Ivo Dimov, CAC – Weekend Primary Counselor 

Ivo was born and grew up in Bulgaria, a small picturesque country in the Southeast of Europe. He immigrated to the United States in 1998 and has been living in Florida since 2005. It was here in Florida that he became sober and active in the recovery community. Ivo is attending Florida Atlantic University and expecting to graduate with bachelor’s degree in social work in May 2016. He also hopes to be accepted into the advance-standing program for FAU’s master program of clinical social work.

What brought you to Origins?

I have been part of Hanley since 2007, working first as a detox technician and then growing slowly into my current position. I worked on the detox unit for three years, and then I went to work in the wellness department where I had a chance to assist with experiential therapy and leisure activities. Next, I was a Recovery Advocate (RA) on the men’s unit for three years. Since last summer, I’ve been working as a counselor and was recently promoted to a weekend primary counselor.

If there were only one thing you could tell us about working within your client specialty area, what would it be?

I am pretty new to the world of counseling and therapy. Though I’ve worked in treatment for a long time, I am just starting to see the treatment process through the eyes of a therapist. I know that in the future I want to be more involved in creative expression therapy for men. In my opinion, men have the ability to disassociate from their feelings. Creative expression therapy is one tool that can help men get more in touch with their feelings.

What have you learned through your experience working in treatment?

The biggest lesson for me is that recovery happens in God’s time. My role is to support the client, but the healing is between the client and his/her Higher Power. I am just one very lucky counselor, who has a front row seat to witness this miracle.

Do you hold any credentials or certifications, or do you participate in any other professional activities outside of work?

Yes, I am Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC). I also hold IC&RC (International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium) credentials. I am currently working on completing my bachelor’s degree in social work and hoping to enroll in the Master’s program.

Are you in recovery yourself? If so, what do you love most about being in recovery?

Yes, I am in recovery. The thing I appreciate the most is the peace of mind I’ve gained through my recovery. Also, I love that I am able to be a better human being who is present in all of my relationships.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you have any pets or engage in special hobbies? 

Life is pretty busy between working full-time and going to school. I don’t have pets because I feel couldn’t properly take care of them. However, I love cats and dogs. I also enjoy photography. There is something magical when I am able to catch a glimpse of life in a picture. I believe that we emotionally heal faster by using our creative powers; photography is my creative outlet.

Is there anything else you might like to share? 

In nutshell, I love life. I know that everything I have accomplished today is because of my sobriety and my Higher Power.

For more information regarding the many programs of Origins Behavioral HealthCare where Ivo Dimov works, please visit originsrecovery.com.