As the Alumni Coordinator at Full of Life Recovery Center, Adrien plays an active and meaningful role in supporting both current patients and members of the Full of Life alumni community. Known for his dependability, compassion, and willingness to step in wherever needed, he works closely with the clinical and operations teams while helping patients remain connected to the support, resources, and relationships that are important throughout their recovery journey.
Adrien’s growth throughout his career began in his role as a Behavioral Health Technician, where he supervised patients and gained valuable experience navigating the day-to-day realities of the treatment environment. That experience gave him a deeper understanding of the unique situations patients may encounter while in treatment, from adjusting to a structured environment and managing difficult emotions to rebuilding relationships, preparing for life after treatment, and learning how to approach recovery one day at a time.
As Adrien continued to grow within his profession, his ability to connect with patients and understand their individual circumstances became an important part of the support he provides. His firsthand experience working alongside patients has allowed him to recognize when someone may need encouragement, additional guidance, or simply someone who understands what they are going through. Today, as Alumni Coordinator, he draws on those experiences to help patients navigate challenges during treatment while also helping them build a strong connection to the recovery community that can continue long after discharge.
His passion for the treatment field is also deeply rooted in his own experience with recovery. Originally from Levittown, Pennsylvania, Adrien found his calling in helping others navigate many of the same challenges he once faced. With nearly five years of personal recovery, he brings a unique combination of professional experience, personal understanding, empathy, and genuine connection to the individuals he serves.
For Adrien, working in the treatment field is more than a career, it is an opportunity to give back, build meaningful relationships, and help others recognize that a fulfilling life in recovery is possible. His goal is to be the person he needed when he was seeking help and to remind every individual he works with that their story does not end when treatment is completed. In many ways, treatment can be the beginning of an entirely new chapter.
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Edmundo A. Rodriguez-Frias, M.D., is a dual-board-certified gastroenterologist and geriatrician with 24 years of experience in internal medicine and 12 years dedicated to caring for patients with digestive health concerns. Currently serving as a medical contributor at Full of Life, he provides comprehensive, expert care across multiple hospital facilities and clinical locations with clinical affiliations at Anderson Hospital and The Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus. By specializing across gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, internal medicine, and hospital medicine, Dr. Rodriguez-Frias is uniquely equipped to address the complex medical needs that often arise as patients age. He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Facultad De Medicina Alberto Hurtado) in Lima, Peru, before completing an Internal Medicine internship at UT Memphis and an Internal Medicine residency at UT Southwestern. He further advanced his training through a Geriatrics Fellowship at the Baylor College of Medicine and a Gastroenterology Fellowship at the University of Louisville. His extensive clinical background also includes serving as a hospitalist and gastroenterologist at Alton Memorial Hospital and practicing gastroenterology at Carlinville Area Hospital and HSH St. John’s. An active member of premier professional organizations such as the AGA, ASGE, AASLD, ACP, AMA, and the Peruvian College of Physicians, he has also served as a journal reviewer for Academic Medicine Journal and Annals of Internal Medicine, and was included in the 2011 edition of Marquis Who’s Who in the World. Dr. Rodriguez-Frias is an accomplished researcher whose work has been featured in publications like Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Diseases and Science, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and Clinics in Liver Disease, and he collaborated on the textbook Gastroparesis: Current Opinions and New Endoscopic Therapies. He has presented numerous research posters at major medical conferences, including earning a “Poster of Distinction” at Digestive Disease Week in 2008.