Honesty key to overcoming one's addiction

Each Tuesday, The Citizen features a health professional from the

Finger Lakes community in The Banks: This week, we spotlight alcohol and substance abuse counselor Marty Rindfleisch.

Q. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A. Seeing a client go through and changing their life, seeing them benefit from the treatment.

Q. What is the most challenging?

A. Dealing with the disease they have, if they relapse. Sometimes they're really resistant to the treatment, but it's the disease itself, they try so hard but they can't stop using. It can be a struggle.

Q. Describe your ideal patient.

A. Someone who comes in very honest with their feelings so you can work on the addiction. They're honest about how they're feeling and what's going on, if I don't know what's broke, I can't fix it. One word sums it up: honesty.

Q. What is the most difficult part about recovery?

A. Accepting life on life's terms. If you don't feel good about what you're doing, it's going to be a struggle.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone who's addicted to drugs or alcohol?

A. Be open-minded, take suggestions and don't give up. Keep trying. I'm a liaison for the drug court and a lot of people come in with criminal charges, but it's set up to help change their lives.

Q. What's the most common misconception you hear from patients?

A. They think we're in this for the money, but that's not true. I'm in it because I like to help people. I'm a recovering addict myself; I got help through CHAD in 1995.

Q. For someone considering a career like yours, what advice would you offer?

A. Take care of yourself. You deal with a lot of issues and problems, and if we're thinking about our own lives we can't be at 100 percent for our clients. I make sure my life is in order.

Q. What is your favorite medical TV show?

A. “House.” I don't watch TV a lot, I go to a lot of night groups still. “House” seems to be realistic, and it deals with a lot of major medical problems.

Q. Despite being in the health care field, people would probably be surprised that when I'm off the job, I _________.

A. Am still a pretty caring person and I live a pretty normal life. I'm down to Earth and I'm a lot of fun. I have a good sense of humor.

Marty Rindfleisch

Hometown: Auburn

Family: Wife, Denise;

children, Tiffany and Martin

Occupation: Alcohol and substance abuse counselor, CHAD (Confidential Help for Alcohol and Drugs), 75 Genesee St., Auburn

Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, cutting wood, camping and summer activities