I am a CCAR trained Peer Recovery Coach with 12+ years of lived experience. Over the years I have discovered many healthy ways to stay on my path of recovery in addition to the traditional 12 steps and one of my passions is sharing them with others in recovery so that more people know how to live their lives to the fullest, without having to turn back to their old, unhealthy behaviors. Please reach out to me anytime.

Senior Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, Group and Water Exercise Instructor, Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach. Indoor and Outdoor Pool Supervisor 2010-2018. From 2015-2019 I created and ran a successful class, "Healthy Start," a small group exercise class that met twice a week that was designed for members who were new to starting a workout regimen and who had no previous exercise experience. Topics addressed in class included an introduction to the building and the Y's offerings, with a major focus on the wellness area. We reviewed how to be comfortable, confident, and competent in using and adjusting the workout machines and other workout equipment on the floor, as well as increasing the member's general level of comfort in the gym. I also worked with each participant individually on developing a simple exercise regimen that was challenging yet realistic for each to start. Although the COVID-19 outbreak forced this class to go on hiatus, I plan to start it up again as soon as it is feasible.While I have always taught group, private, and semi-private swim lessons, which always included kids and adults of varying abilities, I rarely had one student for more than a few sessions... until a few years ago. In 2018 I began teaching a once-weekly private lesson for a 14 year old young man with some special needs. Among other issues, he has total hearing loss. During our sessions together we slowly developed our own way of communicating with one another, and he progressed over the months from a non-swimmer who didn't want to get his face wet to a kid who jumps off the block into the pool. In addition to learning to communicate, more importantly we were able to establish a bond of trust, which is what I believe is part of the basis for his continued success in the pool. I have enjoyed working with him, and I am looking forward to being able to resume our lessons again once the threat of sickness is reduced and it is safer for him to return to the pool.