Brent Botros, LCAS-A, CADC
Founding Program Director
- Updated:
Brent Botros, LCAS-A, CADC, is Founding Program Director of Tree House Recovery NC in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he leads the same addiction treatment program that treated him as a client in 2015 at the original Tree House location in Costa Mesa, California. Born and raised in Wilmington, Brent opened the East Coast site in his hometown in 2022 — closing a loop that began seven years earlier when he first walked through the Tree House doors as a client.
He holds a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist — Associate credential (LCAS-A, certificate LCAS-30879, approved June 8, 2026 by the NC Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board, valid through June 7, 2031), a North Carolina Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor credential (CADC #27501, issued October 2021), and an Oregon CADC originally earned in 2018. Brent holds a Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2026) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fayetteville State University (2024).
What to expect when working with Brent
My philosophy on treatment runs counter to the standard model. We have to treat addiction by healing the whole person — a true biopsychosocial approach that touches every dimension of wellbeing. That means structured physical fitness and non-pharmaceutical interventions to improve physiological functioning. It means data-driven psychosocial treatment that strengthens cognitive and neurological functioning. And it means building lasting social bonds that address the disconnection at the heart of addiction.
I conceptualize addiction as a neurological pattern — a wiring that drives someone toward unhealthy substances to reach a level of fulfillment that is available through healthier, more sustainable sources.
Patients working with me can expect a level of bluntness that confronts issues without hesitation, paired with empathy that comes from shared experience. I do not give up on people. I reach into the dark corners of their past because I have been there myself, and I walk them out of it alongside them.
— Brent Botros, LCAS-A, CADC, Founding Program Director, Tree House Recovery NC
How Brent lives the work
Brent’s clinical work is grounded in a biopsychosocial model of recovery — and he lives it. In long-term recovery since May 2015, Brent integrates structured physical activity, community, and connection into his daily life: surfing, training, time with family and his dog, and physical events like Spartan Races. The same elements he integrates into Tree House Recovery’s program.
Lived experience
Brent is in long-term personal recovery from substance use disorder, with a recovery start date of May 6, 2015. He completed Tree House Recovery’s residential program as a client that same year and joined the staff one year later, in 2016. Lived experience contributes to Brent’s perspective on recovery and is distinct from the clinical credentials listed below.
Brent’s path through Tree House
Brent joined Tree House Recovery on May 7, 2016 at the founding California clinic in Costa Mesa as a Registered Alcohol Drug Trainee (RADT) and ESM Fitness Therapist, delivering Tree House’s signature fitness-based experiential therapy. In 2018, he transferred to the Portland, Oregon clinic, where he earned his Oregon CADC and was promoted to Physical Empowerment Director. He served at the Portland clinic delivering direct care through June 2022.
In 2021, the founders of Tree House Recovery selected Brent to launch and lead Tree House Recovery’s first East Coast location. He earned his North Carolina CADC (license #27501) on October 25, 2021, in preparation for the move. He relocated to Wilmington in June 2022 and opened Tree House Recovery NC the following month, initially as the program’s sole on-site staff member. He has served as the founding Program Director of Tree House Recovery NC since its opening.
In June 2026, Brent earned his North Carolina LCAS-A credential (certificate LCAS-30879) after receiving his Master of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke — expanding his scope to clinical-specialist-level addiction care under the supervision of Mary Dowd, LCAS, LCMHC, CCS, Clinical Supervisor at Tree House Recovery NC.
Credentials & licensure
- Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist — Associate (LCAS-A) — Certificate LCAS-30879, North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board (NCSAPPB). Approved June 8, 2026, valid through June 7, 2031. Supervised by Mary Dowd, LCAS, LCMHC, CCS, Clinical Supervisor at Tree House Recovery NC. Verify with NCSAPPB.
- North Carolina Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) — License #27501, NCSAPPB, issued October 2021. Verify with NCSAPPB.
- Oregon Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) — Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO), earned 2018. Verify with MHACBO.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer — CrossFit, completed October 2021. Supports fitness-based experiential therapy practice; this is a fitness credential, not a clinical credential.
Education
- Master of Social Work (MSW), University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 2026.
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Fayetteville State University, 2024.
Clinical focus
Botros’s clinical focus is substance use disorder counseling, relapse prevention, emotional regulation; group therapy facilitation, family systems work, experiential and action-based modalities, fitness-based experiential therapy, addiction psychology education, and trauma-informed group facilitation.
Languages spoken at therapeutic fluency: English.
Populations served
- Adult Men
- Adult Women
- Families
- Professionals
- Veterans
- First responders
Professional presence
- New Hanover County Opioid Epidemic Town Hall, 2019.
- Cape Fear Academy speaking engagement, 2019.
- Cape Fear Academy speaking engagement, 2025.
- WWAY-TV coverage of Tree House Recovery NC opening, July 2022.
- WECT coverage of Tree House Recovery NC opening, July 2022.
Client experience
“Tree House is undoubtedly the best decision I could have made to help me with my challenges. Brent Botros truly has a gift as both a counselor and fitness coach that gets the best out of individuals. THR sets itself apart from other traditional/conventional services via a holistic approach that fosters a sustainable recovery program. Truly a blessing to the greater Wilmington, NC area.”
— Verified Google review, Tree House Recovery NC, 2023
Tree House Recovery NC maintains a 5.0/5 average across 34 verified client reviews on its Google Business Profile, including multiple reviews that name Brent specifically.
Common questions
Is Brent licensed?
Yes. Brent Botros holds a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist — Associate credential (LCAS-A, certificate LCAS-30879, approved June 8, 2026, valid through June 7, 2031) and a North Carolina Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor credential (CADC #27501, issued October 2021), both administered by the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board (NCSAPPB). He earned his original CADC in Oregon in 2018, administered by the MHACBO registry. His LCAS-A practice is supervised by Mary Dowd, LCAS, LCMHC, CCS, Clinical Supervisor at Tree House Recovery NC.
What populations does Brent specialize in serving?
Brent works with adult men in early and ongoing recovery from substance use disorder, including young adults, professionals, first responders, and their families. As Founding Program Director of Tree House Recovery NC, he interacts with the full spectrum of clients in the program’s residential, intensive outpatient, and aftercare tiers.
What treatment modalities does Brent use?
Brent integrates fitness-based experiential therapy (anchored by his CrossFit Level 1 Trainer credential), substance use disorder counseling, relapse-prevention work, emotional-regulation skill-building, group facilitation, and family systems work. His 2026 Master of Social Work and LCAS-A credential have expanded his scope to clinical-specialist-level addiction care.
Does Brent have lived recovery experience?
Yes. Brent is in long-term personal recovery from substance use disorder, with a recovery start date of May 6, 2015, and is a graduate of Tree House Recovery’s residential program (completed 2015). He joined the Tree House staff one year after completing treatment and has served across Tree House Recovery’s California, Oregon, and North Carolina clinics since 2016.
How can I verify Brent’s credentials?
North Carolina credentials (LCAS-A and CADC #27501): NCSAPPB. Oregon CADC: MHACBO registry. Professional history: LinkedIn. Client reviews: Tree House Recovery NC on Google.