Episode 338 - Felony to Faculty: How Tom Bannard Built Recovery Support on a College Campus

What happens when a student in recovery returns to a campus built around drinking culture? In this episode, Tom Bannard shares his own path from addiction, legal consequences, and a felony conviction to leading one of the largest collegiate recovery programs in Virginia. Now the Assistant Director for Substance Use and Recovery Support at VCU, Tom explains why most college campuses are not designed for students navigating addiction — and what it actually takes to change that. Joanna and Tom discuss readiness after treatment, the real risks of rushing back to school, and what families should look for when considering a collegiate recovery program. If your student is in recovery and thinking about returning to campus, this conversation will challenge assumptions and offer clarity about what support truly means. Tom’s Resources:  Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) (https://www.vcu.edu/) Rams in Recovery (https://recovery.vcu.edu/) LinkedIn: Tom Bannard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-ba...) Instagram: @ramsinrecovery (  / ramsinrecovery  ) Connect with Joanna Lilley   Therapeutic Consulting Association (https://www.therapeuticconsulting.org/) Lilley Consulting Website (https://lilleyconsulting.com/) Lilley Consulting on Facebook (  / lilleyconsultingllc  )   Lilley Consulting on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@LilleyConsul...) Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #CollegiateRecovery #RamsInRecovery #TomBannard #VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity #VCU