Stories From The Road

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Quick Tips In Making This World a More Beautiful Place

 

I have been thinking lately that what makes our peer work truly significant flows from our-commitment to beauty and humanity. So much of what has driven traditional behavioral health is a product of the Industrial Age. In the wake of empiricism and the quantifiable, humanity and beauty run the risk of many times fading from view...and originality is swallowed up in unanimity.

Lori Deschene's blog article on Tiny Buddha is entitled "35 Ways to Make the World a Beautiful Place." brought some simple truths to life and reinforced a notion that I believe some of the effectiveness of peers may simply come from the beauty of our changed lives and sharing our heart and humanity with others. This article points out 35 simple ways (gathered from their Facebook page) to bring beauty back into this world:

1.Look only within yourself for change. -Lee Torrey Hohman
2.Remember the manners we learned in Kindergarten. -Charlene Marie
3.Consume less. -Karen Gallagher
4.We have to find inner peace. Without it, outer peace is not possible. -Ayesha Granville
5.Look at the world with happy eyes. -Else Hendriksen
6.Recognize and celebrate the small amazing things that happen. -Jo Walmsley
7.Forget about your prejudices. The rest will follow. -Mustafa Ozbek
8.Accept others unconditionally even if they can’t accept you the same way. -Cara Norris
9.Be considerate and then act accordingly. -Juanita Phillips Kazsuk
10.Recognize that we are all one—we are all interconnected. Beauty stems from that simple fact. -Marlena Brothers Frank
11.Listen to people’s pain and help them find a path through it. -Donna Lee
12.Manage our thoughts. -Jfrom ArtnDesign
13.The best example I think one can set is to quit all of the negative talk and gossip, whether it be about others or yourself. Spread only kind words! -Amy Brewer
14.Be accepting of different kinds of people even ones who are different than us; it’s great to welcome and cherish diversity. -Kimberly McCarthy
15.Work on our own inner healing first. -Debbie DeMarco
16.Live in a state love, awareness and, constant gratitude—and above all, forgive! -Giuliana Torelli
17.Connect with other human beings with humility, kindness, respect and love. -Qin Tang
18.Be open to other people and experiences. -Michelle Moneece Erb
19.It’s already a beautiful place, but we can make it better by discontinuing the harm we do to other living beings of all species. -Kris Nemann
20.Pay attention to the beautiful and the world will be more beautiful in your eyes. -Shari Lamb
21.Be compassionate, listen well, pay attention to your surroundings, spread love, practice peace, and always remember that smiles and positive attitudes are contagious. -Jeremy Taylor
22.Don’t litter! Place trash in trash cans, not throw it out the window when driving. -Marsh Mallow
23.Give without expecting to get back. -Anita Ramos Pareja
24.Encourage everyone to do one kind, helpful, or unexpected act at least once a week. -Susanne Restemayer
25.Live by the Golden Rule. Don’t be wasteful. Be respectful of everything and everyone. -Mj Shea
26.Observe without judging. -Scott Lewis
27.Give people hugs! -Lisa Sackos
28.Hitch yourself to a wonderful group of people like this one. -Jacqueline Gore
29.Accept what makes good sense, and work on changing what does not. -Matthew Rickard
30.Forgive and let go. -Brenda Mari
31.Just be. Don’t tie yourself to the suffering of others. You yourself must find your center—your own calm, your own brand of peace, whatever that may be. -Brian Leck
32.Delete the word impossible from all dictionaries! -Pam Miller
33.Look at something in a way you’ve never done before. -Steve Haber
34.Be kind and smile as much as possible. Believe in yourself with all of your heart, and then pass it on. -Holly Cumpston
35.Treat every small interaction with another person as an infinite opportunity to make both a positive and global impact. -Dan Schoenig

Imagine if we were able to get comments like this from peers across NC about how to bring beautiful things to life in peer supports. Let us continue to bring beauty and humanity into the world of behavioral health and move more towards compassionate and recovery-oriented systems of care.

Gayle Bluebird "Taking Arts Seriously"- Free Peer Webinar: Wed. Feb.19th @ 1pm EST

A free webinar designed for peer specialists (also applicable for recovery coaches) on how peersupporters can use the arts to support others. The webinar is entitled: "Taking Arts Seriously" and will be presented by Gayle Bluebird, an arts and peer support advocate for many years.

Information presented will help both peer supporters discover how the arts can be used to facilitate self-awareness, problem solving and communication.

The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, from Noon to 1 p.m., EST. Participation information is provided on the following page. To receive a free certificate of participation, just complete the very brief quiz after the webinar (the link will be found on our website (www.inaops.org). A certificate will be mailed to you 3-4 weeks after the webinar.

Questions? Contact us at:
[email protected]
No pre-registration is required!!!

Please note that this webinar will be recorded so during the Question and Answer period, your voiceand identifying information may be disclosed. Questions and comments may be communicated to presenters using the “chat box” function during the webinar.

For continuing education credit, please contact your state certification authority to determine if this webinar is qualified for such credit.

Important!!! This webinar will involve a different audio system. Once you have joined the webinar,you will be asked to provide your phone number and you will be immediately called back by the system. It will be useful to call from a cell or single-line phone (so as to avoid multi-service phone systems). When you answer the phone, you will be prompted to press “1” to listen to the webinar.

A flyer about this webinar, with access information, is available on the Free Webinar Series page of our website: http://inaops.org/free-webinar-series/.

For Gayle's Altered States of the Arts commentary, visit: http://www.alteredstatesofthearts.com/index_files/Page315.htm

Recertification and Continuing Education for NC Peers

 

Keep in mind that all that I am sharing with you now is being looked at (see my post from the 2013 Recovery Conference breakout session) and the criteria could be changed but as of now what BHRP (Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program) has referenced on their site this is the most current information they have made available on their site.

I felt it was important to mention the important topic of recertification and point you to a few places to find online courses that I found helpful as a starting point for my continuing education hours that I needed.

North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialists are required to renew their certification every two years.

You will find the process spelled out here on the BHRP's website: 

Just to mention the main information as to the criteria for recertification are as follows:

• "Applicants must have evidence of continuous and current recovery as demonstrated by having two (2) individuals complete and submit Personal Reference Forms according to state requirements.
• Applicants must have certificates documenting the completion of 20 hours of training (continuing education and/or in-service) pertaining to their ongoing skill development and service delivery every two years."

You must then complete the Recertification Application. Submit your training certificates or transcripts from your continuing education. Submit 2 completed Personal Reference Forms and a $15 check to:

Peer Support Specialist Registry
Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program
School of Social Work
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
325 Pittsboro Street Campus Box #3550
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3550

Some helpful links to online courses for continuing education:

SAMHSA's Prevention Training Online Courses

Magellan Health's E-Courses on Recovery and Peer Support

Northwest AHEC's Online Courses

BHRP/UNC School of Social Work Online Courses

I will also mention that attending events like the 4th Annual NC 'One Community in Recovery' Conference  sponsored by Northwest AHEC offers continuing education hours for participation in that conference as well. 

 

The (PAD) Psychiatric Advanced Directive

 

A Psychiatric Advanced Directive is a legal document (see NC statute)  that explains a competent person’s specific instructions or preferences regarding future mental health treatment, in preparation for the possibility that the person may lose capacity to give or withhold informed consent to treatment during acute episodes of psychiatric illness. 

The National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives and the The Duke University Program for Advanced Directives are great places to begin learning how to get started in developing a Psychiatric Advanced Directive (PAD).

There are helpful toolkits for individuals, families, and clinicians in North Carolina at the state level and educational webinars on the national level on how to develop a PAD for yourself or for a peer that you support.

These are important tools that can be used to ensure one's wellness and empower the individual to ensure their care is personalized and upheld in a time of crisis.

In a conversation I had with Dr Eric Elbogen of UNC Medicine Dept of Psychiatry stated that "...PADs can be a vehicle to promote self determination..." and can be used alongside of other important wellness tools like a WRAP plan to honor the needs and preferences of those receiving psychiatric care.

A Psychiatric Advanced Directive is an important tool in the toolbox in a time of crisis. There is a registry and forms to fill out to register your PAD here in NC.

You will find a copy of a blank worksheet here to begin developing one.

The Slow, Gradual Ascent to Peer Greatness

 

We don't suddenly become like the system of care we have chosen to work in.

It's a little slip of the person-centered language. It's small, daily compromises and lowering of our standards. It's for the sake of convenience and efficiency that we slowly and gradually drift into that place.

That place where we cease to lack the transformative power and role that we were entrusted to take. The place where we look no different than any of the rest.

The people we support suffer.  The folks around us shrug their shoulders. We are left confused and frustrated.

The road back is the same road that got us there, but small choices made in the opposite direction. Small intentionalities to speak to the highest and best of those we support. To gently nudge the establishment towards greatness, person-centeredness and recovery-oriented systems of care. The road of honesty and integrity with ourselves, our team and our peers.

The slow, winding road back is rough and gradual. It is the road less traveled. None of this tough work is easy, seen or immediate.

But gradually again...we can get back to a place where true greatness is found.  In the slow, sure ascent to the summit of peer greatness. But we cannot do it alone...We need each other. 

Each one of us holding up hope for the other. Lending each other a hand as we ascend the summit together.

Peers of North Carolina. They need us. 

(Ideas adapted from the thinking of  Seth Godin and Steven Dennis)

The Peer as Artist

To be human is to create. To create is the work of the artist. Part of being human and the human experience is to be the artist. To bring forth beautiful things. As peer specialists, we are more than our jobs. We are our work. Our peer work  is larger than our profession. Our works endure. These things that bear witness to our mission and the recovery movement. We are to create beautiful work. This beautiful work that is the manifestation of our hearts. We imitate and emulate that which inspires us...moves us...and carries us further along as we move forward and assist other to move forward towards wellness. We are all given crayons in kindegarden. We are all artists. We are all to create beautiful work. We are peer specialists....We are artists.

Larry Fricks and The Gifts of Peer Providers

 

Larry Fricks,  The Deputy Director of CIHS spoke of the unique perspective and unique abilities of peer support providers  to strengthen the integrated care team in many ways. There are six key gifts peer providers bring to the integrated care team which were and I quote directly from Frick's article"The Gifts Providers Bring":

 

1. The Gift of Insight. Internalized shame shatters a person’s sense of self-worth. For many, the impact on their daily lives and interactions can be harder to overcome than the symptoms of their illness. Peer providers have insight on how internalized shame results from discrimination, social exclusion, poverty, homelessness, and hopelessness.
   
   
2. The Gift of “Been There, Done That.” Peer providers eliminate the “you do not know what it’s like” excuse. Peer providers can make others living with mental illnesses or addictions feel comfort in the fact that they are not alone; they have a person on their side that has been through similar experiences and has gotten through them.
   
   
3. The Gift of Compassion. Because of their lived experience, peer support providers understand and are inherently grateful for the very services they are now providing to others. This gratitude often manifests itself in deep compassion for their peers.
   
   
4. The Gift of Hope. Working with someone who has moved from hopelessness to hope is extremely empowering. People can often see themselves in the peer providers, which gives them hope over their whole health.
   
   
5. The Gift of Trust. Peer providers are in a unique position to develop a relationship of trust. Peers are often more willing to share their real issues, concerns, hopes, and dreams with a peer provider rather than non-peer, clinical staff.
   
   
6. The Gift of Whole- Health Self-Management. Peer providers have developed the gift of self-managing their lives holistically, including both mind and body. This experience with self-managing their whole health is one of the most powerful gifts peer providers can give. They have learned to recognize triggers and early warning signs, counteract the negative impact of stress, and create plans for taking care of themselves.

Peer providers are an essential element to behavioral health and an integrated care team. They are also essential to the task of developing a strong, peer workforce in North Carolina.

SAMHSA's Recovery to Practice Webinar on Engagement & Outreach

This is Step 1 in SAMHSA's four-part webinar from the Recovery to Practice website.

• Step 1-Engagement and Outreach
• Step 2-"Person Centered Planning From Theory to Practice"
• Step 3-"Promoting Recovery Through Psychological and Social Means"
• Step 4-"Graduation"

MHSA's Webinar of Step 1 in the Recovery-Oriented Care Continuum explains the important first steps of engagment and outreach in Recovery-Oriented Care.

Larry Davidson of DSG, Inc. introduced the webinar as focusing on the important work that is done when you first begin to engage with the individual in recovery oriented care regarding their behavioral health needs either at the onset of care or after following many attempts to trying to find the right care. He states that the recovery relationship begins when trust is established. See the link to webinar and powerpoint included here:

Download Step 1 ROC Continuum Outreach.Engagement Webinar

Download Step 1 ROC Continuum Outreach.Engagement Powerpoint

King Davis of the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin expert on behavioral health disparities and cultural competence. He focuses on the cultural aspects of this recovery engagement process. He focuses on how one can incorporate one's cultural background, identity and experiences into their behvavioral health care.

Other topics he discusses:

• Steve Onken's understanding of recovery & The role people of color have had in recovery-oriented care
• Important recovery elements: engagement, belief in recovery, involvement, voice, respect, planning, risk taking, resilience, motivation and self-determination
• Examples of community effects when there is a lack of a Recovery Oriented System of Care
• The lack of communication between agencies that offer community care: family, schools, church, mental health organizations, police, courts, health care, housing, media, jail, transportation providers, state hospitals and public health providers.
• The context of the multiple layers and the long term history of trauma that exists for many persons in the community which include: loss of family member or child, being uninsured, literacy concerns, poor nutrition, crime victimization, legal history, housing and homelessness issues, mental health challenges, low income, history of alcohol and drug use, lack of education and employment
• Woody Neighbor's work highlighting the concept of the recovery paradox and recovery delay between the onset of one's crisis and the point in time when one seeks support towards their recovery
• The role of the people of color that volunteer, work and participate in that recovery-oriented system of care that can offer voice and insight to that care
• The effects of those many times unseen issues that flow into that recovery care relationship that are involved with people of color-literacy concerns, beliefs about recovery, race and ethnicity, religious ideas, education, income, and family issues

Roger D Fallot is the Director of Research and Evaluation at Community Connections in Washington DC. He is a national expert on the effects of trauma and trauma informed care. He discusses the important role that trauma serves as a potential barrier for behavioral health care. How the presumption of trauma is important before engaging in that behavioral care of those who have experienced trauma. He discusses how to attend to the impact that trauma has had on them and their relationships with others and especially their care providers.

Other topics he discusses:

• the cultural context of trauma-informed care
• the core values of trauma-informed care: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment
• Looking at abuses of power and choice and ways to avoid that
• Looking at ways to foster empowerment with each individual e.g. surveys?
• Revisiting the core values with staff persons-staff are the ones create the recovery culture
• Emphasizing the need for collaboration for trauma informed care

Laura Van Tosh is the Adult Services Coordinator of the Peer-Delivered Services Initiative of the Oregon Health Authority. Long-term leader in the Mental Health Consumer Survivor Movement. She is a pioneer in peer-delivered services. She elaborates on the principles and best practices for engagement of those in recovery-oriented behavioral health care.

Other topics that are dealt with are:

• Principles and practices such as: hope, tolerance, validation, meeting people where they are, importance of listening and feedback, see "street smarts" as a tool, having speak outs & surveys
• the usefulness of the MHSIP an important consumer developed survey used in Oregon
• the importance on how we hire peer workers
• the importance of multiple peers and participants working togehter in a collaborative way
• to have a real understanding of team work & those difficulties when one has been on his own

Link to  MHSIP Oregon Consumer Survey

These are important items for engagement and outreach to assist us as Peer Support Specialist for our effectiveness in the field as we seek to move towards more recovery-oriented systems of care within the communities we serve  and the people we support in North Carolina.

Peer Inspiration: (My Poem) "The Song of the Lark"

 

The lark of my heart...now sits...upon the branch and sings
No longer will it sit in Darkness...and sup...of the food it brings
Tis for me now to live...Yes...Live, in the light of my own nakedness
To deal gently with others and myself...in tenderness

 

Now I see, Now I see!...with undivided eye
What now is....my song, my poem, and my reply
Is to say Yes!...indeed...Yes!...to the Precious Voice of Love
And to deep shame....and dark fear...Is now my time...

 

To Rise Above.

 

Drawing by Leah Piken Kolidas