Finding Strength in Sobriety

Monique Coombs champions wellness and resilience in Maine’s fishing communities

Monique Coombs of Harpswell has made it her mission to normalize conversations about sobriety—so much so that her LinkedIn profile says: “Commercial fishing industry advocate, fisherman’s wife, sober, and kind of a gym bro.” As director of programs for Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA), she focuses on the mental health and physical well-being of commercial fishermen, who she points out are “industrial athletes” whose livelihoods depend on their bodies.

Married to a fisherman for more than 20 years, with both her son and daughter now lobstering, Monique knows the industry inside and out. Commercial fishing is among the most dangerous jobs in the country, with high rates of stress, anxiety, and suicide. “Much like I sometimes drank to cope, that happens in fishing and rural communities,” Monique explains. “We have to do better by these people than just telling them to stop drinking.”

Her sobriety journey includes two attempts.

The first lasted five years.

The second, beginning in 2019, has lasted nearly seven, supported by an intentional lifestyle shift: regular exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, meaningful relationships, and stress management. “I realized I couldn’t just avoid alcohol,” she says. “I had to do the things so that I don’t want to drink alcohol.”

Stress and grief were early triggers. When she became a mother and lost her own mother in rapid succession, she leaned on alcohol without recognizing she was using it to cope. Drinking eventually increased her anxiety, and she slipped into cycles of negotiating with herself: just a beer here, only on weekends there. One night in January 2019, after drinking too much at a party, she woke up in a panic. Why do I keep doing this to myself? she thought. I really want to stop. She hasn’t had a drink since.

Monique stresses that sobriety doesn’t need explanations or labels. “When someone says they aren’t drinking, just say okay,” she says. She points out that many fishermen resist terms like “substance use disorder,” feeling they don’t apply—some just want to drink less. For that reason, she believes resources should reflect the continuum of people’s relationships with alcohol.

Monique has helped bring practical support to the fishing community, including everything from physical therapy to counseling. MCFA, in partnership with NAMI Maine and Health Affiliates of Maine, has curated a list of counselors who understand the unpredictable schedules of fishermen. Donations cover the cost of three initial sessions, making it easier to get help.

That’s important to Monique, who says that sobriety brings her “joy, security, and peace of mind.” By speaking openly and linking wellness to the health of both fishermen and their businesses, she demonstrates that recovery is not only possible but life-giving—and she is determined to make that message visible in Maine’s fishing communities.