John Cates, Director, CEO and founder of Lifeway, a 501(C) 3 organization, was selected 2001 U.S. Counselor of the Year for the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. Over the last 30 plus years John has touched tens of thousands of lives worldwide (25 years in Houston) by designing, implementing, and working hands on with family programs to help heal those suffering from chemicaldependency. John co-authored the book, “Recovering Our Children: A Handbook for Parents of Young People in Early Recovery,” a priceless tool for parents and families confronted with the disease of addiction. Innate is his ability to help recover a suffering culture and establish new cultural norms through community education, locally, nationally and world-wide.

There are only about 12 individuals in the United States that share the experience level (over 30 years) that John possesses. This leader was nominated by TAAP (and awarded by NAADAC) the 2001 National Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor of the Year. In the year 2000, John received the Texas Drug Counselor of the Year award as well as the Houston Chapter of TAAP (Texas Association of Addiction Professionals) Counselor of the Year award. In 1996, he was cited for Exemplary Legislative Service to the Field of Alcohol and Drug Abuse by TAADAC. In 1991, John was invited to Moscow for consultation with the “All Union Center for Bio-Medical Research in Addiction” on the “Enthusiastic Approach.” In 1984 and 1985, John was elected to Who’s Who in the South and Southwest. John was one of five members of a design team that created one of the first multi-modality acute care treatment approaches in 1978 updating the design again in 1986-88 that is currently being used in the U.S. and Canada.

“Devoted, committed and ENTHUSIASTIC!” would best describe Lifeway International’s founder and CEO, John Carrington Cates. John dons a suit and tie when speaking in public but wears a comfortable smile, a long-sleeved shirt over a favorite t-shirt (and then there’s that blue Hawaiian shirt), and a heart of gold when he is interacting and impacting the young people. For years John has lead recovering youth in the exuberating fashion of fun, excitement, adventure and spiritual growth. Time spent with John in one-on-one or group counseling, on a summer service retreat, or just in a quick chat and firm hug in the hall, reveals his passion for living life in service to recovering young people and their families.

John shows the kids that he can be a “goober” and laugh at himself as he sings a silly song or cracks a …. funny… joke (you have to laugh really loud or he tells another one). John bespeaks recovery in his EVERY thought, word and deed. Some leaders are forceful and charismatic (and John is both), but his definitive qualities are in his inner-strength, a strength that comes from a respect for God and for all others. John “beams” in appreciation of staff and client and in every aspect of his service to the community. John tries to model his own life as in a favored quoted verse of St. Francis of Assisi. Inside of St. Francis’ quote comes John’s own simple but profound words…

“Grab a hand!”
– by John Cates