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Hello, my name is Tyler Zenz. I am a certified peer support specialist in South Dakota. I am also licensed as an addiction counselor and have worked in the mental health field for 4 years. I am trained in Motivational Interviewing and Moral Recognition Therapy, and I am currently enrolled in classes to earn a certification in grief counseling. In addition to working full time as a therapist, I also work on a crisis response team, helping to assist law enforcement with in-person mental health crisis de-escalation.
Addiction has affected me throughout my life, starting with my parents’ using substances during my childhood. Once I began experimenting with alcohol, it did not take me long before my drinking became excessive. I eventually reached a point where alcohol just was not enough, so I experimented with other substances, starting with Cocaine which eventually led to Methamphetamine.
For several years, I struggled with daily binge drinking and often experienced blackouts. During my time in college, I made the newspaper twice. Most people are recognized for their honorable academic achievements, or perhaps a sports-related victory. Well, not me. I was in the school newspaper for being arrested, both times.
After nearly two years of sobriety, I moved to South Dakota for graduate school. After this move, I thought I was strong enough to return to social drinking. By this point, I had a period of sobriety under my belt, so I was confident that I was “good to go.” My social drinking did not last long before I had returned to substance use and daily binge drinking.
The morning of October 7, 2019, I woke up in jail with absolutely no memory of what happened. I later discovered that I was charged with a DUI. This was horrible because I did not even remember driving. I eventually discovered that I was in fact not driving, and that I had passed out in my vehicle. Initially, I was very angry about this. After giving it a lot of thought, I now look at that as a blessing in disguise. Waking up in jail with no memory was my “rock bottom.” Unbeknownst to me, my last night drinking alcohol or using any substances was the night I got arrested. Today, I am proud to be sober. I am also proud to now be a Licensed Addiction Counselor, and now a peer support specialist, so I can help others overcome their substance use and reach their full potential. When I was in active addiction, it took me a long time to realize that there is a better life out there, and that the drugs and alcohol were lying to me. Today, there is no place I would rather be than in sobriety and helping others on this journey. I can’t promise to fix all of your problems, but I can assure you that you do not need to face them alone.

“We are all in this together. It’s okay to be honest. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to say you’re stuck, or that you can’t begin to let go. We can all relate to those things. Screw the stigma that says otherwise. Break the silence, and break the cycle., for you are more than just your pain. You are not alone.” – Jamie Tworkowski