With a career rooted in medicine, psychiatry, and pain management, Dr. James Celestin brings a deeply compassionate, service-oriented perspective to his role on Spectrum Health Systems’ Board. As a physician who has spent years caring for individuals navigating addiction alongside chronic pain and mental health challenges, Dr. Celestin views recovery as a medical process and a profound transformation of how people engage with life itself.
A Medical Career Focused on the Whole Person
Dr. Celestin began his medical training in New York City before completing his residency in psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. His clinical interests early on centered on mental health, addiction, and the complex ways these conditions intersect with physical pain. After residency, he pursued an interventional pain medicine fellowship within an anesthesia department, allowing him to work closely with patients suffering from chronic pain, orthopedic injuries, and long-term opioid use.
Much of his clinical work has involved caring for individuals whose substance use began under medical supervision following surgery or injury. Over time, many found themselves dependent on medications that were initially prescribed to manage pain, often without sufficient attention to underlying conditions or consequences.
Board Member Dr. James Celestin shares how his medical career and admiration for people in addiction recovery inform his service to Spectrum Health Systems.
“I see a lot of patients who were started on medications for legitimate reasons and then became trapped in a cycle that was incredibly hard to escape,” Dr. Celestin explains. “When awareness of the opioid crisis grew, the response was often to take people off medications quickly, without fully addressing what brought them there in the first place. That’s where things can fall apart.”
This work led him to serve on a Substance Use Disorder Committee within an orthopedic department, helping educate clinicians on identifying risk, treating pain responsibly, and supporting patients in safely transitioning away from long-term opioid use.
Finding Purpose in Addiction Recovery
Dr. Celestin’s connection to Spectrum grew naturally from this professional focus. He first learned about the organization through a patient who was already involved at the board level. What resonated with him immediately was Spectrum’s ability to address addiction on a broader scale, combining medical expertise with compassion and an understanding of the social realities that shape recovery.
“I saw Spectrum as an opportunity to contribute beyond one-on-one care,” he says. “To think more globally about how we support people and reduce harm.”
His motivation is also personal. Someone close to him experienced addiction and found recovery through a 12-step program, an experience Dr. Celestin describes as life-changing.
“It wasn’t just about stopping drinking,” he says. “It completely reshaped how they approached family, health, honesty, and responsibility. That transformation stayed with me.”
Through personal experience and years of clinical practice, Dr. Celestin has come to deeply admire people in recovery. He describes them as uniquely resilient and insightful, often possessing a clarity about life that others never develop.
“People in recovery have an understanding of surrender, truth, and self-reflection that’s incredibly powerful,” he says. “They’re inspirational in ways that go far beyond addiction.”
A Philosophy Shaped by Service
For Dr. Celestin, serving on Spectrum’s board is a natural extension of why he chose medicine in the first place.
“I’ve always known that service is what brings out the best in me,” he explains. “Knowing that someone depends on you, that what you’re doing matters beyond yourself, is incredibly motivating.”
Despite a demanding professional schedule, he makes a point of showing up and lending his perspective whenever possible. He views board service as participation in something larger than himself.
“Being part of Spectrum connects me to work that’s genuinely improving lives,” he says. “That matters deeply to me.”
Perspective Brought to the Board
Dr. Celestin brings a grounded, frontline view of addiction to Spectrum’s board, one informed by years of treating patients and witnessing addiction recovery firsthand.
He is particularly attuned to the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and works to reframe addiction as a medical condition and a human experience shaped by circumstance.
“There’s still so much misunderstanding,” he says. “But if you’ve worked closely with people in recovery, you know how remarkable they are. I want that respect and understanding reflected in how we make decisions.”
His perspective is also shaped by his upbringing. As the child of immigrant parents, Dr. Celestin credits his family with instilling in him a strong sense of sacrifice and a belief in people’s potential.
“I learned by watching my parents,” he says. “Their work ethic and commitment to seeing the best in others shaped everything I do.”
Advancing a Compassionate Vision of Recovery
Dr. Celestin believes Spectrum’s work challenges narrow views of addiction by recognizing recovery as a lifelong process that transforms behavior, identity, relationships, and purpose.
Dr. Celestin’s presence on the board strengthens the organization’s ability to deliver care rooted in compassion, respect, and belief in every individual’s capacity to heal.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction or a substance use disorder, call Spectrum Health Systems today at 1-877-MyRehab.
