Hi I’m Dawn and I’m so happy you are here.
I am a practicing family law lawyer and trauma-informed recovery coach living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. I am a passionate recovery advocate seeking to support professional women to recover, to develop a deeper sense of self-worth, to overcome barriers to recovery, explore possibilities for growth, rediscover their passion and authentic selves, and create a sustainable health and wellness recovery plan. I attended residential treatment for substance use in 1995, and I have been in recovery from substance use and trauma for over 29 years. I am also in recovery from anxiety and depression, intimate partner violence, intergenerational and vicarious trauma, shame, codependency, grief and loss, and overworking.
I had always dreamt of pursuing a post-secondary education and getting a university degree, but my substance use and untreated trauma were preventing me from realizing that dream and from living a happy, healthy life.
With supports in recovery, I went back to school as a mature student and single parent and I graduated from law school in 2003. I was inspired become a lawyer from my own personal experiences, and I wanted to support and empower other women who had experienced similar struggles, which has been the primary focus of my family law practice for the last 16 years.
In 2012, I began to explore alternate pathways to enhance my recovery and I became involved with SHE RECOVERS®. As a She Recovers Coach, I believe that there are multiple paths to recovery. I have practiced abstinence-based recovery for over 25 years, and
I have benefitted from harm reduction services, medication, intervention, detox, residential treatment, 12 step programs, Women for Sobriety, 16 Steps for Women’s Empowerment, Refuge Recovery and Recovery Dharma, Smart Recovery, yoga and trauma-informed Yoga for Recovery, massage and meditation.
I have received extensive individual and group counselling and therapy for trauma and addiction, medication, hypnotherapy and tapping (EFT) for anxiety and depression, and ongoing support from the Lawyer’s Assistance Program of BC. I have participated in many recovery oriented groups, retreats and conferences and have made meaningful connections with some remarkable people over the years. In the past few years, I had been struggling with overworking and vicarious trauma from my work, as well as some past trauma that surfaced during the pandemic. In April 2020, I made a commitment to myself to improve my physical health and well-being. I changed my lifestyle, my diet and started going to the gym and working out with a personal trainer. In 2021, I completed four 8-week strength training programs and since then I have been attending the gym regularly as well as yoga, hiking and skiing. I believe in a holistic approach to recovery incorporating a healthy body, mind, spirit and connections with others in community.
As a woman in long-term recovery with a wide range of lived experiences, I have overcome adversity, significant personal challenges, and made radical changes in my own life as inspiration for my coaching services.
Accreditation:
Juris Doctor, called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2005
She Recovers Coach Designation, SHE RECOVERS®, 2021
Recovery Coach Training, Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), Recovery Coach Academy, 2020
Certified Coach Practitioner, Certified Coaches Federation, 2020
Peer Volunteer (since 2003) and Board VP, Lawyer’s Assistance Program of BC, 2023
Board Chair, She Recovers Foundation Canada, 2023
As a SHE RECOVERS® certified Recovery Coach, I am trained in and my work aligns with the She Recovers Intentions & Guiding Principles
“I believe that no matter how far down the scale we have gone, we can stop using substances, unlearn old habits and patterns, heal from past traumas and find a new way of life in recovery. —Dawn
Contact me.
dawnkuehncoaching@gmail.com
(250) 863-3663
