick joins the Fulton Hall resident advisors on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

Having been a student, RD, and now an alumnus and parent of Gordon graduates, what has stayed consistent and distinctive about the Gordon experience?

I think it’s the quality of the staff and the emphasis on intellectual rigor alongside relationship, community, and service. Gordon continues to do a great job of not compromising on the biblical core and centrality of who we are in Christ, while also allowing freedom of thought to exist within that framework. That balance continues to be a defining part of what Gordon is.

Watching my children experience an environment that continues to develop its students in meaningful, life-shaping ways has brought me great joy. I am deeply grateful my children had that opportunity, and flourished in that space.

A fun Tartan article featuring Jill Hall from 2004. Patrick makes a cameo appearance.