HEY there! I'm Nanette. A counsellor, speaker, workshop and health leader dedicated to helping you overcome addiction and creating a life you enjoy.
A born and raised New York girl with nothing more than passion and purpose, I am proud to have touched the lives of many on their journey to overcome addiction. I was not born knowing the path to freedom. In fact, I was deep in addiction before I started. I was born and raised in an alcoholic home and experienced the struggles of a dysfunctional family. At 15, I turned to alcohol and drugs to soothe my anxiety and pain. Over the years, addiction became my solution to everything. I lost control and my life had become completely unmanageable. I tried all sorts of remedies from yoga, religion, self-help books, and workshops--temporary fixes to a deeper struggle.
I stopped asking myself WHY the addiction and started asking WHY the pain. I detoxed to separate myself from my addictions and clear my head. Addiction is a disease of the Brain. I sought the help of an addiction doc, a therapist and support groups. I became curious about my human potential without drugs, alcohol or any other addiction I may have been wavering over. Addiction is like whack-a-mole. Put one down and another pops up. I discovered there is nothing in life that you can't achieve, transform or transcend. It took work, but I was worth it. And so are you!
My journey inspired me to make a career change and help others who are suffering the way I did. I gave up my 9-5 job and returned to school to study substance use disorders. I got a Master's degree in Health Leadership and am a Certified Addiction Counsellor. I studied with Gabor Mate in the Beyond Addiction program. I am a trained Hatha and Kundalini yoga teacher. I facilitate mindfulness meditation workshops and addiction seminars. I have worked with Intensive Outpatient Addiction Teams, Residential Addiction Treatment Teams, the Drug Court of Vancouver and families afflicted by addiction because believe it or not, Addiction is a family disease. It affects the lives of everyone around us. I believe in the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of recovery and got passionate about other things like creativity, spirituality, fitness and self-care, to name a few.
I have a feeling you are here because something isn't working in your life. We aren't exactly on a winning streak when we get here.
I understand that all too well. I continue to learn new things and expand my own ideas about what it means to live a meaningful life free from addiction.
And that brings me to you. I am here to help. I pride myself on a bedrock of love, a passion for what is possible and a commitment to be an unstoppable force of healing. Whether you are in the pre-contemplative stage, contemplative or action phase of your recovery, or just looking to make changes in your personal life, I can help. I am flexible in my approach and use collaboration as the basis of my therapy—ensuring a comfortable, safe environment where you can work on your goals. I don't have all the answers. I have crappy days and get baffled in fear and self-doubt just like the rest of humanity, but my commitment is to bring you the best of what I am living and learning while keeping it real as I go. Recovery is not a perfect science, but you can expect thought provoking perspective, timeless wisdom and unwavering devotion to help you live your most meaningful life. Today I am helping people transform their lives, families, and relationships affected by dysfunction and substance abuse one day at a time. If you have read this far, thank you! I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship. I would love to learn more about you. You will find the best way to reach me below.
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. All in love,