Brad Rouse, a Harvard graduate, was a successful New York theater director when he fell into a spiral of addiction. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and served a year at The Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn. Today, Brad assists defendants as they face sentencing. “Jail is a penalty box, it’s not a coffin,” he says. “And if you think that jail is the end of your life, that doesn’t get you moving through that chapter of your story.” Brad discusses his journey from addiction to advocacy, what it takes to move through the justice system, and coming to terms with the shame and secrets we can hold in our stories.

Learn more about Brad Rouse at bradrouse.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.

To discover more about this interview series and read transcripts, visit thelossencounters.com. Connect with Melissa at @thelossencounters.

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