addiction counselor
Born to Gene and Joanne Webb in Lubbock, Texas, Lori McCarter earned a LPN Degree in Nursing in 1980 from the Lubbock School of Nursing. Her profession as an addiction counselor began due to her own struggles with alcohol addiction which spanned a period of 16 years. Having remained sober for 34 years now, she is passionate about helping others overcome their own addictions through counseling.
She is currently the program director of Stepping Stone to Recovery based in Louisville, Tennessee, where she collaborates with colleagues to provide the highest level of care for their patients. Her role also involves handling referrals and developing programs and group activities for patients. Prior to this, Lori served as a nurse from 1989 until 1991. In 1992, she got her LADAC License and was a counselor at Cornerstone of Recovery, another addiction facility also located in Louisville. During this time period, she obtained her counselor license in 1992, and began her involvement with the Fireside Sobriety Circle in 1996. Cornerstone of Recovery is the main company that owned Stepping Stone, which was bought by Bradford HealthCare in 2021.
Throughout her career, she has held many other clinical and counseling positions at Brookhaven Retreat, Serenity Centers of Tennessee, L&M Counseling, East Tennessee Human Resource Agency as well as owned and operated White Spirit Lodge Inc,. Furthermore, she served as the president of the State of Tennessee Association for Addiction Professionals, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Tennessee Association for Addiction Professionals in 2016, and was elected conference chair for the East Tennessee Association for Addiction Professionals in 2021.
Lori McCarter holds active memberships with the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, as well as with Alcoholics Anonymous. She is well-regarded in her field, and among her career achievements over three decades, Lori believes that the highlight for her has been training the next generation of professional addiction counselors. She feels honored to be able to offer the following advice to budding counselors – ‘Know yourself, know what you’re bringing into the field, and be kind, ethical and professional.’
Ms. McCarter believes in the power of spiritual connection and frequently spends time in sweat lodges praying. She credits her success to Bill Hood, as he was a mentor and was instrumental in teaching her how to deal with different clients and their needs. In the future, Lori aims to expand the scope of her current role at Stepping Stone to Recovery before her retirement, in the not too distant future.