La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center

02/13/2026

Intimacy isn’t the problem. Safety is. In this episode of Factual Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT, LPCC, tackles the myth that q***r people struggle with intimacy more than others. The truth? Research shows LGBTQ+ people often desire emotional closeness, romantic partnership, and long-term connection just as much — if not more — than their heterosexual peers. But when intimacy begins in hiding instead of safety, the nervous system adapts. Growing up q***r often meant concealing desire, identity, and truth to survive. When love feels conditional and authenticity risks rejection or harm, we learn to protect instead of connect. Over time, that survival strategy can look like an “intimacy disorder” — not a diagnosis, but a pattern rooted in shame, internalized homophobia, and transphobia. In this conversation, we unpack how vulnerability, belonging, and healing are possible when shame is named and released — and why intimacy for many q***r people can feel less like closeness and more like exposure.
FULL EPISODE: https://youtu.be/g0vB9Rc2KIc?si=0DPFehUIFm7B8PRn

02/11/2026

Here is a great clip from “Fact or Fiction with Rory Hunter LMFT, LPCC. Many q***r people grew up without mirrors of healthy same-sex relationships or adults who could say, “You are lovable exactly as you are.” So we entered adulthood longing for connection — but without a roadmap for how to build it safely. In this episode, we unpack the deeper roots of anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and chemsex culture in the LGBTQ+ community — not as moral failure, but as survival. Drugs and alcohol can quiet shame and simulate intimacy, and chemsex can offer belonging, intensity, and the feeling of being seen, especially for those who’ve never experienced safe, sober connection. But numbness isn’t intimacy. Many q***r people aren’t intimacy-avoidant — they’re shame-injured. Healing isn’t about forcing vulnerability; it’s about creating safety, self-compassion, and community so connection no longer requires disappearing. You deserve intimacy that doesn’t cost you your life, and love rooted in authenticity, not anesthesia.

02/11/2026

Here is a great clip from “Fact or Fiction with Rory Hunter LMFT, LPCC. Many q***r people grew up without mirrors of healthy same-sex relationships or adults who could say, “You are lovable exactly as you are.” So we entered adulthood longing for connection — but without a roadmap for how to build it safely. In this episode, we unpack the deeper roots of anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and chemsex culture in the LGBTQ+ community — not as moral failure, but as survival. Drugs and alcohol can quiet shame and simulate intimacy, and chemsex can offer belonging, intensity, and the feeling of being seen, especially for those who’ve never experienced safe, sober connection. But numbness isn’t intimacy. Many q***r people aren’t intimacy-avoidant — they’re shame-injured. Healing isn’t about forcing vulnerability; it’s about creating safety, self-compassion, and community so connection no longer requires disappearing. You deserve intimacy that doesn’t cost you your life, and love rooted in authenticity, not anesthesia.

02/03/2026

01/27/2026

In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT, LPCC breaks down one of the most confusing and misunderstood phases of early recovery: the Pink Cloud. That euphoric rush where sobriety feels effortless, life feels bright, and everything finally makes sense — until it doesn’t. We explore the neuroscience of addiction recovery, unpacking how dopamine rebound, serotonin repair, and neuroplasticity create the Pink Cloud, and why its inevitable fade can leave people vulnerable to relapse, PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome), anxiety, and depression.
Whether you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, or a mental health professional supporting clients in recovery, this episode explains why the Pink Cloud isn’t a cure — it’s a phase. Understanding what’s happening in the brain can help you build structure, lean into support, and stay grounded when recovery gets real. Knowledge isn’t just power here — it can be lifesaving.

01/20/2026

In this powerful episode of Have A Seat, Manny Rodriguez sits down with Scott Fowler, a former Broadway and film dancer whose career took him from working with the greats to losing himself to addiction — and then rebuilding a life rooted in sobriety, purpose, and mentorship. Scott shares his journey through early success, substance use, career collapse, intervention, and recovery, including the pivotal moment that ended his Broadway career and the long road back to himself. This conversation is an honest look at addiction in the performing arts, recovery in the LGBTQ+ community, and what it means to stay for the whole show.
Today, Scott travels the country mentoring young dancers, proving that creative life after sobriety is not only possible — it can be richer, deeper, and more meaningful. If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, a mental health professional, or a creative questioning whether recovery means the end of your dreams, this episode offers hope, truth, and hard-earned wisdom. This is a story about resilience, reinvention, and choosing faith over fear — again and again.

01/20/2026

In this powerful episode of Have A Seat, Manny Rodriguez sits down with Scott Fowler, a former Broadway and film dancer whose career took him from working with the greats to losing himself to addiction — and then rebuilding a life rooted in sobriety, purpose, and mentorship. Scott shares his journey through early success, substance use, career collapse, intervention, and recovery, including the pivotal moment that ended his Broadway career and the long road back to himself. This conversation is an honest look at addiction in the performing arts, recovery in the LGBTQ+ community, and what it means to stay for the whole show.
Today, Scott travels the country mentoring young dancers, proving that creative life after sobriety is not only possible — it can be richer, deeper, and more meaningful. If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, a mental health professional, or a creative questioning whether recovery means the end of your dreams, this episode offers hope, truth, and hard-earned wisdom. This is a story about resilience, reinvention, and choosing faith over fear — again and again.

01/13/2026

Is Dry January actually helpful — or just another wellness trend wrapped in shame? In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT LPCC breaks down the truths and myths around Dry January, harm reduction, and what changing your relationship with alcohol can look like in the LGBTQ+ community. From unpacking why q***r spaces have historically centered around drinking, to explaining how harm reduction approaches to recovery meet people where they are, this conversation offers clarity without judgment — whether you’re sober, curious, or somewhere in between.
If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, or a mental health professional supporting clients navigating alcohol use, this episode explores why taking a break from drinking can be valuable — and when stopping suddenly may require medical support. Dry January isn’t a test, a diagnosis, or a lifelong commitment. It’s an invitation to pause, notice, and reflect. And if alcohol use is starting to feel concerning, La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center offers q***r-affirming care, including medically supervised detox and comprehensive treatment options. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

01/13/2026

Is Dry January actually helpful — or just another wellness trend wrapped in shame? In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT LPCC breaks down the truths and myths around Dry January, harm reduction, and what changing your relationship with alcohol can look like in the LGBTQ+ community. From unpacking why q***r spaces have historically centered around drinking, to explaining how harm reduction approaches to recovery meet people where they are, this conversation offers clarity without judgment — whether you’re sober, curious, or somewhere in between.
If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, or a mental health professional supporting clients navigating alcohol use, this episode explores why taking a break from drinking can be valuable — and when stopping suddenly may require medical support. Dry January isn’t a test, a diagnosis, or a lifelong commitment. It’s an invitation to pause, notice, and reflect. And if alcohol use is starting to feel concerning, La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center offers q***r-affirming care, including medically supervised detox and comprehensive treatment options. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

01/07/2026

Welcome to Have A Seat and our first conversation of the year: The Real Reset. Not the kind built on pressure, perfection, or pretending everything’s fine — but an honest reset, rooted in truth, accountability, community, and healing. In this episode, Manny Rodriguez reflects on what this space has always stood for: real conversations about addiction, mental health, and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people. From naming systemic failures in LGBTQ+ treatment, to honoring resilience, survival, and joy, this is about remembering who we are and why community has always been our greatest strength.
At a time when LGBTQ+ rights, safety, and dignity are once again under threat, The Real Reset is a call to choose connection over isolation, history over fear, and the long game over quick fixes. Whether you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, a mental health professional, clinician, ally, or someone quietly searching for clarity, there’s space for you here. This year, we don’t erase the past — we build on it. Pull up a chair. Take a breath. Stay connected. This is Have A Seat.

12/22/2025

La Fuente is proud to share that we have been recognized with “Conquer Addiction’s Excellence in Treatment Award”, an honor given to addiction treatment centers that demonstrate superior, independently verified post-treatment outcomes. Now in its seventh year, this award—presented by the nonprofit Conquer Addiction—exists for one reason: to help families identify programs that can prove their treatment works.
In mid-2024, La Fuente began formally conducting outcomes research, a meaningful step forward in an industry where hard data is still limited—especially for LGBTQ+ individuals. At present, there is little to no research identifying best practices for treating addiction within LGBTQ+ communities. La Fuente saw that gap clearly and made a deliberate commitment to invest the time, care, and resources needed to help change that reality and improve long-term outcomes for LGBTQ+ people seeking recovery.
The results so far are encouraging—and worth celebrating.
Between June 19, 2024, and December 31, 2024, 54.3% were reachable at six months post-treatment and reported abstaining from alcohol and all illicit drugs for at least the previous 30 days. That figure significantly exceeds the addiction treatment industry average of 37%.
Even more striking: among patients discharged during this most recent reporting period, 63.2% were reachable at 12 months post-treatment and reported at least 30 days of abstinence. These outcomes qualify La Fuente to maintain a five-star rating on Conquer Addiction for the coming year.
What makes this especially meaningful is the progress itself. This quarter’s 12-month success rate represents a notable improvement over the 54.3% six-month outcome rate reported last quarter, underscoring not only strong results—but momentum.
We’re honored by this recognition, proud of our clients, and deeply committed to continuing the work of advancing evidence-based, affirming addiction treatment for LGBTQ+ communities.