Recovery is the good fight at Plum Creek

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

A self-described country boy from West Texas, Brent grew up around members of the military and First Responders. His family would move around the state, but his susceptibility to brain injuries — he first received such playing high school football and later at his work – traveled with him.

Brent developed some mental health issues over the years, leading him to a dark life that caused him issues with his job and relationships.

“I didn’t understand it,” Brent said. “I would go see people like a psychiatrist and they would come up with different cocktails for solutions and that led to more problems. I was drinking more frequently… and more excessively.

“It’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché that I think is pretty accurate. One day I woke up and I knew I had an issue. It all but snuck up on me.”

Brent’s friends approached him about a recovery opportunity of which they had heard. “The olive branch that was extended to me,” he said.

Initially, Brent went to a hospital for a week, going through withdrawals, but soon found himself at Plum Creek Recovery Ranch on the outskirts of Lockhart – 519 Briar Patch Road.

“This was all outside of my wheelhouse,” Brent said. “I was out of my element at Plum Creek.

“Once I committed, I thought I would at least see it through. My experience in Plum Creek was an adventure in and of itself.”

A still young enterprise – Plum Creek saw its first client in August 2021 – Brent said he found the place to be just what he needed.

“I have a little sarcasm built in me from dealing with mental health issues,” he said. “I’m not trying to upsell them in anyway. They are not the cheapest place on earth. But, I’m 41 and they had had people there younger and older than me. Some were rich, some were from humble beginnings. But they all had addiction problems. We had some very deep conversations. My group came away with a new perspective. Having others go through it with you what’s important. It feels very much like they’re trying to make it at home away from home for you.”

Some ideas at other “recovery” outfits did not work for Brent, he said, but Plum Creek Recovery Ranch did.

“(PCRR) meets with their clients frequently,” Brent said. “The process and my experience at Plum Creek was the staff and doctors they had on hand was a game changer for me and others, too. We had some that had trouble sleeping and others from out of state who were able to get acclimated there. They walked away with a high opinion of Texas. It was all very positive.”

Today, Brent works for the City of Austin and is back in control of his life, something he said had escaped him during his dark days.

“One good thing about Plum Creek is they don’t stick to one model,” he said. “I wanted to know how to deal with this and there are a ton of support groups for those situations. Some of them are very formal and some are very informal.

“Me and my mental health issues is why I’ve stayed proactive with this. I stay in contact socially with some people at Plum Creek, especially those that are former military or First Responders. The groups cover every sub-category and sub-culture. I like to keep it light-hearted. Things are serious enough by nature with these issues.”

Plum Creek Recovery Ranch has Brent seeing there’s always a brighter way to approach matters.

“When you are very close minded because of mental health, I just shut down,” he said. “The bad part is that one day you may get enough liquid courage and make very bad decisions. Going through recovery like I did ended up paying off.”

Others have also left Plum Creek Recovery Ranch with life-altering experiences.

On its website, PCRR has posted some such testimonies:

Todd S.: “I just completed the inpatient recovery program at Plum Creek and had the best experience possible. Everything there is first rate. The facilities, therapists, support staff, and meals were all excellent. I have been to two other treatment facilities in the past and they don’t compare Plum Creek. If you are serious about getting sober, this is the place to go. I highly recommend it to anyone.”

Josh M.: “Plum Creek Recovery Ranch has exceeded my expectations in the quality of service provided and more importantly, by the caring, attentive staff that gave me a tour of the facility during my interview. They are a fantastic program and really support their clients. It is very true that your blood pressure truly does go down when you step foot on this property. It is almost spiritual.”

Patrick H.: “Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe the settings! Just WOW! On top of that, this place is decked out with a total all-star staff to cover the residents from top to bottom. They’ve thought of every aspect of the myriad of pieces that influence a person’s path to addiction to provide them the perfect path to recovery! I’ve never seen a more thorough approach in a treatment setting. Incredible facility, incredible staff, incredible setting.”