James Patterson is the clinical director of Perennial Recovery and is a licensed independent clinical social worker. He has worked in various aspects of substance use treatment and behavioral health for 10 years before coming to Perennial Recovery.

As a person in long-term recovery, he is passionate about helping people recover from the disease of addiction, helping people live substance-free lives, and supporting those meeting and conquering their mental health challenges. Most recently, James was the clinical director of Right Turn in Watertown, MA, specializing in trauma-informed, evidence-based substance use disorder interventions and creative and expressive arts therapies. Prior to Right Turn, James created the first-ever addiction recovery care management program at Tufts Health Plan after working for several years in the inpatient psychiatry department at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.

James is also a paralegal, and before working in behavioral health, he worked in sales and marketing, which provides an additional dimension to his ability to engage and motivate people who are resistant to change. He maintains a small Boston-based private therapy practice.