Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Jordan.
Hi Josh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey into this work started once i had recovered from alcoholism and heroin addiction. In 2014, I entered treatment and was fortunate to experience a profound transformation that changed the trajectory of my life. Through that process, I developed a deep appreciation for the role that community, accountability, and purpose play in long-term healing.
After getting sober, I began building a career in the behavioral health field, working in admissions, outreach, and business development while staying closely connected to the recovery community. In 2017, I founded Cardinal House Recovery, a men’s sober living community in North Texas focused on helping individuals build meaningful lives in recovery through structure, connection, and personal responsibility.
As we continued to see lives and families transformed, it became clear that many people could also benefit from support beyond what traditional recovery housing could provide. That led to the development of Cardinal Recovery Center, where we’ve expanded our approach to include mental health treatment, psychiatry, wellness coaching, and experiential therapies alongside the principles that have always guided our work.
Today, my focus is helping build systems, communities, and organizations that support lasting change while continuing to advocate for a more comprehensive and human-centered approach to recovery and mental health care.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not. Like most worthwhile things, it has been far from a smooth road.
The work itself is deeply meaningful, but building organizations that help people recover and heal comes with plenty of challenges. There were years of wearing multiple hats, long hours, financial uncertainty, difficult decisions, and the constant responsibility that comes with serving people and families during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
There have also been very personal losses along the way. One of Cardinal House’s co-founders passed away, and over the years I have lost several close friends and colleagues as well. Anyone who has spent enough time in the recovery space understands the heartbreak that can come with this work. Those losses have reinforced for me that what we do is not theoretical. It matters, and it matters right now. They have deepened my commitment to showing up for the people and families who place their trust in us.
At the same time, life has brought incredible blessings. My wife and I have welcomed children into the world while growing businesses and serving others. Fatherhood has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but it has also challenged me in ways I never anticipated. The demands of family, business ownership, and leadership can feel overwhelming at times. What I have found is that the principles we teach the men we serve, such as community, accountability, honesty, spiritual growth, self care, and asking for help, are not things we simply preach. They are the very tools I have relied on as my own life has become fuller and more complex.
My champion of a wife has a saying that captures this season of our lives perfectly: “Our hands are full, but so are our hearts.” That is true not only because of our growing family, but also because of the work we have the privilege of doing for other families. While the road has not been smooth, I would not trade the lessons, relationships, or sense of purpose that have come from the journey.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Cardinal House Recovery was founded in 2017 with a simple mission: to create a place where men could build meaningful, purpose driven lives in recovery. What began as a sober living community has grown into a broader continuum of care that now includes Cardinal Recovery Center, our men’s mental health and outpatient treatment program in Plano.
At Cardinal House, we specialize in helping men establish a strong foundation through structure, accountability, community, and personal growth. At Cardinal Recovery Center, we have expanded that foundation by integrating psychiatry, wellness coaching, somatic and experiential therapies, attachment focused work, and evidence based clinical care. Together, these programs allow us to support men and their families through multiple stages of healing and growth.
What sets us apart is that we have never viewed recovery or mental health through a single lens. We believe lasting change requires attention to the whole person. Clinical care matters. Community matters. Physical health matters. Spiritual development matters. Family systems matter. Rather than treating these elements as separate, we work to integrate them into a cohesive experience that helps people build lives they are excited to live.
We are also proud of the culture we have created. Many organizations talk about family and community, but we have worked intentionally to build environments where people feel genuinely seen, challenged, supported, and connected. The relationships formed within our programs often continue long after treatment or housing services end.
More than anything, I am proud of the people. I am proud of the men who have done the difficult work of changing their lives, the families who have trusted us during vulnerable seasons, and the team members who show up every day with skill, compassion, and integrity. Buildings, programs, and brands are important, but they are only vehicles for people. If there is anything we want readers to know, it is that our mission has always been about helping individuals and families discover that healing, growth, and transformation are possible.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have mixed feelings about the word luck because so much of what has happened in my life has been influenced by the choices of others, my own decisions, and a great deal of hard work. That said, I would be dishonest if I did not acknowledge the role that both good fortune and difficult circumstances have played along the way.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been given a second chance through recovery. I was surrounded by people who invested in me when I had very little to offer in return. Mentors, friends, family members, and professionals helped me find a new direction when I needed it most. Many of the opportunities that followed began with someone opening a door, offering guidance, or believing in me before I fully believed in myself.
At the same time, some of the most important lessons have come through experiences that felt like bad luck in the moment. Losing friends and colleagues, navigating personal and professional setbacks, and facing unexpected challenges forced me to grow in ways I otherwise might not have. Looking back, many of the difficulties that I would have gladly avoided ended up shaping my character, strengthening my faith, and clarifying my purpose.
As a mental health professional, I can sometimes be reluctant to talk openly about the role God has played in my life. But if I am being honest, He has had far more to do with my circumstances than my plans ever have. The older I get, the less convinced I am that everything can be explained by strategy, talent, or even luck. I have come to trust intuition more and more. I think intuition is one of the most underrated gifts we all possess, some more naturally than others, and on my best days I work to refine it and listen to it more clearly. Many of the most meaningful decisions in my life have come from a quiet sense of direction that, for me, is deeply connected to faith.
I also recognize how fortunate I am to be surrounded by extraordinary people. The success of Cardinal House Recovery and Cardinal Recovery Center is not the result of any one person. It is the product of a remarkable team, supportive partners, mentors, and a family that has encouraged me through every stage of the journey.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that luck may open a door, but what happens next depends on what you do with the opportunity. I am grateful for the blessings I have received, humbled by the challenges I have faced, and committed to making the most of both.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cardinalhouserecovery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardinalhouserecovery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cardinalhousesoberliving/
- Other: https://thecardinalrecoverycenter.com/
