Our interview with Kathy Boden Holland, CEO of Mindr and visionary behind Keepr
When I received the opportunity to ask Kathy Boden Holland some questions about recovery, one of the things that stood out to me was the part that comes after formal treatment. We talk a lot about getting help and going through treatment, but what happens when someone leaves that structured environment and goes back to everyday life? That can be a big transition.
There are old routines, old triggers, family relationships that may need to be rebuilt, and the everyday situations that come with simply living life. Families may want to help, but they may not know how to provide accountability without making their loved one feel like they are constantly being watched. That is why I wanted to have this conversation.
Kathy Boden Holland is the CEO of Mindr and the visionary behind Keepr, which focuses on alcohol monitoring and accountability technology. I wanted to learn more about what continued support can look like after treatment, why alcohol can still be part of the conversation even when another substance was the primary concern, and how technology may help families rebuild trust.
Source: Mindr
Learn more about Keepr: Keepr Alcohol Monitoring
Kathy Boden Holland is the CEO of Mindr, a substance detection, monitoring and safety technology company, and the visionary behind Keepr.
Keepr offers alcohol monitoring technology designed to provide objective information and accountability. Its products include Keepr Alcohol Monitoring and Keepr Drive, which connects the Keepr breathalyzer device to a vehicle’s ignition system.
I asked Kathy six questions because I wanted this conversation to go beyond the technology itself. Recovery affects individuals, families and relationships, and I wanted to understand how continued support and accountability can fit into everyday life.
Our Conversation With Kathy Boden Holland
What do you believe is missing from traditional recovery support once someone completes formal treatment, and why is continued support important during that transition?
Kathy Boden Holland:
When someone completes formal treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), they step out of a highly structured environment and back into a world of old routines, which can carry certain triggers. Traditional recovery provides incredible support by providing daily check-ins, peer groups and clinical supervision to those in treatment. But too often, losing that structured environment can be a challenge for many people in recovery following completing traditional treatment programs. Once formal treatment ends, traditional recovery support tends to leave a critical gap of lacking tools that fit into real life.
While treatment programs are designed to prepare those in recovery to integrate back into daily life, people need more than a safety net during this vulnerable phase. They need the confidence to know they can trust themselves in being able to move forward and that the people cheering them on can trust them too. That is why ongoing support rooted in reliable accountability is essential. Recovery isn’t a destination when you graduate from a treatment program—it’s a daily practice focused on moving forward. Having a dependable, structured system in place takes the guesswork out of rebuilding trust with a loved one and gives individuals the freedom to focus on building their lives.
We built our Keepr products from Keepr Alcohol Monitoring to Keepr Drive, to be reliable systems that can bridge that gap between treatment and everyday life. We wanted something that felt human and supportive, yet practical. Keepr Alcohol Monitoring provides customized and random testing structures shared instantly with approved contacts, turning accountability into a shared, supportive experience rather than an isolating one.
Unlike bulky, highly visible wearables that carry a stigma and can disrupt daily routines, Keepr’s discreet, portable breathalyzer device fits seamlessly into real life. We designed it to be simple and affordable so more people can access the recovery tools they need to move forward.
For someone who wants an added layer of protection and accountability behind the wheel, Keepr Drive offers a voluntary option. It connects the Keepr breathalyzer device to the vehicle’s ignition system, so the car only starts when the BrAC is below the threshold set by their accountability partner.
A strong support system is critical in nontraditional or post-treatment settings, and it needs to be grounded in giving those in recovery peace of mind and the confidence they need to step back into their lives and thrive.
Your work focuses on alcohol monitoring as part of recovery. Why can alcohol be an important part of the conversation even when someone’s primary substance-use history involves another substance?
Kathy Boden Holland:
Alcohol is a drug that is legal and socially normalized in the U.S., and it poses a blind spot. It’s present in nearly every setting from corporate conferences to entertainment environments such as sporting events. This makes alcohol a common re-entry point even for people whose primary recovery journey is centered on another substance. It’s important to remind the public that substance use patterns don’t tend to operate in siloes, and alcohol use can signal broader shifts in recovery stability, even when it isn’t the primary challenge.
When you look at the rise of other consumed substances in the U.S., like opioids, a stark contrast emerges with alcohol. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol is the number one drug consumed in the country. Furthermore, toxicology reports show that alcohol is frequently co-consumed in 1 of 7 opioid drug overdoses. And, when looking deeper at the data specific to synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, 80% of those overdose cases also involved another drug or alcohol. This data underscores how often alcohol plays a role in poly-substance-related fatalities.
Having an objective data point around alcohol, such as a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) reading, gives a picture of where someone stands with their sobriety. This is why alcohol consumption must be a part of the broader conversation, regardless of the history of someone in recovery. Accountability doesn’t stop at one substance while leaving the country’s most used legal depressant off the table. By keeping alcohol usage in view through supportive, reliable monitoring technology, those in recovery and their support networks can close that gap and protect the long-term recovery journey.
How can objective monitoring be used to support a person in recovery without making them feel shamed, punished, or constantly watched?
Kathy Boden Holland:
Framing is everything for someone in recovery and education on available tools is key. When someone uses Keepr Alcohol Monitoring voluntarily, because they’ve chosen it as part of their recovery not because a court requires it, they get to choose who sees results. They can do this in conjunction with a therapist, life coach, loved ones or other accountability partner who wants to be supportive in their journey. This separates surveillance and punishment from accountability and peace of mind.
Keepr Alcohol Monitoring was designed with this philosophy in mind. Through its role-based permissions, the person in recovery is really in the driver’s seat. They get to participate in who they share their results with and can adjust access over time as they continue to rebuild trust.
That said, it’s worth noting that not all alcohol monitoring is created equally. In court-ordered alcohol monitoring situations, a monitoring authority sets the testing schedule and reviews results, which is a different relationship by design. Even in that environment, Keepr Alcohol Monitoring leads the way as a stigma-free, discreet alcohol monitoring device. For families navigating recovery, it’s built to put the choice in the individual’s hands in a private and respectful way.
Ultimately, it comes down to shifting the conversation around how monitoring is perceived. For example, traditional wearable devices tend to be highly visible and disruptive, which can reinforce the very stigma that recovery is trying to move past. Keepr Alcohol Monitoring takes a different approach: a smart, pocket-sized breathalyzer that’s easy to carry and use privately. Once someone in recovery understands that the technology is designed and built with their success in mind, that framing shifts the shame or perceived burden to support.
What role can technology play in helping families rebuild trust while still respecting the dignity and privacy of the person in recovery?
Kathy Boden Holland:
Alcohol accountability technology can replace guesswork with objective clarity, removing emotional charge from daily recovery support. Instead of constant and anxious interrogations, such as asking “Why were you late?” or “Where were you?” families can shift toward positive, relationship building conversations like, “I’m proud of how successful you’ve been in your journey this week.” No debate, no argument, just facts and steps in a recovery process.
Keepr Alcohol Monitoring protects dignity and privacy in several contexts.
In voluntary, self-directed use, role-based permissions let the person in recovery share their results, allowing loved ones to step into the supportive role they need to move forward. For families who want that voluntary accountability to extend to driving, Keepr Drive integrates breath alcohol testing into the vehicle before the car starts.
In clinical or court-involved settings, including family law cases where Keepr serves as an alcohol testing solution, the structure works a little differently. An authorized reviewer, such as a therapist, probation officer, care team or co-parent, is set up to review the results as part of their program. Even in those cases, the goal is to keep the process dignified rather than shameful and punitive.
Ultimately, whether technology is chosen voluntarily or through a formal program, alcohol testing remains private and only shared with approved contacts or parties. By replacing wondering and second-guessing with transparent, objective data, breathalyzer technology allows families to foster accountability and mutual respect.
For a family supporting someone after treatment, what are some practical ways they can provide accountability and encouragement without trying to become that person’s therapist or treatment provider?
Kathy Boden Holland:
It is important to be a consistent, present anchor for someone in recovery by framing your conversations in love, respect and care. Ultimately, it’s the individual who owns their recovery journey and makes the daily choice to move forward. It’s not the family’s role to act as the therapist or treatment provider. It’s the family’s role to educate themselves in being the best possible support structure that enables an individual’s recovery. Often, that sits at the helm of how families communicate with each other.
Families should agree on tools and check-ins as a collaborative approach rather than imposing them, whenever possible. For example, someone managing AUD who has never had a DUI or related charge might choose a voluntary, in-vehicle accountability tool like Keepr Drive as an option for their family, requiring a passing breath test before the car starts. Because it’s a decision they make together, it becomes a shared commitment rather than a punitive measure.
It is important to acknowledge progress in the journey. In environments where the court is involved and alcohol monitoring is required and set within specific parameters, families can still choose how they show up around it, with support and encouragement rather than judgement.
When you bring objective alcohol testing into the conversation, it takes a lot of the burden of judgement away because of the transparency and real-time application. Families can rest in that trust being built, and when someone experiences a challenging moment, they’re able to coordinate in a supportive way with those other support mechanisms through therapy and treatment provider options.
What would you want someone who is struggling with substance use—or a family member who is worried about them—to understand about recovery and seeking professional help?
Kathy Boden Holland:
Recovery isn’t a straight line and doesn’t look the same for everyone, but professional help provides the foundation you need to move forward. According to SAMSHA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 72.2 million Americans who once had a substance use problem now consider themselves to be in recovery or fully recovered. That number speaks for itself. Recovery is possible and it’s happening for millions of people every day. With the right resources, tools and support, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
After reading Kathy’s answers, I keep coming back to one thing: finishing treatment doesn’t mean the work is finished. Someone still has to go home. They still have to get back into their normal routine. They still have to deal with the situations and relationships that were there before treatment, and they may be trying to rebuild trust with the people who love them.
I also appreciate the distinction between accountability and punishment. Those don’t have to be the same thing. A family member shouldn’t have to spend every day wondering what is happening or constantly questioning someone they love. At the same time, the person in recovery deserves dignity, privacy and the opportunity to take ownership of their recovery.
Technology may be one tool that can help with that accountability, but it isn’t a replacement for professional treatment, therapy, medical care or a strong support system. I think families also need to remember that they aren’t the treatment provider.
They can be there. They can listen. They can learn. They can encourage. They can celebrate progress. They can help establish healthy boundaries and support systems. But they don’t have to carry the entire recovery journey on their shoulders. And perhaps the most encouraging part of this entire conversation is Kathy’s reminder that recovery is possible.
It may not be a straight line. It may look different from one person to another. There may be difficult days along the way. But people recover. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use, professional help and appropriate recovery resources can provide an important foundation. You don’t have to navigate it alone.
To learn more about Mindr and its work in substance detection, monitoring and safety technology, visit Mindr. To learn more about the Keepr products discussed in this interview, visit Keepr Alcohol Monitoring.
Please note: This article is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health or substance-use treatment.
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