Lead Changes Recovery Center

04/09/2026

As my business continues to grow, I believe it’s important to share what we do and how we are doing it. If you or someone you know could benefit from these services, please feel free to reach out.

My name is Leanne Hoagland, and I am the owner of Lead Changes Recovery. I provide substance use assessments, outpatient treatment, education, and recovery support services for individuals working through substance use concerns and related requirements.

Our outpatient program utilizes evidence-based approaches, including:
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Motivational Interviewing
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) modalities
• Structured recovery book studies
• Equine-assisted therapy for experiential learning

I also incorporate my licensed therapy dog, Harley, who assists with emotional support during sessions.

Additional services include:
• Substance Abuse Evaluations
• SAP (Substance Abuse Professional) services for DOT return-to-duty requirements
• Follow-up testing and recovery accountability support

Lead Changes Recovery focuses on accountability, education, and practical tools that help individuals build long-term recovery and healthier decision-making skills.

For accessibility, I offer:
✔ Evening and weekend appointments
✔ In-person and telemedicine sessions
✔ Online scheduling, reminders, and billing through our secure system

We are currently accepting new clients and provide services in Montana and North Dakota. Lead Changes Recovery accepts most major insurances, offers a cash pay option, and I will be working toward Medicaid approval this May as I process my applications with the state of Montana for state approval.

My goal is to be a resource for our community and the professionals who serve it. If you have a client, friend, or family member who may benefit from these services, please reach out.

Follow and learn more here:

Facebook (support & educational content):
https://www.facebook.com/LeadChangesRecovery

Secure client portal & appointment requests:
https://leadchangesrecovery.clientsecure.me/

Learn about the equine portion of the program:
https://bigskyshires.wixsite.com/bigskyshires/lead-changes-recovery

04/07/2026

🧠 Ma*****na and Mental Health: What Does the Science Say?

For many years, cannabis has been promoted as a way to manage anxiety, depression, and PTSD. However, recent scientific reviews are challenging that belief.

Two comprehensive analyses published in The Lancet Psychiatry and JAMA found no clear clinical evidence that cannabis—including CBD or THC—effectively treats mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

Lead researcher Jack Wilson noted that most of the research studied controlled oral formulations of cannabis. This means that real-world use—especially smoked or high-potency products—likely has even less reliable evidence for mental health treatment.

Another growing concern is potency. Modern cannabis concentrates can reach THC levels as high as 80%, far higher than what was common in previous decades. Frequent use of these high-potency products has been linked to:

⚠️ Increased risk of cannabis use disorder
⚠️ Higher likelihood of psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia
⚠️ Greater vulnerability for young adults and developing brains

Rather than relying on unproven cannabis treatments, experts recommend evidence-based mental health care, including:

✔️ Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors when appropriate
✔️ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
✔️ Professional counseling and mental health support

These treatments have decades of research supporting their effectiveness and safety when supervised by trained professionals.

At Lead Changes Recovery, we believe education is an important part of recovery and mental wellness. Understanding the science behind substances and mental health helps people make informed decisions about their care.

📚 Source:
Sandee LaMotte (2026). Scientists say ma*****na doesn’t ease anxiety or other mental health conditions. CNN Health.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only.

04/07/2026

Not all “rewards” are created equal.

This graphic highlights how substances can artificially spike dopamine levels far beyond what the brain naturally produces. While everyday activities bring moderate, healthy pleasure, substances like ni****ne, co***ne, and methamphetamine can flood the brain—changing how it functions over time.

The result?
The brain begins to rely on those extreme spikes, making it harder to feel motivation, joy, and satisfaction from normal life.

That’s why recovery isn’t just about stopping use—it’s about retraining the brain, rebuilding healthy rewards, and learning to experience life again in a balanced, sustainable way.

At Lead Changes Recovery, we focus on education, awareness, and practical tools to help individuals understand what’s happening in their brain—and how to take it back.

Healing is possible. Balance can return.
One step at a time.

04/06/2026

Work your sobriety like something is always trying to negotiate with it—because the truth is, something usually is. Not always in dramatic ways, not always through obvious temptation, but through small cracks, quiet compromises, emotional exhaustion, pride, isolation, resentment, boredom, old thinking, and moments where you convince yourself you are stronger than the habits that once nearly buried you. That is why sobriety cannot be treated like a finish line you crossed once. It has to be treated like something alive—something that needs attention, protection, honesty, and daily respect.

Because addiction does not always come back looking like chaos. Sometimes it comes back sounding reasonable. It sounds like you’ve been doing good, you’re fine now, one slip won’t matter, one bad day doesn’t erase everything, nobody will know, you deserve relief, you can handle it differently this time. That is how dangerous old patterns are—they rarely announce themselves like destruction in the beginning. They often arrive dressed like comfort, relief, permission, or harmless compromise. And if a person stops staying alert, they can start drifting long before they realize how close they are to places they once promised they would never revisit.

That is why sobriety has to be worked with seriousness. Not fear—seriousness. The same seriousness someone would use protecting something they know cost blood, tears, years, relationships, trust, dignity, peace, and almost their life. Because if you fought hard to get your mind back, your family back, your mornings back, your clarity back, your name back, then you do not casually handle what nearly took all of that.

Work your sobriety when life feels heavy.

Work it when life feels good too.

Because some people only become vigilant in hard seasons and forget that comfort can make people careless just as fast as pain can make them vulnerable.

Stay honest when your thoughts shift.

Stay connected when isolation starts sounding attractive.

Stay accountable when pride says you are above needing it.

Stay aware when old emotions start waking up.

Protect what gave you your life back.

And understand this clearly: relapse often begins before substance ever enters the picture. It begins in the mind. In secrecy. In rationalizing. In withdrawing. In pretending you are okay when you know something internally is changing.

That is why recovery has to stay active. It is not punishment—it is respect for reality.

Because sobriety gave you things addiction never could: memory, presence, trust, mornings without shame, real connection, the ability to sit at the table with your family and actually be there, the ability to feel pain without being owned by it, the ability to build instead of destroy.

And anything that valuable deserves daily effort.

So work your sobriety like there is always something trying to pull you backward—not because you are weak, but because you understand what is at stake.

Because there is too much attached to your freedom now to treat it casually.

Too many prayers.

Too many people who love you.

Too much purpose.

Too much life waiting on the version of you that stays clear.

Protect that version fiercely.

Because what you fought to become deserves that kind of respect every single day.

04/04/2026

“If you keep doing what you are doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.”

Change can be uncomfortable—but staying stuck is often even harder.

Real growth happens when we’re willing to look honestly at our patterns and make different choices. Recovery, healing, and personal growth all begin with one decision to try something new.

Sometimes that change is asking for help.
Sometimes it’s learning new tools.
Sometimes it’s simply choosing a different direction today than you did yesterday.

At Lead Changes Recovery, we believe change is possible. With the right support, education, and accountability, people can build new habits, healthier relationships, and a better future.

A different path starts with one step. Let us help you.

04/03/2026

“It is impossible to understand addiction without asking what relief the addict finds, or hopes to find, in the drug or addictive behaviour.”

This powerful insight from Gabor Maté reminds us that addiction is not just about substances—it’s about pain, relief, and the human search for something to make life feel more manageable.

When we shift the question from “What’s wrong with this person?” to “What pain are they trying to escape?”, it opens the door to compassion, understanding, and real healing.

Recovery begins when people are given the space to explore the underlying struggles, build healthier coping tools, and reconnect with purpose and support.

At Lead Changes Recovery, we believe lasting change happens through education, accountability, and compassionate support.

03/23/2026

🚨 Why Choosing Qualified Professionals Matters 🚨

A recent investigation uncovered a troubling safety concern in the trucking industry. According to a report by FreightWaves, a truck driver who had previously tested positive for co***ne falsely presented himself as a certified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and allegedly cleared more than 1,000 drivers through the federal return-to-duty process. 

The return-to-duty process is designed to protect the public by ensuring drivers who violate drug and alcohol regulations receive proper evaluation, education, and monitoring before returning to safety-sensitive work. But when unqualified individuals exploit the system, it can create serious fraud and safety violations and weaken the safeguards meant to keep our highways safe. 

This story is a powerful reminder for employers, drivers, and anyone seeking services:

✔ Verify professional credentials and licensing
✔ Work with providers who follow DOT regulations and ethical standards
✔ Choose professionals who understand the responsibility of protecting public safety

Quality professionals do more than check boxes—they provide education, accountability, and support that helps people make real change while keeping communities safe.

At Lead Changes Recovery, integrity and professionalism matter. We are committed to providing ethical, qualified services and supporting individuals through recovery and compliance with care and accountability.

📖 Read the full article here (it’s a longer read, but it highlights important issues of fraud and safety in the system):
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/1-in-85-the-co***ne-positive-truck-driver-turned-pretend-sap-cleared-1000-drug-violations

How a co***ne-positive truck driver exploited a federal self-certification loophole to clear 1,000 prohibted Clearinghouse violations

03/21/2026

Did You Know?

Ketamine is sometimes known on the street as “Special K,” “Super K,” or “Cat Tranquilizer.” While ketamine has legitimate medical and veterinary uses, it is also misused for its dissociative and hallucinogenic effects.

When misused, ketamine can cause:
⚠️ Distorted perception of sight and sound
⚠️ Confusion and impaired judgment
⚠️ Loss of coordination
⚠️ Increased heart rate and blood pressure
⚠️ Breathing problems or unconsciousness at high doses

Using ketamine recreationally can be especially dangerous when combined with alcohol or other substances.

Education and awareness are important tools in prevention. Knowing the street names and potential risks helps people recognize warning signs and make informed decisions.

📄 Learn more in the DEA Ketamine Fact Sheet:
https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/ketamine

03/21/2026

Spring is waking up the arena! 🌱🐴

Today we’re watering the arena and getting things ready for warmer days ahead. With spring weather finally showing up, it means we can start spending more time working in the arena with the horses for clients who enjoy equine sessions.

The horses of Big Sky Shires have enjoyed their winter vacation, but it’s time for them to stretch their legs, shake off the winter dust, and get back to doing what they do best—helping people grow, learn, and move forward.

There’s something powerful about working alongside a horse. They meet people exactly where they are, offering honest feedback, patience, and connection. We’re excited for another season of learning and progress in the arena.

Spring is a season of fresh starts—and we’re ready.

03/20/2026

So you’ve relapsed ? Act immediately !
Once you have had a relapse, it is imperative that you act immediately to take the right actions to get back on the recovery path.

Don’t buy into the the idea, “oh I have had a relapse, I might as well make it a good one and use some more.” This is yourillness trying to sabotage you, to get you to suffer more.

Nor is it helpful to say to yourself, “Oh, this is it. I‟ve messed up and am now doomed. There‟s nothing I can do about it.”

This kind of self-defeating attitude only gives more power to your
addiction.

In fact all such negative thinking such as blaming yourself, reprimanding yourself, self-pity, seeing yourself as weak, a failure or bad are fundamentally rooted in your lack of understanding that you are suffering from a mental illness ( Addiction) and that
you have temporarily reverted to your old and familiar ways of living life.

Yet if you take a realistic attitude towards your illness and view relapse as a common and sometimes natural occurrence, then you can act immediately and use recovery tools to
get back to recovery.

[From Hamrah’s booklet ‘ Relapse’ ].
Relapse is not the end—it’s a signal.

It’s your opportunity to:
✔ Take responsibility without shame
✔ Reach out for support (don’t isolate)
✔ Get back into your recovery actions
✔ Manage the aftermath with honesty and care
✔ Seek professional support if needed
✔ Learn what led you here so you can strengthen your path forward

Recovery isn’t about never falling.
It’s about how quickly you get back up and what you learn when you do.

At Lead Changes Recovery, we walk alongside you—without judgment—helping you turn setbacks into comebacks.

You are not starting over.
You are starting from experience.

03/18/2026

Relapse doesn’t happen all at once—it’s a process. And it often starts long before any physical return to use.

This graphic is a powerful reminder to watch for the early warning signs:

🔴 Mental changes – confusion, extreme thinking, denial, or obsessive thoughts
🟡 Attitude changes – pride, self-reliance, rationalizing, or a shift in mindset
🔵 Behavior changes – isolation, impulsive choices, or slipping out of routine

The good news?
Awareness creates opportunity. When you can recognize these signs early, you can take action early.

✔ Reach out to someone you trust
✔ Revisit your coping tools
✔ Get back into structure and routine
✔ Be honest with yourself about what’s really going on

Recovery is not about being perfect—it’s about staying aware, staying connected, and making adjustments when things start to shift.

If you’re noticing these signs, you’re not alone—and it’s not too late to change direction.

Follow Lead Changes Recovery for support, education, and tools to help you stay on track. Accepting new clients, Montana and North Dakota licensed. Telemedicine or in person, evenings and weekends.

03/16/2026

Healing can happen in many ways—and sometimes the best teachers don’t say a word.

At Lead Changes Recovery & Equine Assisted Therapy, our horses play a powerful role in the recovery journey. Horses have a unique ability to sense emotion, respond honestly, and help people become aware of what they’re feeling in the moment. Through connection, trust, and quiet presence, they help people slow down, reflect, and begin to rebuild confidence.

Programs like the horses at Stable Recovery at Taylor Farms have shown just how powerful this kind of work can be. Horses create a safe space where people can practice patience, communication, boundaries, and self-awareness—skills that carry over into everyday life and recovery.

Just like the horses there, the horses in our program help people rediscover strength, resilience, and hope. Sometimes the most meaningful breakthroughs happen in the pasture, standing beside a horse that simply meets you where you are.

Healing doesn’t always happen in an office.
Sometimes it happens in the arena, the barn, or the quiet moments between a person and a horse.

Follow our page for more inspiration, education, and updates on our equine-assisted recovery work.










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