Hi. I’m Laurie, a Recovery Coach, and an ally.
When addiction showed up in our family, it wasn’t exactly something we included in the annual Christmas card. Starting in my teen years, I watched in shame, frustration, hopelessness, and even denial as my sibling struggled with his addiction. As a family, we succumbed to the stigma and silence that this disease does an excellent job of fostering because we didn’t know how we were supposed to do it any differently.
In 2017, my brother Brian lost the battle with his substance use disorder, making him one of approximately 70,000 Americans lost to a drug overdose that year, and making us 1 of 70,000 families left in addiction’s wake of destruction. Addiction carries with it a substantial amount of shame and misunderstanding — both for the individual with the disorder, as well as family members, colleagues, and others in their lives. Therefore, we must use our voices as family members and friends to speak up, share our stories and break down stigma.
I am now a Certified CRAFT Family Recovery Coach, a Certified ARISE Interventionist, and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and a certified group leader in the Invitation to Change process. I have a B.A. in Communications, and by trade, have spent the majority of my career in marketing and sales. Needless to say, I love nothing more than to create meaningful connections and help people find what they are in search of.
My coaching and education business is focused on educating anyone that has someone in their life personally or professionally struggling with substance use and related mental health disorders, which creates barriers to healthy relationships at home and in the workplace. Through coaching, educational sessions and advocacy, I can help provide guidance, customized approaches and additional resources to help you navigate a path that is paved with understanding, well-being and hope.
As an ally, I support and celebrate my other loved ones and EVERYONE who has found recovery from their substance use disorders and prove every day that recovery is possible.
To better understand how I show up in my coaching work — and life in general — these are my StrengthsFinder Top Five:
Belief - My core values and faith serve as my guide, providing me with direction towards work that matters.
Arranger - What needs to happen next? I’m not afraid to jump into the confusion to manage a situation with flexibility and confidence.
Responsibility - I do what I say I am going to do. Period.
Connectedness - I love to serve as a “bridge-builder” between people, always curious about what makes others tick.
Relator - I willingly take steps toward meaningful relationships that foster understanding.
Find me at —
165 Western Ave, Suite 8, St. Paul, MN 55102
