“If I can make a difference in one person’s life, restore hope to an addict’s heart, my job is done. One person can make a profound difference.”

Gwendolyn Casella got clean and sober in 1997. She worked at Cri-Help, Inc. for over a decade in a variety of direct care and administrative roles while attending Drug and Alcohol Studies at Pierce and Mission Colleges. Since 2002, Gwen has been tied to the recovery community through her considerable experience as a sober coach and by conducting “extreme interventions” (defined as “recovery by any means necessary”). She has her own business, Recovery Services Unlimited LLC and, notably, was featured on A&E’s “Relapse, the Sober Coach Chronicles.” Identifying integrity as the underpinning of her approach, Gwen considers herself very lucky to be trained by some amazing mentors for whom she has always had a tremendous respect. Having worked at several treatment facilities, Gwen now passionately devotes all of her professional efforts to her role as Director of Detox and CD Services at La Ventana. She believes she was meant to do this work and loves doing it. When Gwen is not working, she spends time with family and sings in her band.