La Hacienda Treatment Center’s Director of Business Development since 2011, Elizabeth Olson is a nationally recognized leader in addiction treatment.
Elizabeth is experienced in clinical support, admissions, clinical outreach, business development, and intervention. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a certificate in Substance Abuse and Eating Disorder Counseling, is trained in three models of intervention, and psychodrama and experiential training.
A Kerrville native, Elizabeth attained recovery after completing treatment at La Hacienda in May 2000.
Found Her Niche in Marketing
Elizabeth went to an extended care facility in California after La Hacienda. Recognizing her skills, the leadership there hired her as Director of National Outreach. She specialized in working with national accounts and assisting families, excelling primarily due to her dedication to recovery and desire to help those in need.
“I enjoy business development,” says Elizabeth, noting that connecting with people and building relationships come natural to her.
Her work took her on the road across the US and Canada three weeks each month, visiting treatment centers and referral sources. But after ten years, the California treatment center was bought by a larger organization, and Elizabeth decided it was time to make a change.
Back to Her Texas and Recovery Roots
She returned to Texas to be closer to her family and seek a new employer.
“I wanted to work for a smaller, family-owned operation, and the opportunity opened at La Hacienda,” she says. “I came back to where I got my sobriety and grew my roots in the program.”
As Director of Business Development, Elizabeth oversees representatives in cities around Texas who represent La Hacienda to potential clients, referral sources, and other treatment facilities.
“I love leading such a dynamic team. Each member brings a special set of skills, and each teaches the whole team their strengths.”
Elizabeth manages in a supportive and encouraging way. “I love working with people to enhance skills that they may not realize they have.”
Something They Can Use Forever
Elizabeth enjoys being part of “an extremely ethical organization that truly does the right thing. We have so many staff for whom it is not just a personal mission, but it’s also a spiritual one. That to me is incredibly important.”
That La Hacienda is a 12 step-based treatment center is also essential, she says.
“People truly get an introduction to the 12 steps here. I remember hearing the message of the 12 steps so loud and clear. The message of freedom is in those steps. That is what stuck with me.”
“Anybody can go to treatment, but if you give them something that they can use for the rest of their lives, such as the 12 steps, that’s what matters.”
Always Working on Herself
Recovery is an ongoing process, she says.
“I went through several stages of recovery. I was at La Hacienda, then went through all the other things that you can work the steps on.”
“I continue to work on myself in various ways—deeper therapeutic workshops, experiential therapy. You can’t ever do enough work on yourself. There are always more layers of the onion to peel back.”
“Higher levels of spirituality and consciousness are so important.”
Feels Very Blessed
Elizabeth is married to a high school classmate, Jason, who she admits to always feeling butterflies for, and they have two amazing boys whom they are homeschooling.
She loves living the ranch life, including horses and exotic animals, and recently started vegetable and fruit gardens,
“God has blessed me. I don’t know why, but I’m so grateful for how God has blessed my life,” she says. “Coming home, back to Texas, my family, my incredible husband, my precious boys, and working at La Hacienda–it’s almost too good to be true.”
