Midstate Coaching Service

My love of helping people is what drives what I do today!

This post is a bit lengthy as I am open about all of my experiences and would like to give you a little bit of information about me. Today I am CELEBRATING 6 years and 4 months clean and sober! I think that, FOR ME, the biggest asset on my side in my quest for sobriety was how GREAT I knew that life could be WITHOUT drugs and alcohol... up until I was 28 years old.

At age 23, I was the proud owner of Candico, my candy store located in the food court of University Mall in Tuscaloosa Alabama. I was the FIRST woman to become an independent owner/operator! Every job I ever had was either ownership or upper-level management. I had a family that was SO CLOSE (we had our problems like every family) ... we played music together... I mean I have a CD of us playing. I will try to upload one of the tracks so you guys can hear. We ALL lived next door to one another... hell, the road is named after us! Simmons Drive in Coker Alabama!!! My father was the Chief/founder of the Mt. Olive Volunteer Fire Department. My mom owned the community grocery store, Mt. Olive Grocery!

I sing. In 1989 I performed the song, "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn on Star Search... in 1990, I was president of Shelton State Community College Singers. That is where I attended college. In that same year, we also were asked to perform at Carnegie Hall!!!!! So, on November 25, 1990, we, along with 8 other college choirs, performed Hayden's "Lord Nelson Mass" as part of the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall!!!! I really had a great life.

But, what brought me to my knees were the events of June-September of 1998. As I said, I was 28 when my whole world fell apart. On Monday morning, June 8th, I got a phone call from my godmother who told me that my mom had just had a heart attack. I rushed to the hospital and that was the beginning of the end of my life as I knew it. Five days later, mom was doing GREAT! She was slated to come home the following Monday. Well, we get a call Sunday night to come to the hospital... they didn't think that mom was going to make it. Then, the 29 days from hell began... I have always said, if someone could make a roller coaster with as many ups and downs and twists, someone would be a millionaire.

Anyway, to make an incredibly long story short, on Friday, July 3, 1998, my mom who was just 48, died with her family by her side. Well, here's another twist... growing up I always heard my dad say, "girls, I love you, but if anything ever happens to your mother, I'm going with her.” See where this is going? Even after she died, he didn't hide it.

So, during the next 2 months and 9 days, my dad got all of his affairs in order. We went to the recording studio and recorded us playing so that we would have a CD of us all playing music together after he was gone. He played guitar and sang, I play the piano and sing, one sister plays the bass guitar, and my other sister played the drums. He did EVERYTHING... even down to prepaying for his funeral and laying out the clothes that he wanted to be buried in! On September 11, 1998, I found my father after he had committed suicide. He, too, was only 48.
I tried to move on, a new city, a new job, no reminders of 'home'... except the ones that kept running through my head! I managed for about 2 1/2 years to hold it together, but, finally, I BROKE! That is when the drugs started. It didn't help that I was dating a drug dealer... UGH... what was I thinking? I wasn't, I guess... Anyway, after 2 years of getting the crap beat out of me, I started drinking. Fast forward 12 years to October 18, 2014… that was the day that I FINALLY gathered the courage, by the grace of God, and left the drug-infested domestic violence situation that I was in. That is ALSO the day that I left drugs and alcohol behind!

Today, I have all 3 of my kids in my life in a healthy way! I finally got to meet my grandkids 2 years ago! I have lost 100 lbs. I have a beautiful apartment... I AM BLESSED... now, to be clear, that doesn't mean it's been a breeze, but, just for today, I am sober! It is for all of the above reasons plus more that I have decided to become a life coach. In addition to Coaching, I am in my 3rd year at Post University working towards my master’s degree in Drug and Alcohol counseling.

So, that’s a little bit about me… I would LOVE to work with you TODAY!
Sincerely,
Kathy Simmons

Yes, I use Zoom or Facebook messenger for our meetings.

I have moved all of my services online in order to comply with social distancing guidelines.