What I've Seen Work

A message to you - from the heart of Jacob

I’m so happy you have landed here. If you’ve found your way to this page after reading a bit about me, I’m so glad to see you continuing to learn more about the services I offer and how I can be of help to you, or your loved one, in their sobriety journey. If not, welcome! I’m Jacob. I’m a person in long-term recovery, a licensed psychotherapist, a recovery coach, a sober companion, and a dog dad to the most adorable cavapoo, Miss Georgia. But before any of those titles, I am someone who has walked the road, felt the fear, the shame, the hope, the setbacks, and the breakthroughs that come with getting sober and staying sober.

I created this page as a message for you; because I believe, with everything in me, that coaching and companionship can be one of the most transformative relationships you can have in recovery. This kind of support has helped people rebuild their lives, reconnect with their families, and begin to remember who they were before substances took hold. And if you're in early sobriety, or even just considering it, I want you to know this type of support isn’t just helpful; it can be essential. Sometimes, having someone by your side who truly gets it is the very thing that helps you move from surviving to thriving. That’s why this page exists: to speak honestly, and directly, to what’s possible for you.

So, let's dive right in and talk about it. 

When I think about coaching and companioning, I don’t just think of a recovery service. I think of one of the most transformative, uplifting, and life-affirming relationships a person can have during recovery. It's not therapy. It's not a sponsor. It’s something more day-to-day, more integrated, and more human.

At your core, you’re wired for connection. We all are. And when you’re in early sobriety; when everything feels uncertain, overwhelming, and unfamiliar, connection can be the thing that steadies you. There’s something deeply powerful about having someone beside you who’s been through it too. Someone who remembers exactly what it felt like to be raw, to be terrified, to feel like you’re starting over. That kind of shared experience creates a connection that’s hard to describe, but you feel it when it’s there. It’s one of the most transformative parts of the coaching and companioning process: being met where you are, by someone who’s walked a similar path and gets it in a way most people simply can’t.

To sit across from someone and hear them say, “My cravings are overwhelming. I’m scared I won’t make it” and to be able to look them in the eyes and say, “You’re not crazy. You’re not alone. I know exactly what that feels like, and I promise you, it won’t always be this hard.” That’s where something shifts. That’s not just support, it’s connection. It’s two people with shared experience coming together in a space of healing. And in that space, shame starts to lift, trust begins to grow, and real change starts to take root.

And yes, recovery is a personal journey. But having a trusted partner, a companion or coach who’s been there, can be the difference between surviving and actually thriving. Someone to turn to in your hard moments. Someone to call when you are having cravings hit at 2AM. Someone who holds you accountable when staying aligned with your goals feels impossible. Someone to push you towards the life you so desire. Someone who sees your blind spots but also fiercely believes in your potential. THAT is the power of a companion or a coach. 

Now, with that, I want to share a metaphor with you I often use when explaining how pivotal and powerful a companionship/coaching relationship can be in the early days (or even later days) of sobriety. Let's take a look: 

Imagine someone walking into a room and sitting down at a piano for the very first time. They’re drawn to it. Something about the keys, the sound, the potential. They press a few notes. It’s a little awkward at first, but they are trying. Maybe they teach themselves how to play a simple tune. They get by. It’s enough to feel a spark, a little joy, maybe even a sense of accomplishment.

That’s what recovery can look like when you’re doing it alone. You might find your way, slowly. You might piece together some tools, get through a few hard days. But progress is often slow. Frustrating. Uncertain.

Now imagine that same person starts working with a piano coach once a week. Suddenly, things begin to shift. They’re introduced to new chords, new songs, new techniques. Their understanding deepens. They learn how to read music, how to use both hands, and how to recognize patterns. Progress comes more quickly; and with it, comes confidence.

But now imagine something even more powerful: that same person meets with their piano coach every single day.

Day after day, they’re practicing with guidance. They’re learning how to not just play music, but how to understand it, how to feel it in their bones and perform it with their best potential. They begin to grasp rhythm, emotion, and expression. They learn how to recover from missed notes quickly without stopping the song. They study the greats, build muscle memory, and gain the courage to perform in front of small and large audiences. They even learn to write music of their own and begin teaching others how to play piano and how to do the same. 

That kind of immersion changes everything. It completely changes the game. 

The individual is no longer just learning to play the piano. They’re becoming a pianist.

And that, right there, is what consistent recovery coaching and companioning can do. It doesn’t just help you stay sober. It helps you become someone who lives in sobriety. Someone who understands their triggers, builds resilience, discovers their voice, and finds joy in who they’re becoming.

You learn how to handle the off-days.

How to stay focused in situations that challenge your sobriety.

How to stay present in the uncomfortable moments.

How to create something meaningful out of your pain.

And most of all; you learn how to stay sober. 

That kind of growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in partnership. In practice. In showing up, again and again, with someone by your side who knows the way and believes in your process, even when you can’t see it yet. Because progress is always happening, even when you can't see it. 

And with all of that, that is exactly why I believe in coaching and companionship so deeply. Because in the early days of recovery, when everything feels fragile and unfamiliar, it can be the one singular thing that steadies you. That keeps you grounded. That helps you not just avoid a relapse, but actually build a life that feels worth staying sober for.

I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it work. I’ve seen it transform lives. And I wholeheartedly believe that this kind of relationship, one built on shared experience, radical honesty, and unconditional support, can be the difference between falling back and moving forward.

With you,

Jacob