Jackie J.

Peer Parent

I am married with two sons ages 16 and 18 who are both learning to drive, exciting!

My older son is my qualifier who spent two rounds in IOP, one month in Caron Treatment Center, three months at Newport East RTC and a year at Diamond Ranch Academy in Hurricane, UT. He returned home this past June 2021 and is living with us in Wilton CT, finishing his senior year at the local high school. He works at the local grocery store, works out at the YMCA and attends wrap around services 2 days per week.

Our family attends weekly family therapy, along with my sons individual sessions, futures planning and sober coaching. He is doing one day at a time in his recovery and has been accepted into two colleges so far.

My younger son is a sophomore at the same high school, does Kung Fu, works out with his brother and has a pet sitting business.

As a former social worker with a corporate background, I am passionate about writing, sharing yoga and other healing modalities to support people on their paths. I have worked with hundreds of people in my 20 years as a certified yoga teacher (ERYT-790, YACEP, IAYT) and as a yoga therapist since 2013. I share the stress reduction and life style management techniques that have helped me heal from my own challenges in daily life and as a cancer survivor.

I teach ongoing classes, workshops and run annual retreats. I teach trauma informed yoga at the local domestic violence shelter and volunteer at a domestic violence and rape hotline in college. I am working on a pilot program to share trauma informed yoga for recovery with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment.

My debut as an author is Urge Overkill: A Story of Breaking Free on Overcoming Domestic Violence.

My second book is Stress Nation: An East Meets West Approach to Healing Trauma – Exploring where Western Psychology Meets Eastern Complementary Healing Modalities.

I became a peer parent to be part of the change that is needed in the world. Also to find and create community support. My goal as a parent is to come from a place of calm and skill in my own and with my family’s healing journey.