PRPSN TRAINING INSTITUTE

We offer more than training—we offer transformation. We are not simply trainers. We are truth-tellers, space-holders, and story-weavers. 

At the Training Institute, fostering recovery is woven into everything we do. It's not a concept; it's our lived truth. We challenge low expectations, resist conformity, and embrace the power of collective healing.

Our offerings are rooted in Hope, Empowerment, Integrity, Recovery and Mutuality. We rise and lift others up through an unwavering belief in the collective wisdom and by cultivating experiences that spark real, lasting change.

Whether you are looking for learning opportunities for yourself or your organization, we would be honored to be your partner in growth and transformation!

Illustration of a human head silhouette with colorful flowers blooming from the top, representing creativity or a blooming mind.

Our signature gift is opening hearts and igniting minds. We give it by providing the space and love for people to thrive and transform, challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations, being our authentic selves, nurturing the collective consciousness and mutual support, and laughing at the choas.

Meet the Trainers

  • A woman with tattoos, wearing a green and black shirt and a striped skirt, standing next to a man dressed as Frankenstein's monster in a black suit, taking a photo together. The background has colorful signage and a wooden structure.

    Kerry Leonard

    Director of the Training Institute

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  • Close-up of an older woman with gray hair, wearing a black shirt, statement earrings, and a silver necklace, smiling at the camera in an indoor setting.

    Helen Ciriello

    Training Instructor

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  • A man with long black hair and a beard smiling while holding a small, light-colored dog in a pink hoodie.

    Carlos Alvarez

    Training Instructor

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  • A woman with long dark and reddish hair, wearing a black and white patterned top and large hoop earrings, smiling while sitting on a red chair with green plants in the background.

    Georgie Sullivan

    Program Manager

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  • A man with a beard sitting on metal stairs outdoors, wearing a pink shirt with cactus print, blue jeans, and white sneakers, smiling at the camera.

    Gustavo Limas

    Training Coordinator

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  • Nicole Liliana Belton-Mercado

    Training Instructor

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Partners

Logo of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. with blue stylized initial AHP and black text
Seal of the Department of Labor, United States of America, featuring an eagle and a shield with various symbols.
Logo for Friends Outside Los Angeles County featuring simple blue figures of people and a house with the text "Friends Outside Los Angeles County."
Chrysalis organization logo with text 'a nonprofit organization working to empower & uplift children in Liberia' and a small colorful butterfly above the text.
Amity Foundation logo featuring a stylized bridge and a tree, with the tagline 'when people gather with good intent'.
Seal of the California State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, featuring a map of California, a torch, balanced scales, a mountain, water, and a cityscape.
Logo with the words 'IWSiamerica' and the tagline 'Raising the New World of Work' in a professional design.

Meet the Fur Babies of our Training Department

A small dog with light fur lying on a gray couch, wearing a leopard print bandana, with a happy expression and tongue slightly out.

  • Before leading his princely life, Comet was found abandoned with his siblings in a box in a parking lot.  The tiny puppies were named after Santa’s reindeer.  His mom saw him at an adoption event and cut the line to grab him.  It was love at first sight! Comet spends his days watching his retired neighbors go in and out of their garage, basking in the sun on the couch, and barking at his nemesis, the twerking squirrel, who comes to the window to taunt him.  Comet loves walks by the ocean with his mom and barking at big dogs. 

A tabby cat lying on a wooden surface, with decorative items, including a pink glass lamp, a windmill, and a mirror, in the background.

  • Buddi is from the streets of South Los Angeles and met her mom and dad in their backyard. She quickly decided to adopt them and now enjoys playfully chasing her siblings and laying on her dad while he tries to work.

Close-up of a Ragdoll cat with bluish eyes, white and dark fur, resting on a brown surface in a cozy living room.

  • Fluffster came from the streets of South Los Angeles and was living a hard life. He met his mom and dad while hiding in their bushes, looking for food, wound care and a new life. He now enjoys laying in front of the fireplace, being a bed hog and living his best life indoors as a full-time snuggler.

  • Miss Mona is a 10-year-old American-Staffordshire Terrier (Pitbull) adopted by Nicole on April 12th 2018. She is the oldest sibling and enjoys naps, walks on the beach, kisses, and tons of cuddles. She loves eating chicken, sardines, and (occasionally) soft served ice cream and Hot Cheetos. Miss Mona was initially adopted as an emotional support animal while Nicole was battling severe mental illness. Her playful energy and unconditionally love helped Nicole get to a better place. She is the best animal any pet parent can ask for.

  • Miss Gwenie’s birthday is unknown; but she was found abandoned in Nicole’s apartment complex a few days after Tikki’s birth (April 1st 2023). She was found by a friend of Nicole’s when she was about a week and a half old. Gwenie was adopted into the litter and raised as Tikki’s sibling. She is nicknamed ‘Gwenie’ after Spider Gwen because as a kitten (and to this day) she could be found climbing up screen doors and jumping all around the house. Compared to her sister, she has a muted ‘meow,’ however when it comes to dinner time, she can be heard screaming from miles away. Gwenie is very independent but enjoys the occasional chin scratch and stealing her sibling’s food.

Small dog wearing a pink jacket standing on a large flat rock in a park on a sunny day.

  • Mamas is a rescue from the Downey shelter in Los Angeles County. When she first joined our family, she was timid and fearful. Now, she is full of healing energy and a joyous spirit. Mamas loves her weekly Date Night with Carlos because she gets to eat a chicken taco all by herself. She also enjoys eating pizza, pupusa, and the occasional piece of sour candy.

A gray and orange tabby cat with green eyes, wearing a pink collar, sitting on a white blanket with red and green patterns.

  • Squeakers was born on the streets of South Los Angeles. She followed her boyfriend, Fluffster, into his new home and never wanted outside again. Today she enjoys cackling at birds, baking biscuits for her mom and snuggling Fluffster and mom.

A tan and black dog with brown eyes sitting on a wooden floor indoors, looking up at the camera.

  • A rescue from across the border, Yeye was adopted during the Pandemic in hopes of providing emotional support to my partner and I. She was abandoned in a crate with her sister and brother in front of a veterinarian’s office in Tijuana, Mexico. She was being fostered in Orange County and was in-between homes when we stepped in and adopted her. Her first foster gave her the name “Yeye”, and her second foster wanted to call her “Coco”, but we resonated with her first name since that sounded like something my family would have named her. She was labelled as a beagle mix which was not true since she has 5 unique breeds which she fully embodies. She had lots of traumas when we took her in, and she eventually worked through her abandonment issues and anxieties. She still struggles with leash reactivity but is a very sweet and loving puppy of 5 ½ years.

  • Miss Tikki is a 2-year-old Siamese cat born on April 1st 2023. Miss Tikki’s birth, like April Fool’s, was somewhat of a joke. Nicole was unaware that the stray cat she was caring for was pregnant. Nicole just assumed Tikki’s mother gained weight from eating well (rookie mistake). On her birth, Tikki could be heard screaming from a distance – but it wasn’t until hours later Nicole discovered Miss Tikki and her siblings in the closet. Miss Tikki was the runt of the litter and is the youngest of her biological and adoptive siblings. Tikki is incredibly talkative to this day, holding back and forth conversations, always having the last word. She is friendly, loves belly rubs, and is the sweetest companion. Her mother is still alive and being taken care of by Nicole and her 2 biological siblings have been rehomed.