Healing the Healer—Becoming an ARCS Coach

I am so grateful to be part of the ARCS Program.

Even with the limited time I’ve spent in it so far, it has already changed my life forever.

For 30 years, I have been a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.

I’ve also been in recovery since 1987.

For decades, I dedicated my life to helping others find sobriety. I worked in various areas of the criminal justice system, determined to be a counselor who truly made a difference.

But the system is no longer designed for people to find themselves—it’s designed to “herd people through” for dollars.

Over time, I felt more like a paper-pusher than a counselor.

I could see my clients slipping through the cracks, but I was powerless to help them. I was burnt out, disillusioned, and heartbroken.

I knew I needed a change. What I didn’t know was that I needed healing, too!

When I first started at ARCS, I was skeptical. I had never found a place where I felt safe enough to truly explore my own healing.

I had spent my life supporting others, but I had never been able to trust others to support me.

But from the very first day, ARCS felt different. 

There was no pressure to talk before I was ready. There was no judgment about what I shared. I was allowed to listen—to absorb, to reflect, to feel.

And then, one day, something shifted.

I listened to my classmates speak about their own traumas, and for the first time in my life, I realized:

1. I was not alone.
2. I had nothing to be ashamed of.
3. I deserved to work on myself too.

ARCS has helped me see the patterns I’ve been repeating for years: 

1. I’ve always been bad with money, despite knowing how to manage it.
2. I’ve been in three major relationships, including a marriage, where I ignored my own needs.
3. I have chosen partners who were narcissistic and abusive (physically, emotionally, and mentally)
4. I equated sex with love—until now.
5. I avoided confrontation at all costs, because I couldn’t stand being belittled.

This program has shown me why I kept repeating these patterns. More importantly, it has given me the tools to finally break them.

For the first time, I am learning to:

1. Comfort my inner child.
2. Let go of shame.
3. Live as my true self.

ARCS has not only changed the way I see myself—it has changed the way I feel about myself.

And that shift is everything.

ARCS has given me something I’ve never had before:

1. A space to heal.
2. A community that understands.
3. A way forward—not just for my clients, but for myself.

For the first time, I truly believe, that I am important enough to help myself.

And I know that by the time I complete this program, I will continue to grow into the healthy, whole, and fulfilled person I was always meant to be.

I can't wait to complete the ARCS Coaching Certification and pass this wisdom forward to my clients.