Recovered Life Contributor

About Jessica

Certified Life & Sober Coach

Jessica’s story of addiction and recovery and her voice have helped people find their way out of pain since early on in her journey in recovery. As a former Kentucky State Teacher of the Year and first-generation American, Jessica knows firsthand the difficulties and pressures that professionals, women, and individuals of color face when trying to recover from addiction in today’s world. She has overcome her addiction to alcohol and is excited to coach people at any point in their journey of changing their relationship with alcohol.

Jessica’s disordered behaviors started with binge eating in her bedroom as a Latina girl growing up in New York City when she quickly learned to cope by external means. When she got to college, her disordered eating morphed into alcohol abuse. Years later, she was awarded Teacher of the Year in Kentucky but still drank a fifth of bourbon a day – a secret she had to hide from her peers, friends, and students because she felt ashamed.

In 2020, Jessica got out of control when she found her boyfriend lifeless from a drug overdose in his apartment. Her drinking spiraled deeper into her addiction, nearly died herself in the months after his passing. Ultimately, she found recovery and has been sober since November 2020. The key to helping Jessica get sober was working with others to allow her to break the cycle of the stigma surrounding addiction that was passed down generationally. Jessica became open to connecting with others about her alcohol dependence and seeking help. She quickly grew as a recovery advocate and has been featured on Red Table Talk and NPR sharing her story. 

In 2021, Jessica decided to train formally as a coach and was certified by the Life Coach Institute and is currently a member of NAADAC, the National Association of Addiction Professionals. She’s been coaching ever since, and these are some of the things her clients have had to say about her: 

“Jessica is so open about sharing her story, I felt like I could be honest with her and that she understood the more nuanced aspects of recovery through her lived experiences. She helped me reflect on the barriers I was putting up for myself if I didn’t follow through on something that I had committed to the week before, and gently pushed me to try again. Jessica’s holistic approach to recovery, which focuses on how to live a full life and not just a life without alcohol, helped me shift my own perspective about what a sober life could look and feel like. – Ashley L. 12/1/22

“After meeting with and working with Jessica, I feel so grateful. Jessica encouraged me to find a therapist to help me through some of my mental health concerns. My perspective has changed a lot. I don’t want to keep my alcoholism a secret anymore. My recovery is a badge of honor.” – Sarah A. 11/29/22

“Going through the coaching process with Jessica has brought incredible energy and self-confidence into so many aspects of my life. I feel like an Olympic athlete returning from top of the line training camp – focused and energized.” – Jessica P. 11/25/22