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Tharin Smith serves as the Director of Alumni at Renewal Lodge. He is responsible for engaging our alumni and facilitating Big Book group daily. He is a product of long-term treatment himself for 14 months. Tharin has maintained his sobriety since 2005 and remains active in the 12-Step community. From embracing and working this “new design for living,” he has committed to helping others and entered the treatment field in 2012. He continues to carry his enthusiasm for recovery in an effort to give hope to all clients at Renewal Lodge.
In his spare time, Tharin enjoys family time with siblings, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. His hobbies include growing datil peppers and making datil pepper jelly, along with a quest to find the world’s best barbeque.
Philip Hensarling serves as the Executive Director of Renewal Lodge. Philip has served Burning Tree Programs for over 6 years which roles include Admissions and Corporate Director of Utilization Management. Philip is also a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern (LCDCI) and alumni of Burning Tree Ranch. He is also pursuing his Bachelors of Healthcare Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Philip specializes in insurance contracting and negotiations. His goal is to make quality treatment more accessible to those suffering from the disease of addiction. He has a passion for running and loves his lab mix Murray.
Dr. Carlos Tirado serves as the Medical Director for Renewal Lodge. He is board certified in general and addiction psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and addiction medicine by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Tirado attended medical school at The University of Texas Houston Health Science Center and completed his residency in general psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Tirado received specialty training in addiction psychiatry and research at the internationally prestigious Center for Studies on Addiction at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Tirado is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.
Peter Piraino, LMSW, LCDC, LISAC serves as Chief Executive Officer for Burning Tree Programs. Responsible for executing the vision of Burning Tree’s philosophy of excellence, Peter’s primary goal is to help as many clients as possible gain access to the treatment they need. A clinician by training, Peter incorporates sound, ethical business practices to help inform the organization of its duties to the greater community. By placing the needs of his staff and company ahead of his own, Peter leads with a team approach that continues to inspire the mission of Burning Tree Programs. A proud father, Peter and his wife count six dogs amongst their family members.
Peter Piraino, LMSW, LCDC, LISAC, serves as CEO of Burning Tree Programs. Responsible for executing the vision of Burning Tree’s philosophy of excellence, Peter’s primary goal is to help as many clients as possible gain access to the treatment they need. A clinician by training, Peter incorporates sound, ethical business practices to help inform the organization of its duties to the greater community. By placing the needs of his staff and company ahead of his own, Peter leads with a team approach that continues to inspire the mission of Burning Tree Programs. A proud father, Peter and his wife count six dogs amongst their family members.
Dear Renewal Lodge Visitors,
My name is John Bruna, co-founder of the Mindfulness in Recovery® Institute, and more importantly, a grateful member of the recovery community. I am incredibly fortunate to have found my recovery in 1984. Of course, I did not achieve continuous recovery through willpower or my own efforts, but through the guidance and caring support of countless others that selflessly taught me how to live through the 12 Steps.
My journey of recovery brought this once homeless, shame-based, traumatized, insecure young man to a life far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I discovered self-worth, the joy of helping others, the gifts of parenting and grandparenting, and most importantly the ability to live a meaningful and purposeful life with integrity.
One of the greatest gifts of recovery is that I have the opportunity to give back and help others discover their self-worth, dignity, and the skills to fully live lives that they find truly meaningful. This is the inspiration for developing the skills of Mindfulness in Recovery® (MIR) to meet the needs of new generations struggling with alcohol and other substance use disorders. MIR is a set of evidence-based skills designed to help people fully integrate their tools of recovery in ways that are personalized, practical, and in alignment with their deepest values.
While we train counselors and therapists throughout the United States and abroad, I personally have chosen to work directly with the amazing team and clients at Renewal Lodge to develop the model MIR 12-step program for the nation. I choose Renewal Lodge because of the vision of its mission and the dedication of its team. Renewal Lodge is an extremely rare environment in which the staff embodies the very mindfulness and 12-step practices and skills they offer their clients. The results have been beyond my expectations. It is an honor to be here and I treasure my personal time with every client I meet.
With Gratitude,