​In September 1986, Coventina Waterhawk entered recovery. Nearly forty years later, that personal journey has evolved into a multifaceted practice that combines traditional recovery support with alternative healing modalities serving a population that often falls through the cracks of conventional healthcare. Waterhawk's work centers on dual diagnosis, the clinical term for individuals managing both mental health conditions and substance use disorders simultaneously. It's a demographic she knows intimately, not from textbooks but from lived experience. "I have the perspective of someone who knows firsthand what it's like to be dismissed by nurses and doctors and have had to advocate for myself to find the help I need to survive," she explains in her practice materials.

 

Building Credibility Through Multiple Channels

The foundation of Waterhawk's practice rests on empowerment coaching and Reiki energy healing, but her influence extends beyond one-on-one sessions. Her book "Dually Diagnosed, Dually Blessed: From Struggle to Purpose" earned second place in the BookFest Awards and became a bestseller, reaching number one in Personality Disorders and number two in Drug Dependency and Recovery in the Kindle store within its first week. The book's practical impact is perhaps more telling than its rankings. One reader purchased seven copies before finishing it, intending to distribute them to others. La Clinica de Familia selected it for their Psychosocial Rehabilitation book club, and starting December 2025, it will serve as a workbook for Intensive Outpatient Program patients, with Waterhawk teaching holistic recovery methods to the group.

A Hybrid Model for Healing

Waterhawk's practice weaves together several complementary approaches. She's been a certified Reiki practitioner since 2006 and recently added certification as a Crystal and Chakra healer through Life Changing Energy, a school registered with the Complementary Medical Association. Her services also include intuitive readings using tarot and channeled insights, offering what she describes as spiritual guidance for clients seeking clarity. The breadth of her offerings reflects a philosophy that recovery requires more than clinical intervention alone. By incorporating energy work and spiritual practices alongside empowerment coaching, she targets the audience she defines as "people who live with mental health and substance use disorders" who need to "reclaim an empowered life."

 

Recognition and Forward Trajectory

Professional recognition has followed. In July 2025, the Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized named her Woman of the Month, featuring both her and her book in their fall 2025 issue. Her early writing also garnered several Golden Poet and Honorable Mention Awards in the mid-eighties. Over the coming years, Waterhawk envisions her calendar booked three to six months ahead with individual coaching sessions, Reiki clients, and speaking events worldwide. It's an ambitious goal that reflects both growing interest in alternative healing modalities and persistent gaps in how healthcare systems address dual diagnosis populations. For those seeking approaches beyond traditional treatment, her four decades of recovery offer a form of credibility that no certification alone can provide.