"This has been the most rewarding of my life's work thus far!...It's been like having a front row seat to the greatest show on earth-the true resilience of the human spirit!"---Andrea Morris
My recovery journey and story culminated under Andrea Morris' training.
Andrea provides consultation, training, program development and supervision throughout the state that is rooted in wellness and the recovery model.
I "set out for the open road" and went to western NC to receive my initial peer training in Asheville. I chose Andrea Morris Consulting due to her extensive training experience having trained over 500 peers in NC. I caught up with her a while back to ask her to reflect upon some of her life experiences.
Q: Andrea looking back on all that you have accomplished as a statewide trainer and peer supervisor, reflect on your experiences for a moment...what feelings "rise up"?
I have been providing Peer Support Specialist training for a little over 5 years and I can say one thing for certain: This has been the most rewarding of my life's work thus far! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities to not only share information but to receive knowledge and inspiration as well from this incredibly strong and determined group of individuals. It's been like having a front row seat to the greatest show on earth-the true resilience of the human spirit!
Andrea Morris: Statewide Trainer, Supervisor and Consultant
Q: What are some the great rewards you have experienced as being a statewide trainer and peer supervisor?
Often, the relationships have only just begun after training- collaborating and working along side peers as colleagues in our communities and across the state. I've also had the opportunity to provide clinical supervision and ongoing support to peers. During these times, peers take time and space to explore their relationship within their agency, among their co-workers and with those they serve. We also find space to allow peers to further examine their own relationships with their individual recovery, which is vital to ongoing health and wellness.
Q: What are some the challenges you see peers facing in the coming years?
Often I hear peers reflect that they hope for continued and increased education to and with colleagues regarding the wellness and recovery models, the level of self care and integrity brought by peers and the increased value of relationships to those served that is unique to peers. There are multiple challenges in our current system and as we all know, demands continue to rise. With these demands, opportunities to grow stronger as a community of recovery are presented as well.
Q: What are some "words for the road" that you would like to leave in the minds of those in the recovery movement and peer workforce?
Regardless of your role in this incredible work that we do as a supportive treatment community- whether peer, traditional profession, psychiatrist, administrator, etc- take a moment to talk with a peer specialists- learn from their perspective. Find out what's working. Learn about possible opportunities for growth and increased cohesion and fidelity. Find the 'sweet spot' through partnership. As the role of peers continues to develop and unfold, we find ourselves at the threshold of great opportunities to better serve individuals and increase the overall health of our communities.
It truly does 'take a village'!
"As the role of peers continues to develop and unfold, we find ourselves at the threshold of great opportunities to better serve individuals and increase the overall health of our communities."
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