Once upon a time…
I worked full time as a lead counselor at a prestigious mental health and recovery agency in New York City. It was work I had studied to do, and was actually very good at. The plan was to slowly move up the ranks to supervisor, with an eye on director. I was ambitious and driven on making this plan come true, I started to work late hours, neglect my health and engage in relationships that didn't serve me.
I was also engaged in non stop battles with my boss and manager. The office politics and red tape were overwhelming. I loved my clients, and my sessions were truly life changing but I soon started to feel burnt out, depressed and exhausted.
Along comes baby…
During this time, I became a father and my world was never the same.
Life has a way of steering us down unexpected paths, and my journey to becoming a stay-at-home dad is a testament to that. When my son was born, my world shifted in ways I couldn’t have imagined. While every new parent faces challenges, our family’s journey was met with an added layer of complexity when my newborn son, was diagnosed with a condition that required constant care and attention.
As we navigated this new reality, it became clear that my role in the workforce, while fulfilling, needed to take a backseat to something even more important—being there for my family. After careful thought and many heartfelt conversations, I made the decision to leave my job and dedicate myself fully to being a stay-at-home dad.
It wasn’t an easy decision. Leaving behind a career I had built over years meant stepping out of my comfort zone and redefining success for myself. But instead of having someone else raise our child, I decided to take the l lead at home. It was a challenging role, but it also opened up a world of new opportunities—to be present for every milestone, to provide the care my baby needed, and to support my family during a challenging time.
This journey has taught me more about resilience, patience, and love than I ever thought possible. Every day is different, and while some are harder than others, the reward of seeing my son grow and thrive is incomparable.
I share this story because I know I’m not alone. Many parents face similar decisions, weighing career aspirations against the needs of their family. To anyone in a similar situation, I want you to know this: stepping into the role your family needs you to fill is one of the bravest and most fulfilling decisions you can make.
It’s a chapter in my life I never planned for, but one I’m incredibly grateful to embrace.
What followed was a life altering adventures of sing along classes, read along groups, building pillow forts in my living room and daily diaper changes. Times at home were challenging, lonely and stressful but I really honed in on developing the skills I needed to be a good father, teacher and care giver. It was challenging work, but insightful as it allowed me the opportunity to gain better insight into children, early child development bahvioral management.
Eventually the day to day routine started taking its toll and slowly something starting tugging at my heart, I felt a pull toward feeding my creative side and a yearning to provide more, to help more.
I wanted to somehow bring value, to not only my family, but others as well, in a meaningful, practical and creative way!
“Ask the universe what you want, and it will provide.”
It was during this time I was contacted by some colleagues, who wanted to know if I could work with a small group of three clients who were interested in a recovery support group. Having had run groups at my old agency I immediately jumped at the chance to get back to social work, and supporting others on their road to sobriety.
Before I knew it, things started to grow.
Clients who I worked with enjoyed my strengths-based approach to dealing with everyday challenges to their sobriety and behavioral health, and slowly through word of mouth what started as a dream of helping a few people slowly grew into a thriving coaching practice, serving over 20+ clients, working closely with them to navigate challenges, rebuild trust, and foster deeper connections. Their incredible transformations fueled my drive to expand my reach and refine my coaching methods.
Today, I’m honored to guide individuals and couples from all walks of life to create hugely successful lives, businesses and relationships that are meaningful. The impact has been truly empowering, my clients have been very profitable in their businesses, developed lasting and fulfilling relationships, written articles and books, and developed productivity and focus on work/life balance goals.