Meet the Director

a spiritual revolution

My name is Jake Linton. I was born and raised in Southaven, MS, where I still reside. Life was fairly unextraordinary in my early years. I played sports, rode bikes, and stayed busy as a kid growing up in a working-class neighborhood. My parents were always there for me and we had what we needed. Life was pretty simple. I graduated from Southaven High School, and lost my brother, Nick, that same year. I had already began experimenting with various substances, but around this time I began behaving more and more recklessly. The next few years were marked by depression, self-medication, and visits to institutions of various types.

Going to treatment “one last time” seemed like the end of the road, but turned out to be the beginning of an incredible new life. I stayed in a new area for some time, living in a supportive housing environment and working for the same treatment center I was once a patient of. I moved back home to finish my undergraduate degree from Ole Miss- a BBA in Business Management. I worked in various roles in the mental and behavioral health field over another 5 years. This first decade of my journey working in this space gave me tremendous insight into all things “A&D treatment.” I also became hyper-aware of the gap between institutions and community-based resources. I had experiences, good and not-so-good, living in supportive housing arrangements in the past. I was able to use those experiences to create something new to our area- something that could really work for people who had been where I had been, and who had felt hopelessness as I had once felt it. Thanks to what I call the “perfect storm”- a business degree, diverse work experience in “the field,” and my personal experience as a recovering person- Tried and True was born late in 2016.

My life today is full of love, fulfillment, inner-peace, and a sense that no matter what happens- I will prosper. I thank God for it all. I am faithfully married to a loving, beautiful wife who supports my own Recovery and what we do at Tried and True. We have three amazing boys for whom our world turns. I am an active participant in my family and an involved citizen in my community. I owe everything I have to God, my family, and to the countless everyday heroes who gave freely of themselves when no reward was offered. There is a huge number of these people amongst us- those who answer the call and stand with others who are at their lowest. Many of my friends did not survive their battles. The precious gift I have been given is not lost on me. I have seen the worst of outcomes play out, and I have also seen many, many stories like mine. I believe that by using the right tools at the right time, people can make immense progress in every area of their lives. Whoever and wherever you are- my hope is that you continue to grow and develop as a human being- that whatever pain you have experienced transforms into the very fuel that moves you forward and onward. After all, we are all recovering from something.

I’d be happy to speak with you or consult for your group. Click below to reach out!