Dawn Nickel, PhD – or “Mama Dawn” as she is affectionately known in the women’s recovery space, is passionate about redefining recovery, ending the shame and stigma around it, and ensuring that women are supported to find and follow individualized pathways and patchworks of recovery. A survivor of intimate partner violence and cancer and with over 35 years of recovery from substance use, Nickel currently identifies as being in active recovery from workaholism and the patriarchy. In her professional role as a health policy researcher and consultant, Nickel focuses on how best to support women who experience substance use disorders, mental health issues and related life issues.

She and her daughter Taryn Strong (also in recovery from substance use and various life challenges) “accidentally” started a worldwide women’s recovery movement called She Recovers when they started a Facebook page of that name in 2011. Since then, literally hundreds of thousands of women have been introduced to the She Recovers philosophy, approach and community. Nickel’s firm belief that recovery is a daily practice, coupled with her commitment to paying her recovery forward, inspired her to write this book.