March 24, 2020

The Artist’s Corner is a weekly feature of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin. We send our participants forty questions and ask them to choose twenty they would like to answer. It includes a short profile and a link to their website. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin or its staff.

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PROFILE

Sober since 2001, Rob Lohman currently helps people suffering from substance abuse to find freedom from addiction and incarceration. He does this through sharing his testimony, Professional Interventions and Recovery Coaching, Advocacy, Self-Published Author and being the host of Beyond The Bars Radio Podcast.

Rob has been through the ringer, AND keeps bouncing back. His rap sheet includes alcohol and drug addiction, gambling addiction, divorce, bankruptcies, mental health and suicide ideation, prison, recovery and transformation.

Rob’s drinking career started at age 14 which lead to some very dark places in his life. The climax of Rob’s drinking career happened on June 7, 2001 with a suicide attempt interrupted by the compassion of his dog Jake. Upon a divine intervention, Rob was freed from his substance abuse addiction which began a rollercoaster ride in recovery … to which Rob has yet to take another drink or drug since that day.

In year eleven (11) of his sobriety journey, Rob had an emotional nervous breakdown which lead to a thirteen (13) year prison sentence, to which he was released in 10.5 months to a halfway house where he started to rebuild his life, along with his two children and wife who decided to remain married to Rob after the breakdown.

Rob now invests in the lives of those wanting to see positive change, whether it is coming out of addiction, prison or just wanting more for their lives. He is a dynamic speaker and shares an extremely powerful journey of persistence, faith and inspiration.  

Remote or face-to-face interviews, please contact Rob via rob@liftedfromtherut.com OR 970.331.4469

Website:

www.LiftedFromTheRut.com

www.BeyondTheBarsRadio.com

Q. If you are in recovery, what was your Drug of Choice and when did you discontinue its use?                                                                                                      
A. Beer, booze … never picky so I let you choose! Last use was June 7, 2001. Tobacco – Last use was August 28th, 2001 when my buddy showed me his false teeth due to dipping Copenhagen. Marijuana, shrooms, a hit of acid here and there. Last use sometime shortly before June, 7 2001. Gambling dopamine hits – Last day I was “in action” was December 31, 2018

Q. At which of the schools you attended did you learn the most?
A. University of Texas at Dallas – MBA in International Management:  It is possible to get a higher degree while intoxicated all the time and working full-time. DePauw University – BA in Biology: When I need to get an “A” I did, just realized that when I put alcohol and potential in the same room alcohol usually won. Arlington Heights High School – uhhhmmm, not much to say here.

Q. Do you believe leaders are made or born?
A. I believe both, yet the born part may lay dormant until the release of the leader later in life. 

Q. Which film have you watched the most?
A. I would say Shawshank Redemption since it was released.  Total fan of the adrenaline in all of the Fast and Furious movies.  Any movies by Alex Kendrick

Q. Who is your favorite celebrity in recovery?
A. Zach Williams, a Christian Artist

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, or mountaintop, or penthouse?
A. Too indecisive here.  How about a lake on a mountaintop with a river flowing through it!  That way I could enjoy all of God’s beauty at once.

Q. What is your favorite hotel or resort?
A. My favorite hotel is a free one, but if I were paying for it … I would have to say that my favorite resort I have been to is … well, I have not been to too many resorts, so I will just way Walloon Lake in Michigan.

Q. Where do you go to “get away”?
A. Worshipping to Christian Worship music truly undoes me time and time again

Q. What is your biggest or littlest pet peeve?
A. Huge pet peeve when people leave their shopping cart in the middle of the isle while staring at shelf after shelf in total confusion

Q. How do you measure success?
A. When my children say to me … Dad, I want to do what you do … help people be better. That’s success in my book.

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?
A. Probably Samaritan’s Purse because they help so many people on a Global basis … I also love their Operation Christmas Child program.

Q. Who was your biggest influence throughout your life?
A. Big question right here. One of my dad’s best friends, Boyd Moore. He was a rock solid man who had the gift of encouragement with a deep rooted Faith that truly was like a rock … unshakeable.  He passed away in 2012 and that was really hard on a lot of people, especially my dad. My dad has also been a big influence in my life and shows me what loving a son unconditionally looks like.

Q. What is your current hobby?
A. Podcasting. I love capturing people’s stories and expertise in my Beyond The Bars Radio podcast.

Q. What prominent fe/male figure would you most like to date?
A. Well, my Hollywood crush is Jennifer Aniston.  It just so happens I married her look-alike. 

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, Living or dead, who would they be? (choose 4 if you think one might be too drunk or stoned to attend.)
A. John Ortberg, Mark Batterson and Lee Strobel. Their books influenced me in such a huge way and also helped me walk through the darkest season in my life while I was incarcerated. 

Q. What is your FAVORITE Radio show, news show, podcast?
A. I do not really watch the news too often.  My radio is SiriusXM and I enjoy The Pulse, The Message and Hair Nation.  Podcasts, well I love a ton of the shows on the Mental health News Radio Network.  I really enjoy listening to the Family Life podcast.

Q.   What is your FAVORITE APP?
A. If APP stands for appetizer, then I would have to say the shrimp ceviche on the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas ship!

Q. What is your FAVORITE TV/cable/digital series?
A. Lately, I have been into Person Of Interest and God Friended Me

Q. Who is your FAVORITE Director?
A. Alex Kendrick’s movies are life changing.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Museum?
A. How about Ripley’s Believe It or Not Wax Museum in Texas.  I also enjoy the Moody Bible Institute Museum in Chicago.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Band/composer/musical artist?
A. I am a Def Leopard fan for sure. Big Daddy Weave is definitely up there, along with Plumb and Mac Powell.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Broadway musical/play?
A. I went to Stomp once.

Q. Who is your FAVORITE Psychologist or what school of thought as related to psychology?
A. Do not really have one.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Sport to watch? To play?
A. March Madness all the way.  I enjoy playing golf, water skiing, soccer, ultimate Frisbee.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Snack?
A. Snack starts with an “s”, so sugar of course.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Cuisine?
A. Mexican Cuisine and I get along just fine.

Q. What is your FAVORITE Restaurant?
A. I love me some Virgilio’s Pizzeria Dolce Diavolo pizza.

Q. What is your FAVORITE City?
A. City, township, community … well, I would have to say Walloon Lake, Michigan captured my heart as a young boy. I love the surrounding cities (Petoskey, Boyne, Charlevoix) and the spring fed lakes. Totally love it up in Northern Michigan (summers only, never winter)

Q. Have you ever been arrested and, if so, what for?
A. Oh my … which season in life.  Multiple MIPs in highschool.  A couple of overnights in jail due to public intoxification. Eleven (11) years into my recovery from alcohol and drugs, I had a mental breakdown (no substances involved) which landed me in prison for 10.5 months on a 13 year sentence … Arson was the charge.  (would love to provide more about this if you want, as I am an open book)

Q. Do you have any children?
A. Yes. 12 year old son. 10 year old daughter.

Q. Do you think the U.S. should adopt the Portuguese Decriminalization Model?
A. A version of this would be a heck of a lot better than the criminalized BIG business we have here in the US, especially in Colorado.

Q. What books are you reading now?
A. The Emyth Revisited, Victory Over The Darkness, The Bible, Coaching for Breakthrough Success

Q. Do you take work home with you?
A. I work from home and try to find balance

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
A. Live out of who God created you to be, not who society says you should become.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve given?
A. Live out of who God created you to be, not who society says you should become.

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, a disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?
A. Let’s say all of the above.

Q. What are five things you always carry with you?
A. My Faith, My dreams and aspirations, my phone, wallet and eyeglasses

Q. What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?
A. Jumped out of a plane at 16,000 feet while doing accelerated sky diving on my 27th birthday

Q. What is your biggest mistake?
A. Allowing fear to overtake my faith … a few times.

Q. What is the proudest moment in your life?
A. Baptizing my son.

Q. Is there a favorite “Quote” you would like to share?
A. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Q. What is your favorite Weekly News Bulletin?
A. The Addiction Recovery eBulletin, of course.