"Our Mission is to establish and maintain Recovery by promoting lifestyle changes through Erasing negative behaviors and Replacing them with Positive ones."

Our Approach

• We are a clinical based nonprofit with professionally licensed and trained administrators.

• We utilize evidenced based practices and clinical philosophy based on Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and the Leisure Ability Model.

• If you erase negative behaviors it is imperative to fill the void left with something of greater value; specifically healthy recreation!

• We encourage and support healthy recreation and leisure.

• We offer healthy social support.

• We are not a 12-step program or affiliated with any treatment centers.

• We support multiple pathways to recovery.

• We believe individuals can heal.

• We use person centered language and person centered programs. You are more than a label.

• We are not anonymous and believe our stories can share hope, education and reduce the stigma associated with addiction and mental health issues.

• We assist individuals in moving from addict to athlete, artist, scholar, friend, and more.

• We encourage participants to work on goal attainment in all aspects of life.

• We focus on the positive attributes of individuals and the future, rather than dwelling on the past.

• We are inclusive to all individuals. We don’t separate those who are in recovery from those who have never suffered. We can all learn from each other.

• We promote balance and service.

• We have a family systems approach encouraging family participation. Our youth program is called the Minor League (18 and under). We believe that families that play together will heal together to make a dynasty home team!

What We Offer

• Free Community Resource Support Groups

  A peer-led AIIA Recovery Playbook character/resiliency lesson (research-based) is followed by a group workout. These community support group meetings provide weekly face-to-face interaction. 83% of team members indicate improvements in utilizing positive coping skills. 75% indicate having fewer cravings/urges for unhealthy coping behaviors.

  -We currently have 9 active chapters of support groups all over Utah and one in southern Arizona. Two of which are on Native American reservations. Find a free support meeting here. Virtual options are available to assist those with transportation barriers or in rural areas. Like and follow our Facebook Page for more information.
  -Are you interested in opening a chapter in your community? Register for our Recovery Coach Training

• Personal Training

  Certified Peer mentors understand where each individual is within the recovery process and can offer real-time feedback and first-hand insights, creating a more robust method to manage the recovery process. 65% of team members show a decrease in depression & anxiety. As Athletes reach fitness goals, it boosts their confidence to achieve recovery goals. 83% of team members show progress toward their recovery & personal goals.

  -NEW Online Recovery Support Program

  -Substance Abuse Screening and Assessments

  -Certified AIIA Peer Recovery Coach Training. Our recovery coach training will give you the skills and certification necessary to help those who struggle with addiction. You will be able to establish your own local Addict II Athlete Chapter and/or personal recovery coaching.
  -Mental health and addiction counseling (in-person or virtual) through Blu Robinson Counseling LLC. Schedule HERE

• Online support and resources

  Podcasts, virtual Q&A meetings, and online recovery support meetings offer Education and Testimonials that build athletes' resolve & the recovery community, available on-demand 24/7. 85.9% of participants indicate their quality of life has improved since utilizing AIIA resources.

  -Addiction can be difficult to navigate. The founders are clinical professionals who have worked in the field for many years. Let us help you understand how to best help yourself or a loved one move from addict to athlete and more. We can help whether it is education, coaching, support, counseling or treatment referrals. We have recovery resources available to assist those in need. We are here to help, give support, educate and assist you in moving from addict to athlete. Email us.

  -Find inspiration, hope, and education through our social media outlets (links above), podcasts, blogs, and email. Join our FaceBook group.

  -Family Member Resources.

  -Become a Patron and receive bonus educational content. Patreon is a fundraising platform. We have monthly donation tiers you can choose from to help us continue to create content. In return, you have access to additional podcasts and resources as well as exclusive gear.

  -We have Certified Recovery Coaches throughout the country who can help those struggling and need assistance virtually.

• Service Projects and Outreach- Changing the footprint of the community

  Giving back to the community where earlier in active addiction they only took, dispelling stigmas about “addicts." 65% of team members indicate one of the most beneficial things about Addict II Athlete is having service opportunities.

  -We participate in outreach events to share with the public education and resources to change the footprint of our communities. Including but not limited to Naloxone trainings, psychoeducation, first aid, mental health resources, addiction education, substance misuse education.
  -It is through service we connect with something bigger than ourselves. These service projects help the participants bond and grow as individuals and a team. The group participants attend local races or service projects whose proceeds/services go to a person or program in need, where we can give back to the community. Past service projects have been trail cleanup, race aid stations, buying racing wheelchairs for disabled athletes, providing Thanksgiving dinners for families in need, donating trees to the Festival of Trees, and more.

  -Project Elf. This is our annual Christmas charity project for children in need. The purpose of Project Elf is to provide a joyous Christmas to families in recovery from addiction and remind them of the positive gifts of sobriety.

• Races and Events

  Concrete milestones that push athletes’ perceived limits to achieve excellence and that bond team members. 76% of team members find our athletics & exercise the most helpful part of the AIIA program.

  -We lead a Recovery 5k and Team Half Marathon. We also have many events and activities for individuals and families throughout the year to increase healthy recreation and leisure, improve family reuinification, and social support. It’s time to move from addict to athlete. You can also check out our Google Calendar for Utah County events.

Organization History
Addict II Athlete was co-founded by Marissa Robinson and Blu Robinson, in Utah in 2011. It grew out of a desire to provide a community-based recovery program for individuals struggling with substance use disorders and mental health issues that was an alternative to the traditional 12-step programs. We wanted to offer free or low-cost alternatives to assist those who struggle with mental health and addiction issues. Drawing from Blu’s own recovery experience using the Erase and Replace philosophy a decade earlier, his training as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) and Substance Use Disorder Counselor (SUDC), and Marissa’s background as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), they developed Addict II Athlete. They began utilizing recreational therapy practices and techniques to bring about change in individual’s lives. They started by holding recovery weekly meetings followed by a light workout with 5 athletes and over the next 13 years, AIIA has grown to 9 chapters in Utah and Arizona. Monthly AIIA serves an average of 306 individuals providing an average of 26 peer-supported activities. 232 substance use recovery-focused community events annually across our 9 AIIA chapters. AIIA publishes an average of 10 recovery podcasts each month and has trained 26 AIIA Certified Peer Recovery Coaches. 

How to Join

Simply come to one of the free support group meetings or join us at any of the events. Introduce yourself to the Coaches and Captains. The meetings are 20-45 minute discussions with a recovery topic, followed by a simple workout. Usually running.
You can also request to join our Facebook Group and ladies can join our FB Women’s Group. for additional 24/7 support from teammates.
Otherwise, utilize some of our free support and education from our, Q&A show, Blog posts, Podcasts, Facebook and YouTube.
Feel free to watch a live meeting, no matter where you are, on Tuesdays at 7:00pm MST on our Facebook Page. Recovery resources are available. If you are in need of more help please do not hesitate to reach out for individualized counseling or recovery coaching by email.
Become a Patreon Supporter where you can receive exclusive addiction recovery bonus content to help you or a loved one.
Lastly, head over to our Team Store and grab yourself some swag! Show yourself as a billboard and supporter of recovery and hope. This makes it easy to spot other teammates no mater where you are and become a resource to others.

What Our Team Does

OUR VISION

Our vision is that in moving from an addict to an athlete, an individual creates inner change. We then have the courage to make other changes, developing a sense of integrity with a willingness to see past mistakes and see them as opportunities to grow. We promote well-balanced lifestyle changes. We will stand unified through perseverance to awaken the champion within, to go forth in recovery, and serve.

In Addict To Athlete, we believe recovery is part of the process but does not need to last an entire lifetime. The definition of recovery is a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength: the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost. Once you have been able to regain control of the self and negative behaviors, you can move forward as a champion of life. It’s time to Recreate/Re-Create your life. Re-create means to create again, to give new life or freshness, refresh, or to form anew in the imagination. Let’s Re-create healing!