Career, Education and Therapeutic Consulting

Individualized support for education, career, and long-term stability in recovery

Recovery is not just about stopping a behavior — it’s about building a life that can actually hold sobriety and wellbeing. At Recovery & Wellness Services, our consulting work helps individuals and families make thoughtful, realistic decisions about education, work, and next steps, especially during transitions out of treatment or periods of instability.

Our approach is practical, personalized, and coordinated, designed to meet people where they are — not where they “should” be.

Consulting Services

  • Many of the individuals we work with have disrupted educational paths, learning differences, or mixed experiences with traditional school environments. Our educational consulting helps clients and families clarify realistic options and build a plan that supports both recovery and long-term independence.

    Educational consulting may include:

    • College planning and re-entry after treatment or leave of absence

    • Evaluation of traditional, alternative, and non-degree programs

    • Guidance around certificates, vocational programs, and skilled trades

    • Support navigating accommodations, learning differences, and executive functioning challenges

    • Identifying programs with real recovery infrastructure (not just marketing claims)

    • Coordination with treatment teams, therapists, and academic programs

    Our role is not to push a specific path, but to help clients choose an option they can actually sustain.

  • For many people in recovery, work can either support stability — or quietly undermine it. Our career coaching focuses on helping clients build structure, purpose, and momentum without overwhelming them or creating unnecessary pressure.

    Career coaching may include:

    • Clarifying strengths, interests, and realistic work options

    • Career exploration aligned with recovery needs and lifestyle stability

    • Resume support and job search strategy (as appropriate)

    • Executive functioning support related to work (organization, follow-through, accountability)

    • Coaching through early employment transitions and setbacks

    • Aligning work expectations with mental health and recovery capacity

    We focus on progress, not perfection, and help clients move forward at a pace that supports long-term success.

  • Not all challenges are best addressed by a single provider or program. Recovery & Wellness Services provides non-clinical consulting to help individuals and families think strategically about available support options, particularly when prior treatment experiences have not resulted in sustained stability.

    Services may include:

    • Assisting with discharge and continuing care planning

    • Reviewing available levels of care and support options

    • Coordinating communication among licensed providers and support services (e.g., therapy, psychiatry, coaching, sober living, education, employment)

    • Supporting families in establishing boundaries and realistic expectations

    • Providing objective guidance during complex or emotionally charged decisions

    • Assisting with transitions from structured environments to greater independence

    Recovery & Wellness Services does not provide therapy, medical care, psychiatric services, or clinical diagnoses. We do not conduct clinical assessments. Our role is limited to non-clinical care coordination, education, and support. All clinical or medical services are provided solely by independent, appropriately licensed professionals.

    Recovery & Wellness Services does not receive referral fees, commissions, marketing payments, or financial incentives from treatment programs or providers. Recommendations are made independently and based solely on client needs and available program qualifications.

Consultants

Steve Pulley DPT

Founder, Therapeutic Consultant, Interventionist

Steve Pulley is the founder of Recovery & Wellness Services and has spent over 15 years supporting individuals and families navigating recovery, transition, and long-term life planning. In recovery himself since 2008, Steve brings a grounded, experience-based perspective to his consulting work, helping clients build sustainable routines, emotional resilience, and meaningful direction beyond treatment.

Steve has toured more than 100 treatment programs across the country and has visited dozens of collegiate recovery programs nationwide. He is the founder of the Collegiate Recovery Program at the College of Charleston, one of the earliest programs of its kind, and has remained deeply involved in recovery-focused education and advocacy.

As a therapeutic consultant, Steve works closely with families and referral partners to help clients make informed decisions about continued care, recovery support, and next steps—always prioritizing fit, transparency, and long-term success.

Fred Palmer brings over a decade of experience in behavioral health, higher education, career development, and independent consulting to his work at Recovery & Wellness Services. Prior to joining RWS full-time, Fred worked in career services at an R1 research university, where he supported students and young adults with career exploration, graduate and professional school planning, and education-to-employment pathways.

In addition to his university work, Fred founded and operated an independent career and education consulting practice focused on supporting young adults in recovery, individuals with non-traditional educational paths, and families navigating complex academic and career decisions.

At RWS, Fred specializes in helping clients clarify realistic education and career options—whether returning to college, exploring graduate or professional programs, pursuing certificates or vocational training, or building alternative career pathways that support stability and independence. His work emphasizes practical planning, informed decision-making, and long-term sustainability.

Career Coach 
and Academic/Educational Consultant

Fred Palmer MPH

Ethical Standards & Disclosure

Recovery & Wellness Services provides independent consulting only. We are never paid for referrals by treatment programs, sober living environments, colleges, universities, or other service providers. Recommendations are based solely on the individual needs, goals, and circumstances of each client.

Our role is to help individuals and families understand options, ask the right questions, and make informed decisions—not to steer clients toward specific programs or institutions.