About

I’m an addict in recovery, have been sober for 32 years, and am living proof that hope exists. After my military career during the ‘80s as a former Navy SEAL, I realized and accepted that I had addiction issues.
While this is part of my story, it’s not intended to elicit pity or to stereotype me as a victim. It’s to demonstrate that I’ve “been there” and have empathy toward those in addiction recovery.
In retrospect, I examined my years as a SEAL; it's conditioning – and living – a SEAL’s mindset. There was a part of me, which literally wanted to beat my addiction. But, addiction can’t be beaten physically; I conquered it by embracing my range of emotions. My journey has been about emotional pain and how I accepted it.
I began working with youth, transitioned to the developmentally disabled, convicts in correctional facilities, and finally with present-day Special Forces Operators as a Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC). In these roles, I observed the commonalities between PTSD, substance abuse, stress, conflict, depression, and anxiety.
As a clinical troubleshooter, I’ve developed my approach to providing help to others using teamwork. Teamwork comes directly from a Navy SEAL’s training: “none of us is as good as all of us.”
We’re living in unsettled times and there seem to be many unknowns. The crises we face are not new, the evolution of our survival comes from recognizing the opportunities also present during these challenging times.