Meet the Authors
Dr. Ronald Simmons
Bestselling author, renown speaker, champion advocate for faith-based recovery, Dr. Ron Simmons has been on the frontline of drug and alcohol recovery for over 40 years. His message reaches the underserved to political figures and those in the pulpit.
His testimony from darkness to light captures everyone who hears. And for those still struggling with addiction, he gives hope to them and their loved ones.
Born and raised in the mean streets of Los Angeles Dr. Ron understands it was a praying family that covered him while he involved himself in gangs and sold drugs.
An insightful discerning writer Dr. Ron’s book Understanding Christian Drug and Alcohol Recovery is being used as a tool for faith-based recovery programs around the country. The success of Understanding Christian Drug and Alcohol Recovery has been so powerful it was recently translated into Spanish. Dr. Ron put in plain words the 12 Steps and the Process of Recovery. He also shares the birth of the 12 Steps which came out of the Church.
Today Dr. Ron has added 3 more books to his list of accomplishments, with more in the making.
Dr. Ron is the co-founder and Executive Director of the nationally operated Free N One Drug alcohol program. Free N One trains Churches and organizations on how to conduct a successful faith-based program in your local Church or organization. Because of COVID most of our meetings that was held in Churches closed down, but God had a ram in the bush through Zoom and our meetings continue to help those that our hurting.
As an Elder in the COGIC, Dr. Ron currently oversees the Drug and Alcohol department for West Angeles COGIC a 25,000-member church. His past positions included, being the Director of a men’s rehabilitation and residential recovery program called Transition House (T-House). The T-House was the first of its kind, sponsored by the 1st Jurisdiction of Southern California COGIC. Dr. Ron served as the Executive Director for over 15 years. Dr. Ron also worked as a counselor for Palms Residential Care facility a 60 bed HIV facility in Los Angeles. For four years Dr. Ron taught at UCLA Extension Program “Bringing Recovery to Diverse Populations for students in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling program helping them to meet educational requirements for those seeking work in the recovery field.
Dr. Ron received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Counseling, from Central Christian University (Lexington, North Carolina), Certificate in Alcohol/Drug Abuse Studies, and Counseling from UCLA. He is a Ordained Minister for the Church of God In Christ where he serves under the great Bishop Charles E. Blake.
In 1992, Dr. Ron was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from California School of Divinity (Los Angeles, California). In 2006 Dr. Ron was awarded another Honorary Doctorate Degree of Theology from Next Dimension University. After coming from gang involved and alcohol abuse, Dr. Ron truly believed God could take nothing and turn it into something just by being of service to God’s people.
Dr. Yolonda Simmons
In June, 2012, Dr. Yolonda Young Simmons with the blessings from her husband launched Free N One Training Institute (FNOTI). FNOTI equips Counselors to become certified to work with clients. Dr. Yolonda Young Simmons serves as the Chancellor of the school. She takes pleasure in teaching, motivating, and encouraging people to reach higher ground and achieve the best of everything that they would endeavor to do. As a co-dependent in recovery herself, helping others was second nature.
Dr. Young Simmons is an award-winning conference speaker and educator. As Chancellor of Free N One Training Institute, she serves as an advocate to increase family support in the area of recovery and addiction. She is married to Dr. Ronald Simmons, cofounder of the Free N One Christian Recovery Program.
In 2014, with the help of her husband and social media, Young Simmons was honored by the State of California for naming a street located in Compton, California. The street name is "Healthy Way". It is the main entrance leading into the newly remodeled Martin Luther King Hospital and Wellness Center.
Dr. Young Simmons is the author of three books in the Redbook series and has a line of specialized Self-Care Journals. Dr. Young Simmons has three children and currently lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband of 37 years, Dr. Ronald Simmons.