The BALM Blog
See all postsWhat Our Coaches Say about Being a BALM Family Recovery Life Coach
To have lived the same situation as your clients make the work more personal for you.
How can you not provide the best service to people if you know firsthand how SUD affected your life and family?
Most of our recovery life coaches have personal stories that made them decide to become one. These personal stories became the drive that fueled their passion to help individuals and families in need of recovery life coaches.
But don’t take our word for it. Below are parts of their personal stories that they’ve shared with us in the hopes of inspiring others to make that crucial decision to helping families in their recovery journey from SUD.
“The retreat exceeded my expectations! The learning and relationships that were made during that weekend were powerful. The retreat brought us together on a personal level that made us stronger. I walked away feeling more confident in my understanding and my ability to utilize the 7-steps, plus my coaching skills. In addition, it provided an opportunity to build relationships among my peers with whom I can reach out to for deeper discussion as we continue our BALM journey. It was a win-win weekend!”
– Kathy Wrenn, BALM Coach Trainee
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Related: Quick Guide to Becoming a BALM Family Recovery Life Coach
“I was first introduced to the BALM in early 2015 when my wife, Jill (see her story), found the BALM and enrolled in the Family Recovery Life Coaching program. I got to witness up close the power of the BALM program: both how Jill’s approach to her own recovery shifted into high gear and how much enthusiasm she had at finding a more effective way of helping people like us.
The teaching I heard was spot-on, the focus on changing the inner landscape was exactly what I had experienced in my own journey, the use of online meetings and recordings provided both convenience and anonymity, and the community of support provided encouragement to the BALMers to continue in the face of adversity. It is a well-designed package.
In early 2016, Jill suggested that I consider becoming a BALM Family Recovery Life Coach. After prayer, research, and conversations with Bev Buncher, I enrolled in the coaching program. So glad I did. I was already involved in both Twelve-Step sponsorship and recovery ministry at our church: the BALM has provided another way to serve and to give back what I was given so freely in my own journey.
I am currently a part-time Family Recovery Life Coach and now have several clients that I am serving. Eventually, I hope to transition into full-time life coaching and my second career. As a side benefit, both my sponsorship and recovery ministry service has stepped up to a new level. Cool.
Family recovery is an arduous process, and it is so helpful to have a guide that can demystify the recovery process, point out the pitfalls, and end the overwhelming sense of loneliness. You can choose to suffer in silence, secrecy, and shame, but we BALMers really hope you don’t.
You don’t have to walk alone.”
– Chris Prevas, CBC
Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach and BALM Parent
Pennsylvania/Maryland
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“In the BALM, I’ve learned how to be the peace I want to see in my family. I’ve learned my daughter is not weak, irresponsible, short on faith, or any other shaming attribute often cast upon our loved ones. I’ve learned I can absolutely love her unconditionally right where she is on her journey. I’ve learned to speak to her with facts not emotions, hysteria, or judgment. I’ve remembered what it’s like to just have fun with her without any expectation of what I want her to be doing with her life. And most of all I’ve learned the choice is always mine – I can choose drama and chaos or I can choose peace and love. I can choose to contribute to her SUD or to her recovery. I can choose to cut her off or love her unconditionally. I choose life and love and therefore I choose the BALM!! “
– Lori Bolen
BALM® Coach and recovering family member
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“The BALM helped me make peace with my mom. It helped me learn how to love her regardless of her addiction. It reminded me of everything wonderful about her and gave me the ability to love her despite the chaos.
The amazing thing it did was to mend our bridges before she passed away. My mom died still using. But I was able to have a loving relationship with her despite the fact that she was still drinking.
Beyond that it helped me develop into the person I wanted to be. It taught me how to act from love and to see my part in the craziness.
I dropped all resentment and have come to understand that my mother is largely responsible for my being the person I am today.
Today I am grateful for the gift she gave me of learning how to love unconditionally. And that gift has positively impacted every relationship I have today.”
– Liselle Hill, PCC, CBC
Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach
California
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“In the beginning, everything I listened to, read, and was taught, I thought, “Oh, that would really help my son or my husband, never me.” In my mind, I was not the screwed-up one in need of fixing. Now I hungrily digest everything for what it can do for me–how I can learn and grow from it. My job is to role model how I can live the most fulfilling, purposeful, happy, joyous life I can.
There is not enough room here to list everything I have learned through taking the BALM, but all I can say is that I am so grateful every day that I stumbled across it back in 2015. It has transformed my life. Is it a perfect life now? Absolutely not. Are there challenges’? Yes, most days. Do I feel I now have the tools, support, and education to deal with them? Absolutely yes!
Thank you, the BALM, Bev, and my wonderful cohort–I owe you all.”
– Lucy Tomkins, ACC, CBC
Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach
United Kingdom
Train online as a Family Recovery Life Coach
