Despite her loss, Melissa has hope for other families
Melissa's stepson, Nicholas, died from an opioid overdose in May 2018. Since then, she’s made it her mission to help others by recounting her painful experiences and increasing awareness of addiction resources.
We can't wait to meet you
We bring a variety of life experiences to our important work. We hope reading about our backgrounds will demystify coaching, introduce our areas of expertise and demonstrate recovery is possible. If you prefer a coach within a certain community that you don’t see represented here, we hope you’ll still consider reaching out. And if you’re comfortable sharing that feedback, we’d greatly appreciate it. We’d love to know what qualities are most important to you and will keep them top-of-mind while hiring new coaches.
![Photo of Joey, addiction coach in Colorado Springs, CO](/sites/default/files/2023-11/addiction-coach-colorado-springs-joey.jpg)
Joey (he/him)
Coach, Colorado Springs
Joey grew up around alcohol addiction and started his own alcohol and other drug use as a teenager. What started as a way to build confidence became a cycle of emotional lows, isolation and suicidality. After committing to wellness, all areas of his life have blossomed.
Joey![Photo of Sorcha, addiction peer coach in Colorado Springs, CO](/sites/default/files/2023-11/addiction-coach-colorado-springs-sorcha.jpg)
Sorcha (she/her)
Coach, Colorado Springs
Sorcha grew up with a genetic condition and was told she wouldn’t live past the age of 18. She started using drugs to numb her pain after the loss of her grandmother. Today, she relies on movement and self-care to stay present and live holistically.
Sorcha![Photo of Shannon, addiction peer coach in Sioux Falls, SD](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Shannon-addiction-peer-coach-wellness.jpg)
Shannon (she/her)
Coach, Sioux Falls
Shannon grew up around addiction and struggled with her own meth and morphine addiction. She still drinks alcohol in moderation. She loves making people feel welcome and heard, no matter what they're going through.
Shannon![Photo of peer coach Janelle](/sites/default/files/2022-06/Janelle-addiction-coach-sioux-falls_1.jpg)
Janelle (she/her)
Coach, Sioux Falls
For years, Janelle tried dealing with the addiction in her life on her own. One of her favorite phrases since finding wellness is “don’t waste the pain,” which is why she wanted to help other family members in need.
Janelle