Guest Profile

Tonia Groves Ahern

A 2012 phone call to Parent To Parent, a New Jersey non-profit organization, was a pivotal point in Tonia Groves Ahern’s journey to her own recovery as a mother with a child struggling with substance use and a mental health disorder. The founders’ support, education, and passion to help others was contagious and soon advocacy changed the direction of her life. Tonia and a friend began a local Parent To Parent support group and she became a Team Leader with the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD-NJ), a statewide advocacy organization. Her work with both organizations gave her an opportunity to meet with community and state leaders to become a voice for families.

Tonia became a Recovery Coach with Full Recovery in 2014. She was trained in 2017 as a Parent Coach with The Partnership For Drug-Free Kids, a national prevention and family support organization and also trained as a New Jersey Peer Specialist in 2018. After years of volunteering, she was given an opportunity to work for both The Mental Health Association in NJ as a Family Advocate and government policy and an Advocacy Team Coordinator with NCADD-NJ.

Tonia continues to educate and speak out against discrimination that creates barriers to recovery and wellness. She is grateful for the many families and advocates throughout the country who continue to use their own experiences to help others. They are the silver lining.