Nicole Costa is Vice President of Operations for Ark Behavioral Health. 

We learned a lot this episode: Chiefly, never record a podcast on Zoom with bad internet.

No disrespect to Pookie, Nicole has a professional name, a friend name and a family name.

Tragically, Cole has lost her beautiful singing voice. But what she has done instead of American Idol stardom is far more lasting. After earning her MSW, LICSW, she started her career as an addiction counselor in prisons before moving out of the walls and into recovery settings. She emphasizes the importance of being able to relate to other people with whom you are in recovery. This powerhouse mother of three rambunctious boys has opened three new centers for Ark Behavioral Health in the last five years. She talks about their First Responders program and the fact that opiates are in the news so much because they are  more deadly, but that alcohol is still the primary substance for which people seek treatment.

The Pulse

Watching
Nicole: Trashy reality TV and Drew: Basketball

Listening to
Nicole: Christian Music only, Corey Asbury and Drew: Godfellas

Reading
Nicole: Not a lot, Drew The Atlantic