After 20-plus years in the industry, working with many of the country’s premier treatment facilities, Walsh’s impact is felt in every corner of the recovery industry. Not only has he helped shape policy at the national level, but he is also a tireless advocate who loves developing innovative strategies for treatment and recovery. Notably, he was the President of NAATP, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, from 2012 to 2015. Additionally, Walsh has dutifully served as a Liaison to the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is a vocal board member of the C4 Board of Directors and FARR, the Florida Association of Recovery Residences Board of Directors. Ever since he was a kid, Walsh has wanted to help people. As an interventionist, he now supports individuals and their families as they navigate intensely emotional and life-changing experiences. His steadfast faith and sobriety keep him grounded and grateful for the ability to serve others in this way. 

Walsh enjoys living in Florida, where he spends most of his free time with his loving wife and visiting his grandkids every chance he gets.

A man who’s walked into some of the most volatile situations, Michael Walsh, MS, MCAP, CIP, isn’t afraid to confront anyone’s inner demons. 

Born in Boston and raised Irish Catholic, Walsh had his first taste of alcohol at seven. When he got his hands on cannabis at 12, it was the beginning of his descent into a double life that held him hostage for the next 25 years. 

It wasn’t until he was arrested for cocaine trafficking and was about to go to jail that a miracle happened. Faced with the hard truth that he could lose it all in an instant, Walsh decided to get sober and change his trajectory. The day he got the news that his case was not going to trial after all, he got his first job in the recovery field. He didn’t choose the job – the job chose him. 

Shortly after, Walsh was taken under the wing of an experienced interventionist and trained in the technique. It is no secret that this work is draining and often dangerous. Stepping into someone’s world is a complex situation with a lot of baggage, but Walsh has never shied away from a challenge. When Walsh shows up for his clients in crisis, he is completely available for them. Being able to give to people this way makes him one of the most skillful and successful interventionists in the business.