Suzanne Thistle

Suzanne L. Thistle, MA, MLADC, is an author, college educator, and addiction treatment consultant with a career focused on substance use disorder recovery and addiction treatment. Thistle's personal experience with sobriety, which began in the late 1980s, informs her professional approach to understanding and addressing addiction. Her background combines lived experience and academic training, offering a perspective valued by both individuals in recovery and professionals in the behavioral health field.

Thistle has held a variety of leadership positions in addiction treatment, including clinic manager, supervisor, and clinical and executive director at two treatment agencies. Her expertise encompasses the design and management of effective recovery programs. As a university instructor, Thistle teaches courses on drug use and misuse, integrating practical knowledge from her work in addiction counseling and recovery support. She has contributed to public policy as a member of the Governor's Coordination and Cooperation Task Force, served seven years on the Governor's Alcohol and Drug Treatment Task Force, and participated on the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire Association of Drug and Alcohol Counselors, including as chair of the Public Policy Committee.

Thistle is the author of "Chem-Free Sobriety," which draws on interviews with more than 100 individuals in long-term, abstinence-based recovery to highlight effective recovery pathways. Her second book, "God is in the Addict," provides a guide to the first 90 days of sobriety, a period often associated with high relapse risk. Her third book, "Parents, Addicted Children, and Hope," addresses the challenges faced by families affected by addiction.

Thistle has received recognition from peers in the addiction treatment and recovery community, including the Lifetime Advocacy Award from the New Hampshire Association of Drug and Alcohol Counselors for more than 15 years of service in addiction counseling and administration, as well as the Legislative Advocacy Award for work in client rights, treatment access, and care standards. She has also been honored with the Treatment Agency of the Year award. These awards acknowledge her contributions to addiction recovery, behavioral health, and advocacy for systemic change in addiction treatment across New Hampshire and beyond.