CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — For more than a decade, Jason Roop was just another face you may have tried to ignore. A drug addiction sent him to the streets and, one time, even got him kicked out of a homeless shelter.
But that was only preparing him for his life’s work.
A decade ago, Jason entered Isaiah House, got sober, and got married! And then began to help others.
“To be able to help somebody who finds themselves in a position like I once was where it’s utter destruction, utter chaos, devoid of all hope and life, to be able to speak into that person with life and to watch hope arise and the eyes open up and the light comes on,” says Jason.
“I think that our relationship can show others that just because you’ve been in active addiction and you’re on a recovery journey that love isn’t over for you,” says his wife, Amanda. “There is a sense of responsibility and a weightiness that comes with our relationship. Being in front of people and modeling what a healthy relationship or sobriety or faith, as you said, looks like.”
Today, he’s Dr. Jason Roop, having earned his PhD two years ago. And he’s developed a new addiction recovery program, which he was launching when we first met him in July.
“We’ve had over 40 clients that have graduated through the trait-based model recovery. And we’re of course, keeping data on all of our clients and graduates and right now we have a 96 percent success rate. 96 percent of our graduates are actively maintaining their sobriety, 92 percent, Larry, hold leadership positions in their employment," Jason reports.
And that has Jason in demand Installing his program in Albuquerque, New Mexico and talking with shelters and facilities all across the country.
“People actually love it so much, they want to go back through it. So you don’t often hear about people wanting to repeat rehab!" Jason laughs. “We are sharing with them who they really are and they’re a lot more than a defective character or convict or nuisance to society. They have incredible value and strength within and that’s what we build upon.”
I had to ask him how it feels to know that his words have helped others.
“It’s like almost overwhelming. Amanda said it earlier, there’s such a weightiness to that and I feel that weightiness and within that, there’s a lot of responsibility. And so I’m just like really really honored, amazed that people would allow me a space in their life.”
