I was brought up in family businesses. My father’s family built a push popcorn wagon shortly after the movie theatre opened in our town in the 1950’s. As the story goes, my grandfather made 78 cents on his first night. That 78 cents continued to grow, and soon my family built a small grocery store next door to their home. My favorite item was the penny candy. When a larger grocer moved into town, we sold the grocery and built a sporting goods store that remains in operation to this day.
My decision to leave the business world came after witnessing the devastating effects of poverty on my home town, especially on the children. The primary industry had always been a paper mill. As the demand for paper decreased, the mill began a slow decline of lay offs ending in a complete closure. The impact on the economy and the people was devastating. There was a marked increase in destructive decisions, especially related to addiction in its’ various forms throughout the area. In the midst of all of this, I sold the business and took my first step towards personal recovery and a career in the field of Substance Use Counseling.
That journey began over twenty-five years ago. Today I’m happily employed as a Professor of Addiction Studies at a nearby college and I continue to work as a Counselor. First Step Consultation has allowed me to work directly with schools and many community-based organizations to help with prevention and to increase understanding of addiction issues so that more people can access recovery-related services.
My belief is that our lives are meant to be a great, challenging, unending journey. If we choose to take each step with intent, your individual map of purpose and fulfillment will be revealed in time. This has been true for me, and I continue to learn and grow as I trudge this path each day.
Helping others through sharing what I have learned and experienced is what I was meant to do. It is an essential part of my life journey. My primary goal at First Step is to help anyone take the first step towards finding their life’s purpose and calling. I’m living proof that it’s never too early and it’s never too late to live the life you were meant to live!