Fighting Addiction with Exercise: The Phoenix Gym Comes to Dallas

The Phoenix plans to open a Dallas gym in early 2019 to promote sober living.

This fitness center offers more than just a place to work out, it provides a free opportunity for recovery — and it’s coming to Dallas.

The Phoenix gym members stand by the motto “RISE & RECOVER & LIVE.” All it takes is 48 hours of continuous sobriety and the signing of a Team Member Agreement for anyone to join The Phoenix gym for free. 

Since The Phoenix doesn’t ask for money from its members, donations from organizations help keep these free gyms open. Two of its most notable donors are the Koch brothers, who have invested $3 million through their programs to The Phoenix, according to The Daily Beast.

[Screenshot: The Phoenix Gym/YouTube]

The North Texas location is set to open early next year in a 7,500-square-foot space bought by Koch-network donor Arun Agarwal, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Agarwal—who you might recognize as the CEO of a half-billion-dollar Dallas-based textile company—told the WSJ he invested in the space after watching two of his employees combat their own painkiller addictions.

The upcoming Dallas gym is set to open next year in a 7,500-square-foot space.

The Phoenix gyms are for those “10 years sober, just starting down the path to recovery or supporting someone who has made the decision to get clean and sober.” Although these gyms help those in recovery, The Phoenix wants members to make no mistake: this is not a treatment center. Instead, it is a “recovery support community.” 

The Phoenix first opened its doors in 2006 and has since expanded to help more than 26,000 people on their road to recovery. Their belief system is simple: “we believe fostering human connections in mental, physical, and spiritual fitness is a powerful way to rebuild wounded bodies and spirits, and restore hope.” 

Along with offering traditional gym equipment such as treadmills and weights, The Phoenix also offers programs such as CrossFit, yoga, and even snowboarding. 

But exercising is only part of the process. The Phoenix offers members a chance to participate in a Workforce Development Program and a Volunteer Program to promote recovery in a variety of ways. 

Even if you’re not a Koch brother, those so inclined can donate here. For individuals currently struggling with recovery, The Phoenix lists these resources for those in need.

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