Leaving the school systems, Nina became a Certified Domestic Violence Counselor while working with battered and abused women and children at Human Options Domestic Violence Counseling Center. She has worked with Orange County Probation as a counselor and parent educator at Boundaries, an agency providing counseling and anger management for child abuse offenders. Nina moved on to become a Certified Loss and Grief counselor in her role as program director for Gary’s Place for Kids, a non-profit agency that provided bereavement support to children and their parents who had experienced the death of a significant loved one in their lives.

For the last 10 years, the focus of Nina’s work has been with dual diagnosis clients in various rehabilitation and drug and alcohol recovery centers. She takes great joy and reward in working with individuals and families whose lives have been destroyed by substance abuse and dependence. She became a Certified Personal Life Coach in her efforts to support and sustain those who are choosing to walk the path of recovery through the 12-Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Nina and her husband Roy live in Dana Point and are currently launching the last few of their nine children in their blended family.