Welcome to our Cumberland Heights Blog. Here you will find inspirational real-life stories, addiction and recovery resources, program highlights and more.
What Does “Cunning, Baffling and Powerful” Mean? Humans have struggled with addictive disorders for thousands of years. For much of that time, addiction was seen as a lack of willpower – a person consciously making poor decisions over and over again. The general population saw addicts as people who refused...
Alcoholism – now referred to by professionals as alcohol use disorder – is the most common substance abuse diagnosis in America. People regularly consume alcohol in social settings, and sometimes, this becomes a slippery slope. They may find themselves drinking more often, downing a bottle of wine at home or...
When you attend a treatment program, the time will eventually come for you to return home. For many residents, this transition brings a blend of excitement and anxiety. They ask themselves questions like, “What if I fall into old patterns?” and “What if I relapse?” Fortunately, the staff at...
What does the care of God look like for you? It looks like different things to different people. It looks like the sun on Easter Sunday, it looks like the seasons changing, it looks like answers you've had to questions in your life, it may look like a new...
The saying has been credited to both Mark Twain and Josh Billings: “It ain’t what we don’t know that gets us in trouble, it’s the things we know that just ain’t so.” Whoever first said that (and in whatever exact words), there are seemingly endless things “everybody knows” that “just...
Today with celebrate Palm Sunday when Jesus entered into Jerusalem and was greeted by the people waving palm branches. For Christians, it is a reminder of the welcoming of Jesus into our hearts and of our willingness to follow him.
Our words have power. The phrase "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" couldn't be further from the truth. Words are powerful in almost all traditions. They have the power to hurt and to heal.
“Peer pressure” is a term with typically negative implications—and you’ve experienced its negative power if your drug addiction began with a “friend” urging you to “try just one hit; you won’t believe how great it feels.” But peer influence also has its positive side, which means that healthy friendships...
On our campus, there is a beautiful rebirth happening. The flowers are beginning to bloom, the birds are singing, the Serenity Trail is looking vibrant again. Spring is not forever - we know this. The seasons will change. We feel darkeness in our lives - there is at time...
Celebrating Famous Women in Recovery Each March, we celebrate Women’s History Month: an annual observance of the ways in which women have positively impacted society. In addition to fighting for legal rights, demanding equality and joining male-dominated fields, women have also made an incredible difference in the realm of recovery....
In this message, look into the importance of letting go of things in our lives that are not serving us anymore. Letting go is allowing us to grow and get to what we truly want in life.
In this message, we dive deeper into the role worry and anxiety play in our lives. When we finally enter into the fellowship of the spirit we find our worries begin to dissipate.
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CHIEF DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING OFFICER
Cindy Patterson accepted her role as Chief Development and Marketing Officer in 2019. Cindy has more than 16 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, most recently serving as Development Officer for United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Prior to that she was V.P. of Development for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, a position she held for 10 years after serving as Development Director for Nashville Read. Before her many years in fundraising, Cindy was the Manager of Premium Services for American Airlines.
Originally from the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area, Cindy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Kentucky University.
CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER
Cinde Stewart Freeman is Cumberland Heights’ Chief Clinical Officer and has been with Cumberland Heights for 25 years. During her tenure Cinde has served in nursing, clinical management, and administrative roles.
Cinde is a bachelor’s prepared nurse with a master’s degree in counseling. She served on the Board of Directors at both AWARE and Thistle Farms. Cinde has developed and presented professional trainings on a wide variety of clinical skills, as well as process improvement, clinical supervision, and workplace wellness. She is an Oral Examiner for the Tennessee Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors and a Qualified Clinical Supervisor for the LADAC.
Cinde received her bachelors in nursing from Western Kentucky University and her masters from Trevecca Nazarene University.
CHIEF COMMUNITY RECOVERY OFFICER
Randal Lea is a licensed addictions counselor with thirty years of clinical and administrative experience, half of it at Cumberland Heights. Lea received master’s degrees in counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and in psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Mr. Lea has been a frequent presenter on such topics as Assessment, Ethics, Dreamwork, and Trauma. He is a certified practitioner of DreamTending and a Qualified Clinical supervisor.
Previous to his current role as Chief Community Recovery Officer, Mr. Lea served eight years as Assistant Commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. In 2008, he was recognized by the Praed Foundation as a national “Systems Champion” for implementing a statewide children’s assessment for DCS. He also received the “Friend of Children Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2010 from Tennessee Voices for Children after seven years on their board and was recognized in both 2000 and in 2015 as “Professional of the Year” by the local chapter of NAADAC.
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
Kathryn Mastin, Cumberland Heights Chief Human Resources Officer since 2015, has spent more than 30 years as a Human Resources professional. Most recently she served as the Human Resources Director at Parallon, one of the country’s largest revenue cycle partners, with more than 15,800 employees serving hospitals and physician practices.
“My goal at Cumberland Heights is to help provide the best possible care for our patients,” said Mastin. “The way I’m able to contribute is by taking care of our employees so they can carry out our mission.”
Mastin is affiliated with the United Methodist Church where she serves many roles and sits on the board. She’s also on the regional board of directors at the Center for Youth Ministry Training where they find new ways to minister to young people. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Robin Cox is the Chief Financial Officer at Cumberland Heights, the Southeast’s premier alcohol and drug addiction treatment center. Robin accepted her role at Cumberland Heights in 2006.
Robin previously worked as Controller at Accu-Crete, Inc., a concrete contractor based in Washington D.C. She is currently responsible for business accounting activities including, preparing financial statements, creating an organization budget, and managing payroll. Robin is an advocate for education and volunteers at Coopertown Elementary School.
Robin is a middle Tennessee native and a graduate of Western Kentucky University.
DIRECTOR OF PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES
Dr. Howard L. Burley, Director of Psychiatric Services Cumberland Heights, is an addiction psychiatry specialist, and has been practicing for 34 years.
Dr. Burley graduated from Meharry Medical College School Of Medicine in 1985 and specializes in addiction psychiatry.
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Butch began his career with Cumberland Heights in 2006 and accepted his current role in 2015.
Butch began counseling in 1989 and worked with Cumberland Heights through the 90’s doing Aftercare, contract work and individual counseling. He worked for one of the state’s first Intensive Outpatient Programs at the Jackson Counseling Center in Jackson, TN and the Jackson Area council on Alcoholism. During this time he developed two pilot addiction programs in the greater West Tennessee area. Butch also maintained a private practice specializing in family of origin work with addicted populations and worked with Impaired Professionals. Butch is a State Licensed and Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor
Butch is a Jackson, Tennessee native. He is a graduate of Lambuth University and earned an MBA from Union University.
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Dr. Chapman Sledge accepted his role as Chief Medical Officer at Cumberland Heights in 2009. For the previous 15 years, he had been Medical Director of Addiction Treatment Services at Pine Grove Behavioral Health in Hattiesburg, MS.
Dr. Sledge is a nationally known physician in addiction medicine, served on the board of directors for the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and regularly speaks at conferences around the country. Dr. Sledge was among the first group of physicians to receive certification by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He also serves on the Medical/Scientific Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence.
Dr. Sledge is a graduate of LSU and the University of Mississippi, School of Medicine.
CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER
Dr. Nick Hayes, PhD, currently works for Cumberland Heights Foundation in capacity as Chief Science Officer.
In this position, Nick is tasked with the overall management of all research and technology related initiatives system-wide. His research is primarily focused on measurement-based practice systems, digital phenotyping (e.g. digital exhaust) and intensive longitudinal monitoring. Nick and his teams work to develop technology accelerants that leverage existing infrastructure to inform treatment protocols.
Dr. Hayes obtained his Ph.D. in Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (i.e. Systems Theory) from Texas Tech University. Additionally, he holds a faculty position at Lipscomb University as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Jay Crosson began his career with Cumberland Heights in 1993 and accepted his role as Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Prior to becoming CEO, Jay was the CFO of the organization.
Jay began his career at Cumberland Heights in admissions, and, at various times, managed the admissions, accounts receivable and patient accounting departments.
Jay is a grateful recovering alumnus, having been a patient at Cumberland Heights in 1989. His personal experience of treatment at Cumberland Heights and the transformative power of the 12-Steps shape his leadership principles today.
Jay is a Nashville native and graduate from MTSU, with an MBA from Belmont University.