Healing, Hope and Recovery with Denise Marsters — MasterMined: A Behavioral & Mental Health Podcast

What happens to women after they leave treatment, and who's responsible for what comes next?

In this episode of MasterMined, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper sit down with Denise Marsters, founder and CEO of The McCoy House Extended Care for Women in Jackson, Mississippi.

Denise shares her own 32-year recovery journey — from active addiction to a career as a substance use disorder therapist — and the personal loss that led her to open a home for women who had nowhere safe to land after inpatient treatment. The conversation covers what separates sober living from true extended care, how McCoy House built a self-sustaining thrift store and employment pipeline for its residents, and why Denise turned down the chance to franchise her model. It's a candid, deeply human look at what sustainable recovery infrastructure actually requires — essential listening for any behavioral health leader thinking about the gap between discharge and lasting change.

Key Moments

03:35 – Denise shares 32 years in recovery and the moment that first sparked the idea for McCoy House
03:52 – The rock-bottom moment that finally pushed Denise into treatment
08:57 – A surprise transfer to the women's unit becomes the turning point in her career
29:03 – The house that would become McCoy House — and the story behind its name
33:11 – "God does not pick the equipped" — the words that carried her through
39:00 – McCoy House by the numbers: hundreds of women served, dozens of alumni stories
42:21 – Why extended care goes further than sober living
48:53 – Building the thrift store: purpose, income, and self-worth

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://snapshotinteractive.com/mastermined
Connect with Denise Marsters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-marsters-09bab718/ | https://themccoyhouse.com/
Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health
Connect with Jeff Skillen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-skillen-199507/ | https://www.skillsetenterprises.com
Connect with Lee Pepper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leepepper | https://www.neveroutmatched.com

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

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