About April as a Speaker
A Unique Perspective
April's unique perspective comes from living at the intersection of healthcare, recovery, and personal transformation. With over 10 years of experience as a COTA in skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers on Long Island, she understands the challenges of caregiving, burnout, and maintaining wellness while helping others heal.
From Experience to Impact
As the author of The Room to Be Brave, April shares her journey of breaking generational cycles, finding joy in sobriety (14+ months and counting), and building a life worth showing up for. Her "Find Your Joy Project" philosophy emphasizes that happiness is a choice we make actively, even in the midst of struggle.
Beyond the Stage
April is also the president of The JD BUILDS Foundation, a nonprofit providing scholarships for students entering skilled trades, and runs Be Brave Travel, an accessible travel agency.
Her talks blend personal narrative with practical strategies, leaving audiences feeling seen, understood, and equipped with tools they can use immediately.
Featured Speaking Topics
The Room to Be Brave: Finding Joy in Recovery
45-60 minutes | Keynote or workshop
Turning Pain Into Purpose — One Room at a Time.
Where powerful storytelling meets practical tools for creating a bigger, braver life.
I live at the intersection of healthcare, recovery, and personal transformation. As a former COTA in rehab centers, 14+ months sober, author of The Room to Be Brave, and someone who’s rebuilt her life from the inside out — I bring a rare combination of lived experience, clinical insight, and heart-centered hope to every stage. My goal every time I speak: to leave listeners feeling seen, understood, and ready to take the next step toward healing.
Drawing from her memoir, April shares her journey through recovery and the power of actively choosing joy. Using the metaphor of rooms—spaces we inhabit, escape from, and ultimately transform—she guides audiences through the process of reframing their stories and building lives worth staying sober for.
Ideal for: Treatment centers, recovery communities, wellness programs, faith-based organizations
Audiences will learn:
How to reframe painful experiences through empowering metaphors
The Find Your Joy Project philosophy in action
Practical strategies for finding courage in difficult moments
How to build sustainable support systems
Breaking the Cycle: Creating New Legacies
60 minutes | Talk or interactive workshop
We inherit more than genetics—we inherit patterns, beliefs, and behaviors that shape our lives in ways we don't always recognize. April's story is about consciously choosing to end generational trauma and create something different for the next generation. This powerful talk explores how to identify what you've inherited, make different choices, and build the legacy you want to leave.
Ideal for: Community organizations, parent groups, educational settings, family services agencies, therapeutic programs
Audiences will learn:
How to identify patterns you didn't know you inherited
The courage required to choose differently than previous generations
Strategies for building new traditions and healthy relationships
Teaching resilience and joy to the next generation
Booking Information
April is available for:
Keynote addresses
Breakout sessions at conferences
Workshop facilitation
Author talks and book signings
Panel discussions
Lunch-and-learn presentations
Virtual presentations via Zoom
Service area: Long Island and the greater New York area. Virtual presentations available nationwide.
To inquire about availability and fees, please use the contact for or email April at april@aprildaygarcia.com
Healing While Helping: Self-Care for Healthcare Professionals
30-45 minutes | Talk or 90-minute workshop
Healthcare workers give everything to their patients—but who's taking care of them? April addresses the burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion that plague caregivers, sharing both clinical insights and her personal experience of recovery while working in healthcare.
Ideal for: Healthcare conferences, facility in-services, professional development programs, nursing schools, OT/PT programs
Audiences will learn:
How to recognize signs of burnout before it's too late
Self-care strategies that actually fit into demanding schedules
Setting boundaries without guilt
Reconnecting with purpose and joy in caregiving professions
Custom Topics
April is happy to tailor presentations to meet your organization's specific needs. Topics can include recovery in the workplace, resilience and post-traumatic growth, the intersection of physical and emotional healing, and finding purpose after crisis.
Media Kit
Short Bio (50 words): April Garcia is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, author of The Room to Be Brave, and president of The JD BUILDS Foundation. With over 10 years in healthcare and 14+ months of sobriety, she speaks about recovery, breaking generational cycles, and finding joy in the midst of life's challenges.
Long Bio (150 words): April Garcia is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with over 10 years of experience in skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers on Long Island. As the author of The Room to Be Brave: A Memoir, she shares her journey through recovery, healing, and consciously breaking generational patterns.
April is also the president of The JD BUILDS Foundation, a nonprofit established in memory of her brother-in-law that provides scholarships for students entering skilled trades. She runs Be Brave Travel, an accessible travel agency, and maintains her "Find Your Joy Project" philosophy—the belief that happiness is something we choose actively, even in difficult circumstances.
With 14+ months of sobriety and a deep understanding of both the clinical and personal aspects of healing, April brings authenticity, hope, and practical wisdom to every presentation. She lives on Long Island with her husband Rick and their daughter Bella.