As childhood’s go, John’s was average – that is for a child growing up in the Bronx. At family gatherings his father and uncle would often be engrossed in deep conversations regarding drug deals and extortion. When he was five the FBI was riffling through his home searching for the heroin his dad was selling. At nine his father went on what was said to be an “extended business trip” – a cryptic euphuism for “jail.”

John’s childhood was pure hell. His father, who was rarely home, didn’t provide much of a role model image. Young John grew angry and rebellious, joining gangs – lots of them. For years he ran with unsavory types, starting fights and getting away with mischief. It was a pivotal year for Giordano that had an unforeseen life-long impact.

On a whim, John along with another gang member walked into a Karate school in the Bronx with the intention of defeating the instructor on their first day. The idea was quickly dismissed as John picked himself up off the mat. The encounter had a much greater impact on his thinking than it did his body. He had found his passion. From that day forward, John spent every free moment he had learning Karate. He studied under some of the most renowned instructors at the time – and at seventeen became the one of the youngest persons in America to earn a black belt.

This was another pivotal year for Giordano. Money ruled over education in his neighborhood, so at seventeen he quit school to become a brick-layer. While his friends were picking out tuxedos for the senior prom, John was packing his bags. Full of dreams and ambition, he decided to move to Miami and teach Karate. He was committed to succeeding and not following in his father’s footsteps.

John’s reputation grew fast; creating a waiting line for his

classes. To showcase his school and talents he coordinated and sponsored local Karate tournaments. Some of the biggest names in the sport at the time such as Super Foot Wallace attended the tournaments. They all became friends.

With his fame came fortune. John’s unbridled ambition drove him to start new businesses. Along the way he made new friends in high places, not all of which were considered upstanding citizens of Miami. Like his father before him, Giordano found the temptation of drug trade’s fast money left him powerless. John started making deliveries and collecting money for the drug dealers. Along the way he regularly sampled the products.

By all outward appearances John was living out the American dream. He had money, influential friends, and a beautiful wife and kids. But underneath it all laid John’s abuse. He’d abuse everything, anything and everybody, but especially drugs and alcohol. Eventually, it got the best of him.

Interventions by family and friends are rarely well received. Such was the case with John. He begrudgingly accepted the challenge with the empty promise of changing his ways and angrily walked over the threshold of a rehabilitation center. Giordano’s stay at the facility was longer than most, but he walked out a completely changed man with a new lifetime goal. John made a conscious decision that he was going to help others who had fallen victim to this hideous disease – the last pivotal point in his life.

Inevitability the opulent lifestyle went away, as did his wife, children and most of his friends. Giordano became destitute and lived within the generosities of the few sober friends he had left. Broke and alone in a rundown hotel, John stayed motivated by his drive to help others. He shared his goal with a few of his past business associates. Some would call it luck while others say it was fate – John secured the seed money to open New Life Rehabilitation Center and a commitment to join him by one of the best rehabilitation doctors in the country.

Giordano’s strong roots in eastern philosophies he’d developed training in martial arts reinforced his decision to take a holistic approach to recovery. Although John’s fervent belief that it is necessary to treat the whole person was outside the mainstream at the time, the idea caught on. It wasn’t long before referrals from notable groups and agencies came rolling in. New Life evolved into G & G Holistic Treatment Inc. and continues to achieve one of the highest success rates in the country.

The road from addiction to success had its bumps. Over the years there were several events in his life that became challenges to his sobriety. Watching his children go through their own addiction was devastating for John – he persevered without relapsing.

The hunger for personal growth was not fed by the success of the center. His need for personal achievement drove Giordano to graduate from high school (G.E.D.). He continued his education and earned his Certified Addition Professional (C.A.P.) accreditation, Master Addiction Counselor (M.A.C.) and Masters Certification in Neuron-Linguistic Programming. John is also certified in Hypnotherapy and EMDR.

John’s compassion for others and commitment to help those afflicted by this hideous disease still burns bright. In addition to his responsibilities as president and founder of the prestigious G & G Holistic Treatment Inc., he also counsels patients and teaches future counselors at the Addiction Training Institute. John continues to develop new protocols for addiction that include vitamins, amino acids and herbal remedies in conjunction with traditional remedies. He is also the author of “Proven Holistic Treatment For Addiction & Chronic Relapse."

DISTINGUISTED AWARDS

The Martin Luther King Award
The Homeless Humanitarian Award
Black Belt Hall of Fame
National Karate Champion