Unscripted: Honest Conversations on Recovery and Problem Gambling

Malik Keene is an addiction recovery coach, sobriety life coach, and certified peer recovery specialist. He has been clean from alcohol and drugs since September 2021, abstinent from gambling since March 2022, and overcame a nicotine addiction/smoking cigarettes in October 2023. Malik is also the successful owner of K&M Delivery/Moving Inc. (www.KMmovinginc.com), a business he has operated since 2001.

In 2021, during his time in rehab, Malik discovered his true passion and God-given purpose: to help others who are struggling with addiction or have relapsed. His mission is to guide individuals who desire to stop their addictive behaviors and begin their recovery journey.

In just over three years of recovery, Malik has already impacted over 100 peers in active addiction. He provides resources, serves as a mentor, leads support groups, and coaches individuals. Malik is committed to helping people during their most vulnerable times. His lived experience enables him to show compassion for individuals going through challenging situations and assist them with customized recovery plans.

Malik has volunteered with Tree of Hope Organization and has worked full-time with Maryland Treatment Centers and the Stop Triage Engage Educate Rehabilitate (STEER) Program in Montgomery County, Maryland. He currently serves as a Peer Recovery Specialist for the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health and works with the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) program.

Malik has shared his story on various platforms, including rehab facilities, shelters, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, and Gamblers Anonymous (GA) meetings. MOSAIC Consulting and Counseling Services has featured his recovery story, and his testimony of overcoming gambling has been shared in Africa, inspiring and also helping many compulsive gamblers throughout the U.S.

Malik recently launched Amazing Grace Recovery, LLC, and plans to help thousands break free from the chains of addiction with his signature step-by-step method. He is also the author of “Overcoming Addiction Through G.R.A.C.E., An Inspirational Guide and a Path to Sustained Recovery, which he recently wrote to help those struggling with addiction break free from the chains of bondage.

To learn more or contact Malik about his coaching program, visit www.MalikKeene.com.

Rob Minnick, known as Rob_odaat online is a gambling addiction recovery content creator on Tiktok (tiktok.com/@rob_odaat), Youtube (youtube.com/@rob_odaat) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rob_odaat/). He made his last bet on November 12th of 2022 and now reaches an average of 15 million people monthly across all platforms sharing the story of his addiction and subsequent recovery in an effort to help others avoid making the same mistakes that he did.

Rob graduated from Georgetown University in 2021 with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and has now become a full time content creator with intentions of continuing to help those going down the same path that he did. His target audience is made up of young men and women between the ages of 18-30 and he shares his story with them on a daily basis.

Elizabeth Thielen is a Senior Director at Nicasa Behavioral Health Services in Lake County, Illinois with over 20 years in the addictions field. A Licensed Professional Counselor and Problem and Compulsive Gambling Counselor, Elizabeth is passionate about increasing awareness of gambling disorder in the community and among helping professionals. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling, and has also been an adjunct faculty at the College of Lake County, teaching about Process/Behavioral Addictions.  Elizabeth co-chairs the Gambling Disorder Committee, a sub-committee of the Illinois Substance Use Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery. Having spoken at the local, State, and National levels, Elizabeth is recognized as an engaging speaker on the subject of gambling disorder and prevention. A former amateur athlete, Elizabeth is also committed to helping athletes avoid disordered gambling as our state adjusts to recently legalized sports betting.

Dave Yeager is an eleven-year veteran of the United States Army and in recovery for a gambling addiction. Dave is the host of Fall In: The Problem Gambling Podcast for Military Service Members and Veterans and the author of Fall In: A Veteran with a Gambling Addiction.

Dave is a member of the military committee for the National Council on Problem Gambling. Dave speaks often and uses his story to help raise awareness about gambling addiction and its impact on military service members and veterans.

Dave has a BS in Human Services and has completed 30 hours toward a Masters in Social Work. Dave has been a lived experience and veteran advisor for Kindbridge Research Institute since 2020 and began as a trainer and training developer in July of 2023. Dave is also a recovery coach with Kindbridge Behavioral Health.