Amanda Johnson
Founder and CCAR Recovery Coach

I grew up in a really small mining and farming town in Southwest Colorado, the middle child sandwiched between two sisters. My parents married in 1973 and are still married. I started drinking really young, I was binge drinking in high school, and by college I was a daily, heavy drinker. It was soon after I entered college that booze and drugs became more prominent in my life than anything else. I lost friends, scholarships, jobs, family, and freedom. Countless times friends, family members, and even the court systems encouraged me to seek treatment for substance abuse. It didn’t work, I was in denial, I wasn’t ready. 

I was married and from this marriage I have two incredible children. Throughout my entire marriage and the first years of my children’s lives, I drank heavily, always in denial and defensive. As a result, I came very close to losing my children and my life.

I went to treatment on November 1st, 2016 with ZERO intentions of quitting drinking forever, I was merely doing it to not lose my children. A couple weeks into treatment, my life changed forever. I found acceptance. Acceptance that I am an alcoholic and an addict. Acceptance that I have never felt before, I was humbled and I was at peace. For so long, I was so sick and empty; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In all honesty, if I did not go to treatment and enter into recovery I do not believe I would have made it to 2017, the disease of addiction would have taken me out. 

With recovery, I have also been blessed to be a single mother of my two beautiful children. I am able to provide a safe, healthy, loving home free from chaos and destruction caused by addiction for my children.

As I became a healthy individual in recovery, I knew that there was nothing more that I wanted to do with my life than to help other people who have also experienced the hopelessness and emptiness of substance use disorder. I have worked with at risk youth, survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking, adult SUD and behavioral health. I have held positions from front line staff, supervisor, manager, and director in residential treatment facilities.

Over the years it has ripped my heart out to see people in and out of treatment, relapsing time and time again. And dying. As a person in recovery I wanted to do more to help people enter into long term recovery and break the cycle. Recovery coaching is the missing link between active addiction and long term recovery.
Peace, Love, and Sobriety
Amanda

Amy Armstrong, LPC, LAC
Clinical Director

Hi, I’m Amy and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) who has been in the field for more than a decade. Dealing with our trauma, giving up the things we are addicted to, setting boundaries with the people we love, coping with our mental health concerns, and letting go of toxic relationships can seem unbearable and often impossible. It has been my experience that change is possible and healing is not something to be feared but anticipated. My passion is to walk with clients and families as they navigate their way to recovery and healing. My commitment to helping others is rooted in a deep understanding of life challenges and the belief that every individual has the resilience to overcome these challenges. I have a BA in Psychology and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am also trained in EMDR and a wide range of therapeutic modalities which include CBT, DBT, and Solution-Focused therapy with an emphasis on behavioral health and substance abuse disorders. Together we can build a relationship where I support you and help you gain the tools you need. I am here to hold space for you so you can learn to trust the process and become a better version of yourself. A happier, healthier you. I look forward to the opportunity to work together!