Peer Professional Certification Trainings

Become a Certified Peer Professional

Start Your Journey Toward CRPA or CARC Certification with Expert-Led Peer Recovery Training

A Purpose 4 Life is partnering with Authentic Trainings to offer foundational and specialized peer professional training programs designed to equip you for success in recovery coaching, peer support, and behavioral health roles. Whether you’re just beginning your career or ready to deepen your impact, our training empowers you with best practices, lived experience, and evidence-based tools to make a lasting difference.

Why Choose A Purpose 4 Life and Authentic Trainings for Peer Recovery Training?

Led by Certified Experts with Lived Experience

Our programs are developed and facilitated by Lisa Ardner, MA, CASAC-M, CARC, RCP, RCPF, and Sandra Rivers, MA, CASAC-M, RCP, RCPF—both Recovery Coach Professionals (RCP) and Recovery Coach Professional Facilitators (RCPF) and members of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) members. With decades of experience in long-term recovery, criminal justice systems, family support, and trauma-informed care, they bring heart, credibility, and excellence to every training.

Meet the Team

  • Lisa Ardner

    A PURPOSE 4 LIFE, LLC

    Advocate for Peer-Led Transformation.

    With over 20 years of clinical experience in the field of substance use disorders, Lisa Ardner brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her work training and mentoring peer professionals. She is a Certified MINT® Trainer and proud member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), committed to advancing evidence-based, person-centered approaches.

    Lisa holds a master’s degree in Adult Learning from SUNY Empire State College, where she also serves as an adjunct professor. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), a NYS Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC), and a Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCP-F).

    As a NYS OASAS-approved trainer and a member of the New York Certification Board (NYCB) Trainer Registry, Lisa offers a wide range of trainings—from foundational peer recovery to specialized workshops in trauma, criminal justice, and family engagement.

    Lisa co-facilitates a monthly Motivational Interviewing Community of Practice and is an active member of the CNY Motivational Interviewing Learning Collaborative. She is known for her compassionate presence, relational teaching style, and heartfelt commitment to equipping others to lead with empathy, excellence, and purpose.

  • Dedicated Advocates for Peer-led transformation in Recovery.

    Sandy and Lisa re both on the CNY Peer Networking Group (PNG) Advisory Board and are FOR-NY Best Practice Trainers.

  • Sandra Rivers, MA, CASAC-M, RCP, RCPF

    AUTHENTIC TRAININGS LLC

    As the founder of Authentic Trainings, Sandy has decades of clinical experience in substance use disorder, sexual abuse, and trauma.

    As a clinician, she noticed that evidence-based practices rooted in practical, person-centered approaches led to the best client outcomes. She further noted that these same skills led to lower rates of burnout among her colleagues. 

    When she noticed a deficit in workforce education focused on these skills, she pursued a master’s degree in adult education, and she founded Authentic Trainings to fill that void.

    Sandy holds various certifications, including Trauma Debriefing, Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist, Trauma Champion, and Advanced Motivational Interviewing Trainer. She’s a member of  the NYCB Trainer Registry.

    At Authentic Trainings, she develops customized training solutions to meet the growing needs of professionals in the fields mental health, criminal justice, substance use disorder, and more to increase client engagement and retention.

What We Offer?

We provide optional professional development services to support your certification journey and practice—these are available for an additional fee or included for scholarship recipients:

🔹 Foundational Peer Recovery Trainings

  • CRPA & CARC certification pathways

  • Evidence-based curriculum rooted in adult learning principles

🔹 Specialized Elective Trainings

  • Family Support

  • Criminal Justice Peer Support

  • Medication Supported Recovery (MSR)

  • Motivational Interviewing for Peer Professionals and Criminal Justice Professionals

🔹 Volunteer Site Placement Support (CRPA)

  • Assistance securing 500-hour experience sites for CRPA credentialing

🔹 25 Hours of CRPA Supervision (CRPA)

  • Monthly coaching group fulfilling NYCB’s supervision requirement in a supportive, skill-focused environment

🔹 Assistance in Preparing for the CRPA Examination

🔹 Business Coaching for CARC Professionals

  • Guidance to help CARC graduates start their own coaching practice or consulting business, using ethical, person-centered approaches

replace with Trauma 101, Motivational Interviewing, Resilience & Self Care, MI Intermediate, MI Advanced, MI for Leaders & Supervisors, Medication Supported Recovery, Cultural Competence

Ready to Get Started?

Join a community of passionate professionals and compassionate leaders. Whether you’re stepping into peer work for the first time or deepening your impact, A Purpose 4 Life is here to guide you forward.

👉 Contact us to schedule a free information session.

Let’s work together

Scholarships Available

·       We’re committed to reducing barriers to entry. A limited number of scholarships are available for eligible applicants. Scholarship recipients receive all the above services at no additional cost.
👉 Contact us to learn more and apply or complete this form below.

RCA July 2025
Jul
22
to Jul 28

RCA July 2025

Recovery Coach Academy Foundation Training

This 30 hour foundational training, developed by the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), is approved by the New York Certification Board (NYCB) and serves as the essential first step toward peer certification in New York State. The Recovery Coach Academy (RCA) equips individuals with the core competencies required to become effective recovery coaches, empowering them to guide and support others in initiating and sustaining recovery from addiction. Participants will develop practical skills in active listening, ethical decision-making, motivational interviewing, and supporting all pathways to recovery. Completion of this course fulfills the 30-hour core training requirement for those pursuing the Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) or Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC) credentials.

VIRTUAL-30 Credit Hours-Recovery Coach Academy (RCA)-Begins Tuesday 7/22/25 @ 9 am

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RCA Nov. 2025
Oct
27
to Nov 4

RCA Nov. 2025

This 30-hour foundational training, developed by the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), is approved by the New York Certification Board (NYCB) and serves as the essential first step toward peer certification in New York State. The Recovery Coach Academy (RCA) equips individuals with the core competencies required to become effective recovery coaches, empowering them to guide and support others in initiating and sustaining recovery from addiction. Participants will develop practical skills in active listening, ethical decision-making, motivational interviewing, and supporting all pathways to recovery. Completion of this course fulfills the 30-hour core training requirement for those pursuing the Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) or Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC) credentials.

VIRTUAL-30 Credit Hours-Recovery Coach Academy (RCA)-Begins 10/27/25 @ 9 am

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