About US

Alicia Ayala-Guess

Alicia is an independent film maker and artist born in California. She currently lives near Miami Florida. Her parents were both artists. Alicia’s passion for film, art and music is a driving force to create projects like these. This project is an example of her altruistic philosophy since its for the common good and is not connected to any financial profit entity. Alicia filmed and/or directed all the footage for the film (excluding two social media posts submitted by cast) Alicia edited 5 episodes using Adobe Premier Pro. Alicia is in her own recovery from alcohol and used her understanding of the condition to fuel this project. “Creating this film has been a long journey and is well worth the sacrifice to help others along their way

Chris "CJ" Dowdell

Chris has over 48 years of continuous recovery from alcohol. He lives in the United States and served in the US Military in Vietnam. Along with a long career as a NYPD police officer, Chris also was Director of several large detox, rehab and treatment centers. Therefore Chris has a vast knowledge on the subject of Sobriety and Recovery. He gave this wisdom unconditionally with numerous hours in the course of this project spanning 2 years. Without Chris Dowdell this project would have been less than a mere shadow of what it turned out to be. We are eternally grateful for his contributions and his dedication to Lives in Recovery.

Kevin W.

Kevin W. lives in the United States with his family. Kevin has been on his recovery path for decades and is dedicated to spreading awareness about Harm Reduction and the benefits that it offers. Kevin loves photography, and his main photographic focus has been with capturing nature. We are ever so grateful for Kevin’s involvement with “Lives in Recovery” His recovery content in the film and his role as Editorial Executive Producer brought forth an imperative and vital contribution. His long commitment to the recovery community is apparent by his nonstop supportive actions and his continual heart felt contribution throughout all these decades. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of your recovery and thank you for being a part of mine” Kevin W.

Eric Claussen

EC is a graduate of ActTrue with Master Teacher Marc Durso utilizing the Uta Hagen Technique. He has an extensive range and portrays many unique characters in Film and TV. He is also an outstanding Speaker with a powerful story of overcoming drug and alcohol addiction having been a member of Toastmasters International since 2014. Helping others is a passion of his and he coaches many people to improve the quality of their lives guiding them to becoming the best version of themselves.

Min Jayson Future

Min Jayson Future is a Zambian singer, musician and gospel song writer popularly known by his stage name “ Min Jayson Future ” based in Lusaka.He released his first album in June 2022, he officially began his music career in 2016 with a band called SGB, also called Success Gospel Band. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays keyboard and drums. He has smooth silky vocals that makes one notice the minute one hears his voice. Despite his gift, he has a demeanor that tells you he has a heart for ministering the word of God and providing inspiration in the process. Those who have interacted with him or have had the pleasure of attending his performances will attest that his star will shine bright in the future of Zambian gospel

Lymar Shaw

Lymar (They/Them) resides in South Florida is a highly skilled and accomplished Makeup Artist and all Beauty Specialist. Is renowned for their comprehensive expertise in the beauty industry for over a decade, Lymars dedication to providing professional and exceptional services has made Lymar sought-after. Professionalism is evident in every aspect of Lymars work. Whether it be in beauty passion, glitter, artistic flair, fashion on or off runway styling in Miami or subtle glamour for headshots, Lymar delivers stunning results. This attention to detail and expertise has been featured in Lives in Recovery Episode 6 “The Mirror” Lymar transforms the lead character in stages and the result was a resounding success due to Lymar’s artistic vision and ability to illustrate the character’s journey from self-loathing to self-love.

Crystal Magee

Crystal Magee is a native of Picayune, MS and currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Crystal received her Bachelor of Science from Jackson State University in 2007 and Master of Arts from American Public University in 2014. Crystal is an actress, writer, therapist, and small business owner. She is owner/operator of Illustrious Dance Center, LLC that has been in operation since 2017. She started dancing at the age of 4 years old and enjoys teaching ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, hip hop, & Zumba® to her students. Crystal has written and directed plays for churches within her community. She has organized and directed talent shows for Community of Christians Helping Youth, a community service organization in Picayune, MS. She has attended acting classes from Green Room Acting Studio in Boca Raton, FL and has participated in local commercials and film productions. Crystal is passionate about the art of acting as well as dancing

Anne Luna

Born in the Philippines and raised in The Bay Area, California, Anne is driven by passion and discipline. At 3.5 years old began playing piano, quickly excelling in competitions and performing at a high level until early adulthood. While music is a major part of her life, sports played an equally significant role—basketball was her first love, but over time, she shifted her focus to golf, earning a college scholarship to a Division 1 university. In her 20s, Anne started acting classes initially to build confidence in public speaking but soon discovered a deep love for the craft. This led to roles in short films, feature-length productions, plays, and, most consistently, commercial and print work. Anne’s diverse background in music, athletics, and acting showcases her ability to excel in multiple disciplines, always embracing new challenges with drive and determination. Anne’s role as Suni in Lives in Recovery Episode 1 and 2 exhibits her talent with character acting in a dramatic role and demonstrates her incredible talent and acting abilities. Her natural beauty and photogenic talent adds charisma to the screen. We are so grateful for Annes participation in this long term significant project.

Marvin McCLoe

Coach Marv McCLoe grew up and resides in Scranton, Pennsylvania USA. Coach Marv’s incredibly strong faith in God fuels his recovery and he has been a consistent inspiration to his community, family, friends and his clients for close to a decade. Coach Marv works in the recovery field and supports three separate recovery rehab centers in his area. His client recovery community highly benefits from his uplifting encouragement by offering tools, strategies and methods that are proven to help start the recovery process.
Coach Marv’s experience in recovery was a tremendous addition to our film project “Lives in Recovery” and we are eternally grateful for his participation. You can follow Coach Marvin’s free Instagram account to get daily inspiration!

Cathy Trinh

Cathy Trinh is an award-winning inspirational speaker, humanitarian, and a driving force for global healing and empowerment. Born in Vietnam and raised in California, her journey has fueled a passion for uplifting others. As a #1 international bestselling author and the engaging host of the “Stay Unmuted” podcast, Cathy shares powerful insights on personal empowerment, self-mastery, and an abundance mindset. Through her coaching, speaking, and the global women’s network SoulCare Society, she inspires leaders and entrepreneurs to create meaningful impact and live deeply fulfilling lives, drawing strength from her own recovery journey and commitment to human connection.

Leo Torres

Leo Torres is a data engineer, entrepreneur and actor. He lives in South Florida with his family and two children. Leo was the very first participant to offer support and his acting talents for our project “Lives in Recovery” Although Leo doesn’t suffer from our condition, his empathy and sacrifice gave our project incredible depth. Leo’s intense passion for his own acting, as a craft is obvious and apparent in all the dramatic and deep scenes he participated in. From the directors view point, it was very smooth to work with Leo since he understood and shared our vision. We will always be ever so indebted and grateful to Leo Torres.

Andrew Matthews

Andrew Matthews is a graduate of the Theater Program at The State University of New York at New Paltz and Orange County Community College. He further honed his craft at HB Studio The Actors Institute and The Barrow Group in New York City.
Andrew has graced some of New York City’s most historic venues, including Theater for the New City, The American Theater of Actors, St. Luke’s Theater, The Actors Temple, Times Square Theater, The Producers Club, 78th Street Theater Lab, Gene Frankel Theater and the 36th Street Theater.
His Off-Broadway appearances include the long-running Black Angels Over Tuskegee and 12 Steps: The Musical, as well as a performance at The United Solo Festival along with The Shotgun Theater Festival, 8 Minute Theater Festival, The Central Park Plays and Midtown International Theater Festival and The Secret Theater.
As the founder of the ODAAT Players in the Hudson Valley, Andrew has directed and produced his own plays, showcasing a cast of actors in recovery from addiction to appreciative audiences who understand the journey.
In addition to his theater work, Andrew has written, directed, and produced several award-winning short films. His notable works include Bill W and Jimmy K, which won Best Film at the Art of Recovery Film Festival, and 3 Minutes in Albany, which won Best Screenplay at the Catskill International Film Festival’s 72 Hour Competition. Other films include Strung Out and Vax & Scratch.
At Lives in Recovery we are so thrilled to have his participation. Thank you Andrew!

Chris Myth

Chris Myth is a guitarist and vocalist who is currently playing solo and duo acoustic shows in both South Florida and Colorado and travels throughout the United States performing his music in a variety of venues. Chris produces and performs his own original music creating compositions that are inspiring and uplifting. Originality and creativity are not a stranger to Chris since his original style is enlightening and unique. His lifelong dedication and passion for his craft expresses itself through the love he has for music and for live performance. Chris’s compositions manifest freely without the lack of inspiration in order to perfect and execute his heartfelt craft. Chris has played thousands of shows along the journey, and continues to evolve and entertain on a wide range of stages in the US and Portugal.
Chris has also been honored to perform as a lead guitarist for national touring acts such as Austin Giorgio, and has been on the same bill as Taj Mahal, the Funky Meters, Leftover Salmon, the String Cheese Incident, and the Yonder Mountain String band. This history makes Chris and his work the true definition of art. At Lives in Recovery we are deeply grateful and honored for his composition of “Amazing Grace” in Episode 3 that he composed specifically for our recovery film project, in addition to the background composition in the Funeral Ceremony in Episode 2. Many many thanks from all of us at Lives in Recovery!

Cody Sound Healer

Cody lives in Arizona with his wife and three children and travels throughout the United States. Cody offers “A space for Inner Balance and Wellness” through in person group Sound healing meditation sessions. His Alternative and Holistic Healing sessions explore the transformative power of Sound, Breathwork Meditation and Reiki. Cody has numerous compositions and several albums. He performs Native Worldwide Flutes along with many other organic instruments. Additionally, he performs frequently on “Live Social Media” sharing his gift to inspire and uplift those that share his space. We were so thrilled that Cody agreed be included in Lives In Recovery. We include his original flute compositions throughout Episodes 3, 4, 5 & 6. We thank Cody for all that he does to help the world through his group meditation sessions and for bringing inspiration into our daily lives. We are eternally grateful.

Craig "C Sharp"

Craig Sharp Lived in Northern California and was a teacher at Chico University. Craig composed the music for his favorite melody “Desire” many years prior to his participation in Lives in Recovery and offered it as his musical contribution. Also, notably Craig is the first voice you hear in Episode One. His natural free flowing acting ability is showcased in both Episodes One and Two. His passion for composing music and for his guitars were his loyal companions throughout his entire life until the very end. In addition to his musical contributions to Lives in Recovery, we are so honored that C-Sharp agreed to play the role of an agoraphobic and as the lead characters best friend. We remember C-Sharp very fondly with his critical thinking, his wit, his artist nature, as a teacher, his comedic mind and heightened creativity. May he rest in Peace. C-Sharp will be sorely missed by all who knew him!

LIVES IN RECOVERY

About Us