Sober Curator Contributor – Delano, CA

Derek Castleman is a writer, educator, scientist, data analyst and philosopher. Struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism for over fifteen years while at the same time suffering from being bipolar, he was finally able to achieve recovery in 2018. From mental hospitals to rehab, county jail to sober living, 12 Step Programs would be his foundation, but he would eventually discover the path of Stoicism to be the key to his sobriety and sanity.

Stoic Philosopher

It was the middle of the Covid lockdowns, and Derek was unemployed and staying at a sober living when a roommate suggested that he read into Stoic philosophy. Discovering the Serenity Prayer embedded within it and the Steps, he would realize how this philosophy could strengthen his recovery by teaching him how to live a good life no matter what situation he found himself in. Finding no primary source for Stoicism and recovery online, he began to post as thesoberstoic on social media and create his own website, eventually leading to his first book, A Stoic Guidebook for Recovery.

Life

Derek has a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and a Master of Education, which led to him being a high school science teacher for nearly a decade. However, addiction would make it impossible for him to return to the classroom, leading him to earn a Master of Science in Data Science during his recovery and return to the world of education as an educational data analyst. He lives in the small town of Delano, California, with his wife, whom he married in recovery, and their two dogs. He has a fifteen-year-old daughter who actually doesn’t mind spending time with him now that he is sober.