For Mental Health Awareness Month, one Little Rock man is opening up about his personal path to healing. Travis French says his recovery began just four months ago when he joined a local program to take control of his mental health and overcome addiction. Now, he hopes to inspire others to seek help too.
Travis French joined Little Rock Recovery to build a better life after struggling with personal and family issues. He said he couldn’t do it alone and wants others to know they don’t have to either.
“I would invite anybody out there struggling family-wise, anything, that there’s a way out,” French said. “But I can’t figure it out on my own.”
While beating substance abuse was a major step, French explained that the real work came from within.
“I was just having some issues in my life,” he shared. “But during the program, I learned boundaries. The things I’ve learned to change in my thinking have kept me structured and grounded to walk through all of these troubles.”
According to the Arkansas Department of Human Services, one in five adults experiences a mental health illness each year. For French, therapy became the key to turning his life around.
“It’s like retraining how to react, how to do things,” he said. “It kind of navigated me through everything.”
Michel Godfrey, who founded Little Rock Recovery in February, said his own struggles with mental health pushed him to help others in similar situations.
“The history of where I come from and the feelings I’ve felt… have directed me back in this world because I care for the people who suffered just like I did,” Godfrey said.
French’s story highlights the importance of seeking support and speaking openly about mental health. As communities observe Mental Health Awareness Month, his journey serves as a reminder that recovery is possible — and no one has to go through it alone.
