Coaching Executives and Entrepreneurs in Recovery from Addictions
“My goal is to have clients experience a blend of recovery and executive coaching tools to create the foundation needed to maintain long term sobriety and life success.”
Recovery Coach, Executive Coach, Author, and National Recovery Advocate
Melissa Killeen, MSOD, MPhil, is a nationally recognized recovery coach, executive coach, author, educator, and addiction recovery advocate who helps individuals build successful, fulfilling lives in long-term recovery. With more than 25 years of personal recovery experience and decades of experience as a business owner, entrepreneur, and organizational leader, Melissa brings a unique perspective to recovery coaching that combines the principles of addiction recovery with the proven strategies of executive coaching.
Melissa approaches recovery coaching much like a business executive coach works with a CEO. She believes that recovery is not simply about maintaining sobriety—it is about creating a meaningful life, strengthening relationships, improving personal effectiveness, and achieving goals in recovery, family life, and business. Her specialized approach is particularly valuable for professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, healthcare professionals, and business owners who face the unique challenges of balancing recovery with career and family responsibilities.
Recovery Coaching Philosophy
Melissa’s recovery coaching philosophy is built on the belief that the skills necessary for long-term recovery are often the same skills needed to succeed in life. Through a personalized blend of recovery coaching and executive coaching, she helps clients develop the tools, habits, and strategies required to maintain sobriety while improving their relationships, careers, and overall quality of life.
Her coaching focuses on helping clients rebuild trust, strengthen family connections, improve communication skills, and develop healthier ways of interacting with others. Because recovery impacts every area of life, Melissa works with clients to create practical solutions that support both personal growth and professional success. The same tools that help individuals sustain recovery can also improve workplace performance, leadership effectiveness, and family relationships.
Melissa places particular emphasis on communication and relationship-building. She helps clients learn how to communicate effectively during challenging situations, navigate conflict without compromising their recovery, and rebuild important personal and professional relationships. Through behavioral and communication assessments, clients gain valuable insight into their strengths, interpersonal styles, and opportunities for growth.
As a certified Master Trainer of the LIFO® Assessment, Melissa utilizes evidence-based tools that help clients better understand themselves and the people around them. These assessments often provide powerful insights that support healthier communication, stronger relationships, and more effective decision-making.
Melissa also incorporates holistic recovery resources into her coaching practice, including Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or Tapping) and Matrix Re-Imprinting. These approaches provide clients with additional drug-free tools for managing stress, reducing emotional triggers, increasing resilience, and supporting long-term recovery. She encourages clients to explore multiple pathways to recovery, personal growth, spirituality, and emotional wellness, embracing the philosophy that recovery is a highly individualized journey.
As the Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill W. famously observed, “There are many roads to recovery.” Melissa’s work reflects this belief by helping each client discover the recovery pathway that best supports their unique needs, goals, and values.
Nationally Recognized Leader in Recovery Coaching
Melissa earned her graduate degrees in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in Executive Coaching and Leadership Management. Her academic training, combined with extensive real-world experience in business leadership and addiction recovery, has made her one of the most respected voices in the field of recovery coaching.
In 2015, Melissa received the prestigious Vernon Johnson Award from Faces & Voices of Recovery. This national recognition honored her contributions to advancing recovery support services and promoting public awareness of addiction recovery throughout the United States.
Melissa also served as President and Executive Board Member of Recovery Coaches International, helping to establish professional standards and support the growth of recovery coaching worldwide. She is a highly regarded speaker, trainer, and educator who has presented at conferences, colleges, treatment programs, and professional organizations across the country on topics including recovery coaching, peer support services, professional coaching development, and behavioral addictions.
Today, Melissa continues to coach individuals seeking long-term recovery while training and mentoring recovery coaches throughout the United States. Her mission is to help people move beyond surviving addiction and create lives marked by purpose, connection, fulfillment, and lasting recovery.
Melissa is the author of the first book on recovery coaching, RECOVERY COACHING-A Guide to Coaching People in Recovery from Addictions, Third Edition, which is available for purchase on Amazon. If you are interested in purchasing Melissa Killeen’s book, please click below.
