The last time Marty Lindquist was in Hennepin County Jail, he and his public defender didn’t have much to discuss. Charged with third degree possession with intent to sell, this would be Lindquist’s fifth felony, all drug related. With that kind of criminal history, the public defender had little to say to Lindquist. He was going to prison and for a long time, at least 39 months. Lindquist turned to a fellow prisoner and asked about his situation.The man said he was going to treatment to avoid prison. Lindquist immediately thought of John Woods, director of New Perspectives Behavioral Systems, whose treatment he had tried once before. Lindquist says he thought of Woods at that moment because Woods’ approach was open and honest. Lindquist called his mother to inform her of his jail time, but also to let her know that he’d thought of a life-changing plan for himself, one that would finally work. “There’s this dance,” Lindquist says. “You’re on probation, then violate probation, go to jail, get out, and get back into trouble. From 2002 to 2012, I had been doing that the whole time.” His mother, understandably skeptical, told Lindquist something she had found out when researching substance abuse. An addict has three possible outcomes to choose from: prison, death or recovery. “You can pick,” Lindquist’s mother told him. Lindquist convinced her that the best way to break his unhealthy cycle was to move back in with her, get a job and go to Woods’ treatment center. “The last thing sold it,” says Lindquist. In all, he went through seven rounds of treatment and spent 26 months in jail before coming to New Perspectives. Since coming to New Perspectives, he has been sober for three years and counting. Lindquist’s commitment to the program and diligent sobriety broke his dependence on meth. The good behavior was also rewarded by Hennepin County, which decided to put off sentencing as long as Lindquist remained sober. Later on, the county decided to give Lindquist probation instead of prison time.
“I have this program and Mr. Woods to thank. I got my life back.” -Marty Lindquist, New Perspectives former client
Finally Hitting Bottom After eight stints in treatment and 26 months in jail, Marty Lindquist is a sober man
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