Shine Wellness & Recovery

Meet the Shine Team

Real people. Real experience. We've been where you are.

Meet the Founder

Rob G. Gonzalez, LADC II

Rob G. Gonzalez, LADC II

Founder | Program Director | Lead Primary Therapist

"I want every person who walks through our doors to know recovery is possible."

For more than 30 years, Rob G. has dedicated his career to serving individuals and families throughout the North Shore and Greater Boston, helping people overcome substance use disorders with clinical excellence, compassion, and genuine care. Combined with nearly 35 years of personal recovery, he brings a rare combination of professional expertise, lived experience, and an unwavering commitment to helping others build meaningful, lasting recovery.

As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (LADC II) and Recovery Coach, Rob G. has worked across nearly every level of addiction treatment. For more than a decade, he has served as a licensed bilingual clinician in outpatient addiction treatment, helping countless individuals and families from all walks of life navigate substance use disorders and long-term recovery. Fluent in both English and Spanish, his experience also includes detoxification programs, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), correctional settings, harm reduction, recovery coaching, community outreach, and clinical leadership. Throughout his career, his approach has remained the same: meet people where they are, earn their trust, and help them discover that recovery is possible.

Professional Credentials

  • Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (LADC II)
  • Recovery Coach
  • More than 30 years of professional experience in addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare
  • More than a decade as a licensed bilingual clinician in outpatient addiction treatment
  • Nearly 35 years of personal recovery
  • Fluent in English and Spanish

Co-Founder

Joe LaChance

Joe LaChance

Co-Founder & Managing Member

"My life changed with one conversation. Maybe this is yours."

Joe LaChance co-founded Shine Wellness and Recovery with one simple belief: every person who reaches out for help deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. At Shine, people are welcomed like family, not judged by their past. Joe believes that asking for help takes tremendous courage, and that every individual deserves to be met with empathy, understanding, and hope from the very first conversation.

For Joe, this mission is deeply personal.

Professional Credentials

  • Co-Founder & Managing Member
  • 20 years of lived recovery experience
  • Committed to person-centered, compassionate care
  • Active in the North Shore recovery community

The Shine Team

Joe Papa, MSW, LICSW, CADC-II

Joe Papa, MSW, LICSW, CADC-II

Clinical Director & Co-Owner

25+ years clinical experience | 30 years in recovery

Credentials

  • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC-II)
  • 25+ years of clinical experience in behavioral health and addiction treatment
  • 30 years in recovery
  • Specializes in trauma-informed care, CBT, DBT, and co-occurring disorders

"My job is to make sure every client receives exceptional clinical care that creates real change."

Ozzy Ruiz, LADC II

Ozzy Ruiz, LADC II

Primary Therapist | Licensed Bilingual Clinician (English & Spanish)

35 years in recovery | 20 years behavioral health experience

Credentials

  • Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (LADC II)
  • Licensed Bilingual Clinician (English & Spanish)
  • Certified Personal Trainer
  • 20+ years of experience in behavioral health and addiction treatment
  • 35 years in long-term recovery
  • Specializes in relapse prevention, 12-Step recovery, and harm reduction

"Recovery is more than my profession. It's the foundation of how I live my life."

Michelle Simons, MS, LADC I, CADC, RCP-F

Michelle Simons, MS, LADC I, CADC, RCP-F

Recovery Coach / Holistic Therapist

25+ years in recovery | 23 years in the addiction field

Credentials

  • Master of Science (MS) in Counseling Psychology
  • Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor I (LADC I)
  • Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)
  • Recovery Coach Professional - Fellow (RCP-F)
  • 23 years of experience in the addiction field
  • 25+ years in long-term recovery
  • Practitioner and teacher of Sahaja Yoga Meditation

"You never have to walk this road alone."