Meet our certified mental health coaches!

Shayna Marie Slamowitz

"Life's journey is not a destination it's about creating self-transformation". At 14 being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder looking for answers and reasons as to "why me"? I found my purpose. Through my journey of this illness it was hope that helped me find my recovery. One of my biggest lessons was finding out that pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice.

I am a certified mental health life coach. My specialties are looking to help adolescence and their families who are "suffering" and struggling with the symptoms of emotional dysregulation. Through my painful adolescent journey, all in the end I came into my passion which is helping others. By finding what helped me, I am now ready to share it with the world. My goal and compassionate intention is to help you move forward, to find hope, motivation and most of all guide you to find your true self as I have.

You can reach me at: shaynamarie8190@aim.com or by calling 516 305 2446.

Teresa Wiles DiGregorio

"My wish is to give people hope that like me, they can begin to overcome symptoms of BPD (and anything else that has been diagnosed with it) and start to have a more joyful, open life -- filled with possibilities at any age, even if you are a late bloomer like me.

After struggling with symptoms and traits of BPD and PTSD for decades, I finally found something that worked for me and came to realize and that there IS a way out as I started learning and using the tools and skills from someone who had actually been there and I really came to believe that I  have a lot of fabulous qualities!  Working with someone who  shared my experience was very powerful.

Following in Tami's footsteps, I spent over a year in her DBT classes, private sessions followed by her coaching certification class.  In addition, I am bringing a whole bunch of additional tools as a student in the Martha Beck Life Coaching Training Certification course as well as training in family connections and leadership training through the NEA-BPD. 

I look forward to working with you and your family to let you know that anything you want is possible whether you are a teen (I've had 3 of those!), a professional career person, an athlete, or a home-maker, as I have been connected in some way to all those things.

I'm like Home Depot. You can do it and I can help! You can contact me at: 770-974-9010 www.essencehappens.com

Samantha Bingman

Our stories are always very similar yet they are so different. We all come from different backgrounds and may have been raised differently or are of a different gender. None of us have the exact same story. Many of our stories are very similar yes, but the one thing all of us have in common are our uncontrollable emotions.

Throughout my entire recovery I have battled my emotions. No matter what happened in life it all boiled down to if I reacted or didn't react to that emotion.

When I first started this recovery process I was not able to accept the fact that I had a problem. My alcohol addiction got worse, my self harm addiction got worse, and my abuse to family members got worse.

I was 21 years old when I found out I had Borderline Personality Disorder. It took several months to actually get in enough pain to start working on my symptoms. I was then able to start Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and get the help I needed.

After a year of DBT, going to support groups, and other 12 step programs I was able to start leading and chairing all of those groups.

I have taken a year of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training.  I have successfully completed the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Connections training and become a facilitator. I am also now get to coach other people with Borderline Personality Disorder and see there lives change just the way mine did. This is whats amazing.

My emotions would continue to harm me until I realized they are just like waves at the beach, they will continue to come one after the other. If I can distract my mind from the emotion I do not like then I can have a new one. Sometimes its good to ride that wave and feel that emotion at the same time then allow yourself to have a new emotion.

You can reach me at: samantha.bingman@gmail.com