James Ivery: The Reentry Blueprint - From Crisis to Coaching

James Ivery, founder of Transcendent Transformation Coaching, shares his powerful journey from addiction to recovery and how he now helps others break free from their own cycles of substance abuse and incarceration. Having overcome addiction himself after growing up in a family ravaged by substance abuse, James brings authentic experience to his mission of helping others transcend their circumstances and become creators of their own lives.

• Working with individuals in recovery and those recently released from incarceration
• Facilitating personal development programs in Lancaster County Prison
• Providing "warm handoffs" that personally connect clients with community resources
• Helping clients develop specific reentry plans with clear goals and timelines
• Partnering with organizations like CareerLink and OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation)
• Emphasizing that people with past substance use or criminal backgrounds often make excellent employees with an "attitude of gratitude"
• Building plans that develop internal motivation rather than external compliance
• Operating from the belief that we're "more alike than different" in our human struggles
• Advocating for rehabilitation to begin immediately when someone enters the correctional system

Contact James at 717-844-1773 or JIvery@transcendenttransformationscoaching.com for personal coaching, consulting services, or program development support.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to James Ivery
• 2:30 Personal Struggle with Addiction
• 6:24 Mission of Transcendent Transformation Coaching
• 11:07 Reintegration Services and Warm Handoffs
• 13:47 Barriers to Successful Reentry
• 17:35 Finding Resources and Support Systems
• 22:24 James Ivery's Contact Information

Transcript

Sterling: 0:04
Hello, Wonderful People! We’re here today with James Ivery, founder of Transcendent Transformation Coaching. He is phenomenal in what he does. Mr. Ivery is deeply involved in the community and helps people from all walks of life get back on their way. Mr. Ivery, good morning. How are you?

James Ivery: 0:25
Good morning—and it’s actually Ivery, but everybody says Ivery.

Sterling: 0:31
I apologize for that. We can do another take if you want.

James Ivery: 0:34
No, that’s all right.

Sterling: 0:36
Okay, we’re going to keep the fun in here. Do you mind if I call you James?

James Ivery: 0:38
Yeah, that’s fine.

Sterling: 0:40
Okay, James, what inspired you to start Transcendent Transformation Coaching?

James Ivery: 0:50
What really inspired me was my own personal struggles. I’m a person in long-term recovery, meaning I struggled for many years with addiction to substances. I come from a family full of addicts. In fact, most of my family is now deceased because of addiction. I’ve had to bury a lot of my family over the past few years. Growing up, that was all I knew—either you got high or you sold drugs. That’s what you did in my family.

I had fallen into that generational cycle. I started selling drugs, and then I broke one of Biggie’s Ten Crack Commandments and got high on my own supply.

Sterling: 1:45
I remember that.

James Ivery: 1:46
Thanks for asking me that.

Sterling: 1:52
And I appreciate you for sharing that. That’s real talk—thank you.

James Ivery: 1:59
Yeah, absolutely. Over my own healing journey, I realized the need to help guide other people in this process. It’s imperative that we have guidance when we’re trying to embark on a healing journey, because it’s not for the faint of heart. You’re going against the grain, trying to change your mindset and everything you’ve known. So it’s necessary to find someone who has managed to do this successfully and can show you the way.

Sterling: 2:37
Right, right. I mean, I’m taken back. Like myself, you’re making me think about my younger self in Philadelphia. I remember sitting with my mother in a crack house so she wouldn’t get assaulted while she was shooting up heroin. Man, this one’s about to come right now.

So, James, what is the significance and meaning of Transcendent Transformation Coaching to you?

James Ivery: 3:20
It means helping people transcend in this lifetime. It’s a complete and total transformation—shedding your entire old self so you can become something new. You can become the creator of your own life. I’m helping people learn how to be leaders of their own lives. Too often we’re just following the masses or being victims of our own circumstances, not realizing we actually hold within us the power to change.

Sterling: 3:59
Right, right, 100 percent. What reintegration services do you offer to your clients—those who are ex-offenders or battling recovery?

James Ivery: 4:30
Right now, I’ve been fortunate enough to work within Lancaster County Prison. I facilitate a program based on personal and social development. It’s a two-week course covering life skills, goal development, trust-building, and value identification—helping people prepare with a plan before leaving. I also provide warm handoffs to connect them with community resources so they leave with a clear path and direction.

Sterling: 5:18
You mentioned “warm handoff,” and I actually read that in the questionnaire. Can you expand on that a little more?

James Ivery: 5:24
Yeah, a warm handoff is exactly what it sounds like. I personally connect the individual with community resources. Too often, people just hand out phone numbers. But let’s be real—most won’t call. They’re traumatized from what brought them inside, and prison itself is traumatizing. Trust is broken. People fall back into their old way of thinking: I’ll just do what I want when I want.

So what I do is make sure the connection happens. I introduce them, connect them, and then follow up to ensure they stay connected.

Sterling: 6:39
Now, with all this outreach work, do you have a set schedule? How do you balance your time?

James Ivery: 7:01
I subcontract with another coaching group that created part of this program. I teach the course for two weeks, then I’m off for four days. Within those four days, I work on my own business. I also contract with another community organization doing addiction counseling and facilitating groups. But I absolutely make time for self-care. Keeping my cup full is imperative so I can continue pouring into others.

Sterling: 7:43
What’s one of the most surprising lessons you’ve learned from working with people from different backgrounds?

James Ivery: 7:57
That we’re a lot more alike than we are different.

Sterling: 8:03
Well said. Personally, I’d add that we’re all searching for something—often peace. Growing up in trauma, I didn’t process things and I didn’t ask for help. That’s where we’re so much alike: we want help, but we often ask the wrong people.

James Ivery: 9:09
Exactly. What I’ve learned is it’s so hard for us to ask for help because it requires vulnerability. And growing up in harsh or traumatic environments, we often learn that when we do ask, we don’t receive it. That trains us to believe we just have to do it all ourselves. On top of that, society teaches men that asking for help is weakness—that we have to be independent and handle everything on our own.

Sterling: 10:15
In the questionnaire we sent, you mentioned connecting clients with second-chance employers. How do you establish those partnerships?

James Ivery: 10:47
I used to work as an employment specialist at a treatment facility. I’d present to employers about our clients, some with criminal backgrounds, and explain how deserving they are of second chances. In fact, people in recovery or with criminal histories often become some of the best workers you’ll find.

Sterling: 11:19
Actual dependable workers.

James Ivery: 11:20
Absolutely. They bring an “attitude of gratitude.” They’re just thankful someone gave them a chance.

Speaker 1: 11:29
We’re going to quote that—attitude of gratitude.

James Ivery: 11:35
CareerLink is one of the main places I refer people. They have a wide range of employers who offer second-chance opportunities.

Sterling: 11:48
That leads into my next question: what community partnerships or funding sources do you connect with?

James Ivery: 11:57
CareerLink and OVR—the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. CareerLink provides employment opportunities, on-the-job training, and soft skills classes. OVR can even fund schooling. If someone has a mental health or substance use diagnosis, they qualify for OVR services, which can cover tuition.

Sterling: 12:43
And many individuals in facilities don’t even know these resources exist. When you ask them what they’ll do upon release, they say “stay clean” but have no real plan. What are some of the barriers you see most often?

James Ivery: 13:32
The biggest barrier is leaving without a reentry plan. Goals are direction—they keep you grounded. In prison, people thrive under structure. A reentry plan gives them that structure on the outside. It must be clear: what will I do, how will I do it, who will help me, when will I do it? Without that, you’re just adrift.

Sterling: 14:21
And do you find most individuals actually want the help?

James Ivery: 14:50
Yes. The course I teach is available to anyone incarcerated, but only to those who want it. Sometimes people just aren’t ready, and that’s okay. But those who sign up are looking for that help.

Sterling: 15:32
When there are gaps in reentry planning, do you build plans from scratch or partner with agencies?

James Ivery: 16:02
I help individuals create their own reentry plan. If someone else builds it, they won’t follow it. They need to be invested. I teach them how to set intentions and find internal motivation. And I always make myself available—call, text, email—if they need support, even after release.

Sterling: 17:13
How do you measure the success or impact of your programs?

James Ivery: 17:20
Right now, I’m still building my business—I just launched last October. So I haven’t collected full data yet. But long-term, we’ll measure things like recidivism rates, how long individuals stay sober, and how long they remain out of the system.

Sterling: 17:59
Yes, because according to PA.gov, the recidivism rate in Pennsylvania is about 64%. But in York, Harrisburg, and Lancaster, the rates are lower because of the resources available. That shows your services are working.

Sterling: 18:38
So, what are the biggest challenges you face in your company, and what resources do you need?

James Ivery: 19:07
Funding. I work with people at the bottom of the barrel—those with no income or support. They can’t pay for services. But I offer them anyway, because I’ve been there. I’ve been homeless. I was that addict with track marks from my neck to my toes. Helping people is my life’s mission, and transparency is key.

Sterling: 20:27
What do you wish more people understood about reentry and reintegration?

James Ivery: 20:41
That the process must start while people are incarcerated. From the moment they enter, they should be connected with resources. If we call it a “correctional facility,” then we should actually be correcting something. Otherwise, people remain stagnant and keep returning.

Sterling: 21:27
Exactly. James, before we close, how can people contact you?

James Ivery: 21:58
My website isn’t up yet, but you can reach me at 717-844-1773 or email jivory@transcendenttransformationscoaching.com
. Whether you’re an individual struggling, a professional looking to connect better with the population you serve, or an organization needing consulting or program development—I’m here to help. Somebody once helped me, and now I’m trying to be that person for others.

Sterling: 23:00
James, thank you for coming on the Struggle2Success Podcast. This won’t be the last episode we record together. I love your energy, your work, and your impact on the community. You’re grinding, and it shows.

James Ivery: 23:26
Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1: 23:28
Thanks for checking out this episode of the Struggle2Success Podcast. To connect with the show, you can email us at struggle2success.p@gmail.com. Make sure you like and subscribe so you never miss an episode. And remember—life is trials. Stay focused.