In this raw and powerful episode of Finding New Waters, we sit down with Dr. Zach Miller, co-founder of Solutions Healthcare and a man whose story defies the odds. Zach takes us from using IV opioids at 14 and living on the streets, to building a life in recovery, earning his GED, and eventually earning his PhD in under a year.
He opens up about the hard truths of early addiction, how structure and accountability helped him thrive, and the lessons he’s learned as a treatment provider and researcher. We also explore his dissertation, which revealed a surprising link between health insurance type and opioid overdose risk.
Timestamps:
• [00:00] Welcome & Intro – Meet Dr. Zach Miller and his work in recovery
• [03:00] Early Addiction & Homelessness – IV opioid use at 14, kicked out in the snow
• [07:00] Wilderness Therapy & Mentorship – Finding purpose through pain
• [12:00] The Power of Structure – “I hate it, but I thrive in it”
• [17:00] Plus One Minus One – A brilliant recovery framework born from real experience
• [22:00] Getting a PhD in 11 Months – The journey back to academia
• [27:00] Dissertation Results – How insurance type predicts overdose frequency
• [34:00] Solutions Healthcare – His growing network of treatment centers in Florida
• [38:00] Final Words – On humility, leadership, and staying teachable
Key Topics Covered:
1. From Addiction to Academia – How Zach rebuilt from nothing and never stopped
2. The Importance of Structure – Why addicts often resist what they most need
3. The “Plus One Minus One” Model – Self-awareness in action
4. Overdose Data and Insurance – His PhD research explained
5. Humility and Leadership in Recovery – Why ego is the biggest relapse risk
Guest Bio:
Dr. Zach Miller
PhD, Co-Founder of Solutions Healthcare
Dr. Zach Miller is a recovery advocate, entrepreneur, researcher, and co-founder of Solutions Healthcare, a growing network of treatment centers in Florida. After surviving childhood addiction and homelessness, he rebuilt his life through mentorship, structure, and relentless self-work. Today, he holds a PhD and leads with a trauma-informed, accountability-based philosophy that’s saving lives. His dissertation research uncovered how insurance types correlate with non-fatal opioid overdose rates—an insight that’s reshaping how we view access to care.
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterthanideserve22(https://www.instagram.com/betterthanideserve22)
🌐 Website: https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.com(https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.com/)
Resources Mentioned:
• Solutions Healthcare: https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.com(https://www.solutionshealthcarefl.com/)
• Plus One Minus One Framework
• Find a 12-Step Meeting: https://www.aa.org(https://www.aa.org/)
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