Stories From The Road

Interview with Craig Lewis: Author of "Better Days - A Mental Health Recovery Workbook", Peer Specialist, International Speaker, and Consultant

 

"Anyone who is working hard on improving their life inspires me. I strive to respect and honor every person I come in contact with, whenever possible, and it makes no difference to me if you are my supervisor, a politician, a keynote speaker or a person experiencing the pangs of crisis who has never heard the word recovery before; I will treat them the same, doing my best to honor them. People quite often tell me that I have inspired them and while I am happy to know this, I am just a person who found a way through the madness and came out the other end better than I went in and therefore, I believe that it is my duty to help others do the same."

 

1) How do you define success? 

 

This is a tough first question and I like that! My reality is that for me, depending on a multitude of possible factors, how I define success on any given day varies greatly. On some days, getting out of bed and washing my face, is my definition of success. On other days, getting to work on time and being able to help others successfully create the lives they desire, could be how I would define success. On certain days, if I am extremely productive and get a ton of stuff done, then that would be success for me, and on some different days, if I perhaps I have had a triggering experience, then not harming myself, or otherwise causing damage to my life, is defined in my book as success.

Ultimately, I believe that what success is, and what it means to be successful, is something so deeply personal, that I could sit here for hours trying to refine my answer and still not feel that I have done justice in conveying how I define success. Ironically, now that I have given an answer here that I can sit with, I feel that I have succeeded in successfully completing this first question, and yes, I will boldly proclaim it; this is my definition of success!!!!

 

Peer Specialist, Author, International Speaker, Consultant

 Please contact me here: [email protected]

Website: WWW.BETTERDAYSRECOVERY.COM

 

2) What is a typical day and week like for you? 

 

A typical day in my life includes most of the personal responsibilities that most people must attend to; to be fed, clean, rested and prepared for the day. Every day, I spend time with my cat-son Max, a beautiful, sweet and loving, adolescent feline with a trauma history. Max requires a lot of love, attention and patience, and I give it to him to the best of my ability.  I also must give him oral medicine daily to manage his skin condition so that he is not in constant suffering. Unfortunately, due to Max’s traumatic past that he had experienced before I adopted him, he cannot tolerate being picked up and he will not allow me to give him his medicine without an intense battle. Yet, even as I am regularly covered in scratches from head to toe, as a result of this process, Max’s skin condition has become more or less under control and he is not suffering as much as he had in the past. Gratefully, Max forgives me within about two minutes and comes over to me and lets me give him a mega-scrubbie, which is something that he loves receiving and I love giving to him.

I also go to work, do my best to help people live happier, healthier and more satisfying lives, spend quality time with my partner-in-recovery and in life, whom I cherish, practice with my hardcore punk band, RAPID CYCLE, for which I am the singer, work on the several projects I have in process at any given moment and try to keep up with correspondence, which is a struggle for me. I work on my managing my recovery 24/7 to varying degrees of success however I have stayed alive and relatively well (except when I am not, which happens from time to time) to this very moment and treat each new day as a brand new opportunity to live a better life.

 

3) What's your advice for those entering the field? 

 

I don’t think I am qualified or comfortable giving anyone advice about much of anything as I am much more intent on honoring each person’s process, to offer guidance if appropriate and to be supportive of their autonomy and self-direction, in the choices they make, even if that means that things don’t pan out for them at that moment. What I can say is that if you are interested in helping other people, which is a noble and wonderful thing to do, please don’t forget that you and your recovery must be number one.

Taking care of yourself to the best of your ability is crucial, in whatever forms it may take, so that you will be able to be grounded, clear and well, as you go forward and working with and helping others. The one other thought  that I will share on this topic, for now, is that I don’t care much about college degrees as credentials, and as a result, the letters that I most love to see after someone’s name are; CPS. People with lived experience are experts on the human condition, and no university can teach you better than the self-expertise in the core that exists within each one of us.

 

4) What wellness tools do you use in your own life? 

 

Some of the wellness tools that I use in my life include listening to music and singing in RAPID CYCLE along with my good friends/bandmates, playing with Max the Cat, showering, cleaning my apartment, meditation, exercise, good conversation, getting enough sleep, doing reality checks with people I trust, asking those I speak with to support me in helping me limit the conversation when it starts to become clear that my intensity is escalating and not reducing (which is common for me), by empowering these trusted people to ask me if I “would like to talk about anything else”, in which the answer is almost always yes, hugging my loved ones and making recovery plans for any problem and putting those steps in place, which generally results in  increased moments of peace for me.

5) What have been your most rewarding experiences? 

 

Some of my most rewarding experiences include the following:  Authoring the ‘Better Days – A Mental Health Recovery Workbook’ without having any idea that it would be embraced and praised as much as it has been. Moving in with my partner four months ago after being together for over two years yet having never moved into a one-bedroom sort of situation such as this, and having it be one of the best ongoing experiences of my life. Adopting Max the Cat from the shelter even as they told me that he was very sick and that they knew that I did not “sign up for a sick cat” and bringing him home regardless and after a round of very expensive tests at the veterinarian, finding out that he was not very sick at all (yes his trauma is intense and his skin issues are difficult and we are managing it) and that in fact he is one of the best and most wonderful parts of my life, showering me with endless love and gratitude for giving him what I hope is the best life possible.

Earning a 3.88 graduation GPA when I completed my Associate’s Degree two years ago despite having spent 3 and a half years, as a teenager, living in residentials and group homes and barely having a 9^th grade education (I do have that piece of paper that says that they don’t want to pay for me to live in adolescent group homes any longer and yet despite being an official high school diploma, it has no merit). Lastly, today I met a woman at a recovery event who told me that she got to read through a copy of ‘Better Days’ at a support group she attended and that it inspired her to write and publish her own book, which she traded with me for a copy of ‘Better Days’. This is a massive honor for me and I feel wonderful and proud, both of myself and my fellow author-in-recovery.

 

6) What motivates and inspires you to "keep at it"? 

 

This is a simple answer for me to give as it is tattooed on my left arm. “I will not allow my suffering to be wasted”.

7) What are your recommendations towards professional development? 

 

I suggest reading as much as you can. Question what you are told as most everything is skewed in one way or another. Do the right thing whenever possible, even if there may be consequences for your actions, and do more if you can or need to.  Remember that many of those we support have been given the run around for years on end without being offered concrete and effective support and coping skills, with which to better manage whatever their struggles may be. Remember that you could just be another temporary obstacle in that chain of missing-links of that person’s life; or you could break that chain. Without people doing this for me, that is, breaking the chain, I would either be dead, in jail or on the street.

As far as professional development recommendations, this is a tough question. For me, going back to college is a horrifically upsetting and triggering concept, and not something I am interested in pursuing currently or in the foreseeable future. However, as a result of this, I am unable to be hired for many positions that may appeal to me. This is due to my lack of having an officially legitimized and recognized education (street cred does not count though it certainly should). This means that I may struggle in being able to achieve a higher degree of professional development. Even as I may very well be quite competent and effective in a potential new job role, with more responsibility and with ability to bring about change, I may not be considered for the job (or to be interviewed). What I do to counter this is bust my butt, day in day out, to create opportunities for myself. This has been working out well for me and things are starting to happen.

Also, If you can do your best to embrace all people, as having great value as a human and as an individual, who has a lot to offer yet who also struggles like the rest of us, even if you have had an issue with them or if they don’t like you; it is imperative to keep smiling within and to simply keep on moving forward and this is when things may really start to happen for you.

8) What recovery champions most inspire you? 

 

Another great question, thank you for asking it.  Today I am inspired by my partner-in-recovery and in life, for her tremendous hard work and effort toward being happy, healthy and well, and for helping me and supporting me in doing the same. Also, I attended a recovery event today and spoke with several individuals who are on or embarking on recovery journeys.  One woman with tears in her eyes told me that she is trying very hard to live a life of recovery yet the process is moving forward so slowly that she is in such pain as a result. This woman is a heroine as far as I am concerned.

Anyone who is working hard on improving their life inspires me. I strive to respect and honor every person I come in contact with, whenever possible, and it makes no difference to me if you are my supervisor, a politician, a keynote speaker or a person experiencing the pangs of crisis who has never heard the word recovery before; I will treat them the same, doing my best to honor them. People quite often tell me that I have inspired them and while I am happy to know this, I am just a person who found a way through the madness and came out the other end better than I went in and therefore, I believe that it is my duty to help others do the same.

 

9) Last comments?

 

Thank you very much to Bryan Creech and the ‘Stories From the Road’ blog. It has been my incredible honor to be able to support my peers and colleagues in North Carolina and to share with you from my perspective and experience. I know that I am rough around the edges and that not everyone appreciates this about me. I do strive to convey respect, empathy, genuineness and non-possessive love to all with whom I come in contact. I would like to think that generally, if you give me a chance and try to get to know me, that we will likely find common ground between us and be able to celebrate our commonality. I admit that I am extremely busy and often slow to respond to people who contact me however I do always try my best and at some point you will receive a reply from me.

I would like to ask you to please consider checking out my websites to learn more about the books and projects I am involved with. I intend to visit North Carolina in January or February, for a week long speaking/workshop tour as I have made many wonderful friends in your state over the past year and I am aware of the awesome recovery work that is happening there. From what I know, North Carolina has one of the most developed recovery workforces in the United States, and without being glib, I am in awe of what you all have going on.

Therefore, as I travel around the country and beyond, giving workshops and meeting people, North Carolina is at the top of my list of places to visit as soon as possible. If there is anyone who could help me set up daytime workshops at recovery centers, etc, over the course of a week, in 4 or 5 different North Carolina cities, please let me know, and I am confident that I will find a way to make it work. Thank you very much and may you always have better days.

 

 Please contact me here: [email protected]

Website: WWW.BETTERDAYSRECOVERY.COM

Interview with Mark Wilson: Peer Support Specialist, Monarch

 

Mark, as a peer, how do you define success? 

I defnine success as living to your full potential, utilizing yours strengths, and managing your weakness. 

 

Mark Wilson

What is a typical day and week for you? 

Typically I work about 8 hours a day. I take it easy in the evenings and weekends. 

3) What advice do you have for peers just entering the workforce? 

Tend to your recovery! And it is easier to get a peer job if you already have a job (doing anything). 

What experiences have you found most rewarding? 

When people say that what I do for them really helps them and gives them hope. 

What keeps you inspired to "keep at it"? 

The people I support and my family and my own drive to make a difference. 

Interview with Myron McCutcheon, Certified Peer Support Specialist

 

Myron, how do you define success?

I define success by the level of happiness one person has, I believe happiness to be an emotion rather than wealth. When a person feels good and is positive about themselves,  they are destined for personal success.

 

 

Myron McCutcheon

 

 

What is a typical day and week like for you?

A typical day for me is all about staying focused and taking care of business for the day and not putting it off for tomorrow. During the week, I’m always looking for the chance to help someone. It’s all about helping someone, whether it’s a small agenda item or making big bounds.

 

What advice do you have for peers just entering the workforce?

I would tell them that you made it here by sharing your story and you have found recovery. I would encourage you to continue pursuing your recovery. Remember the road you’re on is “Recovery Lane”. I would say, don’t just pass others by. Take time to wave, smile and say hello to other peers.  You do this because we are all in this thing together! We can and we will recover!!

 

Myron, what have been your most rewarding experiences?

For me, the most rewarding experience would be that now I have people coming to me for help. I’m now able to show them that they can do it on their own. I’m there by their side. I can help them realize it’s Their Journey. I show them they are not alone.

 

What is it that keeps you inspired “to keep at it”?

The biggest thing that keeps me inspired is knowing that Peer Support Specialists are making head way. Being a part of this movement is a honor. 

Interview with Iden Campbell McCollum, CPRP, Social Entrepreneur, Social Activist & Human Being

 

Iden...tell us a little about yourself and your life growing up in NC?

Just to let you know a little about before we move on to ‘what I am doing.’ I am a native Brooklynight (NYC); my maternal side of the family has strong roots to NC having walked from Bennettsville, SC to Laurinburg and Gibson, NC to settle after slavery. I myself went to school sporadically in my childhood here in NC and ended up graduating from Enloe H.S. in Raleigh NC. My mother and two sisters are in Raleigh with the rest of my extended maternal family in Rockingham, Richmond, Scotland and Moore Counties.

Iden Campbell McCollum

 

( Note:  Click link to download  full interview  with Iden Campbell McCollum).

Why is the issue of identity so important to your story?

I have many covers to my book and belong to many communities that I love and honor. My most important identity is that of being a human being that must cultivate and mentor future generations to keep this world we love moving and sustaining life. However I belong to other communities that most people identify with more than being a human being and we must change this in order to survive and thrive. Some of those communities include the transgender community, the black community and the psychiatric survivor community. As a man that identifies under the umbrella of transgender, I am working to bring those in the trans community who identify as having had emotional breaks and addictions issues into the recovery community. Bring much needed diversity to our survivor community.

What gave you the impetus to pursue peer work in the communities you serve?

At Alternatives 2013 I met over 5 trans men who came up to me to personally identify and introduce themselves to me, this after I was awarded the LGBT Leadership award. Austin was my 4th Alternatives and I never before met or heard of a trans man being in the crowd. It was an amazing and exhilarating feeling to see my brothers feeling comfortable enough to come up to me and say hey I’m here! Another community, the cover people see before they see anything else is the color of my skin. I prefer the term black over African American but to cover the spectrum of people with skin that closely resemble mine I will use the term people of color.

How important are issues of diversity and advocacy in what you do?

Bringing diversity and removing the bias we hold within can only empower our movement to further heights. Building a movement that encompasses all of the many cultures and ethnicities we create change and truly embodying Gandhi’s words “Be The Change You Want To See.” Our movement is being attacked form all sides we need all of our strength to battle and to keep out those who look different, talk different and are not as educated only means sure defeat for our movement

Share with me the peer work you have been doing in DC?

To do my part in this ever expanding world I currently split my time between NC and DC building up and out the non-profit I founded in 2007. The non-profit name is the Ida Mae Campbell Wellness & Resource Center DB/a The Campbell Center. The non-profit sat dormant from June 2008 until July 2013 when we were awarded the State Networking grant from SAMSHA in DC. We have now been up and running for almost an entire year and we are excited and grateful for such an opportunity to be leaders and innovators. Before taking on the SAMSHA grant I ran the Ida Mae Campbell Foundation in DC with a 5-year contract from the Department of Mental Health. The contract was to operate the only peer run wellness center in the city. We ended this contract in 2013 with the District after 5 years. In October, we hosted Emotional eCPR to train a regional coalition of trainers, in December we partnered with The National Coalition on Mental Health Recovery and Howard University to hold a conversation on mental health and addictions. We brought together community members to build a bridge by having face-to-face conversations about real life issues and events.ou been 

Share some of the work you have been doing in NC.

We held simultaneous events in NC at the Chapel Hill Library and in DC at Saint Elizabeth Hospital on May 2nd and our Mental Health Summit on the 13th.  In July we will be kicking off our first big event in NC for National Minority Mental Health Month in Chapel Hill and in September a month long celebration during National Recovery Month.

Explain the innovative practices you are bringing to peer providers and organizations.

We are also working on a national level to bring other thought leaders together to discover ways to create new business models for our peer providers/peer organizations. I recently joined BHbusiness Mastering Essential Business Operations as a convener. The plan was to recruit 15-20 peer organizations to participate in a peer provider learning community. The learning community will allow us to work with a business coach, who will walk us through designing successful business models, learn to analyze the healthcare market and improve our current business processes. We will primarily work through a virtual learning community utilizing webinars and conference calling. We will also work independently utilizing research, reading assignments and on-line discussions. Most importantly, we will learn how to sustain the communities we have fought hard to create over the last two decades.

Iden, how do you define success?

With all that I am involved in one must wonder how do you know your being successful? Does it involve financial gain, awards or other accolades? For me success is seeing others that I have mentored start to develop their own thoughts and leadership styles. It means I wake up another day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated to start a new project or continue to develop one already in the oven, one more day of seeing the sky blue and stars at midnight.

What parting advice do you have for the peer workforce?

One of the most important things to remember whether a freshman or a senior in the field of peer work is to always honor yourself first and foremost to honor yourself is to be able to give selflessly to those we support. Take care of self, find what you enjoy and master it, and then build your brand. People don’t follow leaders they follow promise and hope, be that to your community.

 

Interview With Paulette Martinez, CPSS and CFAC Member in Onslow County

 

I just wanted to begin by sharing that this has been an amazing journey for me in being able to hear the stories of so many beautiful recovery champions. The simple act of sharing one's story has a profound impact on all of those who really take time to listen and see themselves within each person's story and....by that find immense hope. 

I found that in Paulette Martinez's story.  Her response to me when I asked her to share was so simple and heart-felt. "I would love to participate...whatever I can do to help." I hope her story helps so many of the new recruits in NC...the new peers who are working hard and waiting for gainful employment.

Listen to Paulette as she shares....

 

 "Each day, I begin with the realization and appreciation that I have been granted another day to make a positive impact on someone's life. That's huge for me. I am coming from a place that I once felt forsaken at the dawn of another day.."

 

Q: How do you define success?

 

"My definition of success would be achieving prosperity and allowing it to overflow to others. Success is abstract and how I define it constantly evolves."

"When I began my recovery journey, it meant finding the courage to face the day. Today, it means living my life with integrity and making a conscious decision to continue even when faced with failure."

"When I need encouragement,  I remind myself where I was 10 years ago: "I was standing on the corner and looking to feed my addiction." This puts everything in perspective and inspires me to go further."

 

"The best part of my success has yet to be determined."

 

 

Paulette Martinez

 

 

Q: What is a typical day and week like for you?

 

"Each day, I begin with the realization and appreciation that I have been granted another day to make a positive impact on someone's life. That's huge for me. I am coming from a place that I once felt forsaken at the dawn of another day."

"Then, I offer myself positive affirmations..." I am worthy of this life. I have value. I can do this." Through self-reflection, I gain peace and enlightenment."

"In addition, I journal, garden and occasionally exercise. Some days, I like to go to the library or the thrift store. I am currently seeking employment as a Certified Peer Support Specialist (but as for now I volunteer). I do whatever it takes to keep my name out there and relevant."

 

Q: What's your advice for those entering the field? 

 

"Be honest. Have integrity. Share your story. Someone will be able to identify with it. Using your voice, can give another the courage to persevere through traumatic circumstances. If you are looking for employment don't give up or give in easily."

 

Q: What wellness tools do you use in your own life?

 

"I maintain my WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan). I remain conscious of how I am feeling and what I can do to maintain my wellness."

"I approach each day with a sense of purpose. Sometimes it helps to write these things down. If I am bored, I will text a compliment to someone. A random text saying "you're awesome" can make someone's day in turn making you feel better about yourself."

 

Q: What have been your most rewarding experiences?

 

"My peer support training was so empowering it left me wanting more. I met wonderful recovery-oriented people who I turn to for support and encouragement. I look forward to actual hands-on experience."

 

Q: What motivates and inspires you to "keep at it"?

 

"My inspiration would be the promise of tomorrow and knowing that my value is yet to be determined. My motivation would be to bring awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and substance use."

 

Q: What are your recommendations towards professional development?

 

NETWORK!!!  Someone once told me "suit up and show up".

 

""My inspiration would be the promise of tomorrow and knowing that my value is yet to be determined. My motivation would be to bring awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and substance use."

 

 

Interview with Nina Marie Collins: CPSS with the ACTT Team at Family Preservation Services, Asheville

 

 "It has been an incredible experience to have our clients open up to and trust me...I have seen multiple clients “light up”, and express that they feel it will be very helpful to have someone who “knows what they are going through”. This is the reward every time."

 

1) As a peer, how do you define success?

 

I define success as living my life one day at a time, in a manner that allows for emotional, mental, and financial stability. I also define success as modeling recovery every day. Beyond this, I define success as living my life with the keen awareness that I am a spiritual being living a human life, and that this life is impermanent.

 

 

Nina Marie Collins

 

 

 

2) How have you prepared yourself to enter the workforce?

 

That's a good question...I always did very well in school, and after a lot of struggle with my mental health issues I graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's in Public Health Education. In addition, I have completed yoga teacher training and peer support specialist training to make myself more marketable. I have also held both full-time and part-time jobs since age 15 (I am 28 now), in order to determine what kind of work will best suit me.

 

Right now, I am thinking I will end up doing research related to mental health/complementary and alternative medicine. I have a passion for research, but have decided to do direct care work with peers for now.

 

In order to prepare myself for my current position, I have done a great deal of self-work to manage mood, mental health, physical pain, etc. I also have a spiritual practice that keeps me grounded (most of the time!)

 

 

3) How important is your own wellness as a peer?

 

It is more important than any part of my job description. It is more important even than my paycheck. I live and breath my recovery, and I don't believe that I would be able to serve our clients were this not the case. The recovery movement is fascinating to me, and I am trying to get my personal WRAP finished so that I can start to branch out and learn more about other aspects of the recovery movement. First things first, however. My wellness always takes precedence.

 

 

4) What wellness tools do you use in your life?

 

For me, managing stress is the number one most important aspect of maintaining wellness. I have just recently, in the last 6 months, really pinpointed that. As a result, I have added tools such as deep breathing, daily deep relaxation, food journaling, and other tools to my toolbox. Exercise, staying organized, and spending time with my partner are also very important.

 

4) What experiences have you found most rewarding?

 

It has been an incredible experience to have our clients open up to and trust me in the first month of work as a CPSS. I always introduce myself as a peer, and communicate that I also have a mental health diagnosis. I have seen multiple clients “light up”, and express that they feel it will be very helpful to have someone who “knows what they are going through”. This is the reward every time.

 

 

5) What advice do you have for peers just entering the workforce?

 

Take the time to create a WRAP as soon as possible. Pay close attention to the ups and downs in your moods as you begin work. Identify triggers in the work environment, and try to mitigate those triggers early on.

 

Always pay attention to your basic needs. Don't let yourself get too hungry/ angry/lonely/tired..."HALT". When I let these things slide, I create what I like to think of as 'false crises' for myself. In these cases, I think that I am having an emotional crisis, but when I attend to these basic needs I realize that those were at the root of my extreme emotions.

 

 

6) How would you recommend new peers get plugged in online? How has that helped you keep your "finger on the pulse" of what is happening in the peer workforce in NC?

 

I recommend that all peers connect with other peers via the internet. The internet is a tool, and it can actually be used for good! There are online support groups on the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance site (www.dbsalliance.org) for peers and family members. For those interested in becoming Certified Peers, in North Carolina the best place to go is pss.unc.edu.

 

For those in other states, I would recommend contacting SAMSHA through their website and asking for information about peer support specialist programs and jobs in your state. If an individual is a member of LinkedIn, one of the most useful peer communities for employment is the Certified Peer Support Specialists and NC Certified Peer Support Specialists LinkedIn groups. 

 

 

7) What are your creative outlets that keep you inspired?

 

 

I have been a creative person for as long as I can remember. I am actually less focused on my creativity right now, as that was a primary focus during my teenage and early adolescent years. I am a writer, and I have written poetry since age 12. I have written prose since childhood.

 

I am working on a book right now, and am also interested in publishing a chapbook of poetry. I have about 150 complete, typed poems waiting to be shared. Since I have a lot of content already written, I am working on returning to it and editing it. This definitely keeps me inspired, when I find the time to do it!

 

My creative outlet thus far has been writing, which has included song-writing. In the past, I liked to perform poetry. I am very interested in focusing on learning a musical instrument in the next few years.

 

 

 

Other Interviews

• Interview with Dr. Ken Blackman-Peer Trainer & Peer To Veterans
• Interview with Donna Joyner, CPSS, In-Reach Specialist
• Interview with Brandon Tankersley-Director of Peer Services at Monarch
• Interview with Myron McCutcheon, CPSS
• Interview with Andrea Morris: Statewide Trainer, Supervisor & Consultant
• Interview with Monica Mathes, CPSS at RHA

 

Interview with Amber Luckey: Certified Peer Support Specialist

 

I must say that Amber truly gives us a "pair of shoes" to walk with her in her peer work as a volunteer on the behavioral health unit at a local hospital. I was so encouraged by her level of commitment, insight, and intentionality that she brings to her peer work.  Be encouraged with me as she shares her insights regarding how she views success, her most rewarding experiences and advice she gives to other peers here in NC.

 

"Peer support is vitally important work that is moving mental health treatment towards a more recovery-oriented system of care and I love being apart of that."

 

 

Q: How do you define success? 

 

At the hospital where I volunteer, I meet patients on many different recovery stages. There are patients who have been hospitalized multiple times and there are others who are experiencing a mental health crisis for the first time. 

 

As recovery is a self-directed  and non-linear process, I have to "tread lightly" on what I consider success as a peer support specialist.  Usually, if I leave the hospital knowing I have given at least one patient a "glimmer of hope", I feel as if my time was well spent. 

 

Personally in my own recovery journey, I define success not in the absence of challenging moods but in the presence of better choices.  I used to "beat myself up" when I was feeling down or anxious. Now, I know to accept occasional troublesome moods as a part of life and to focus on how I respond. 

 

 
 

Amber Luckey

 

" I define success not in the absence of challenging moods but in the presence of better choices."

 

Q: What is a typical day and week like for you? 

 

 

When I first arrive on the behavioral health units , I notify the staff I am there.  Sometimes, they will direct me to a specific patient they feel could benefit the most from peer interactions.  Otherwise, I simply introduce myself to my peers and explain my role as a peer support specialist.  Then, I listen. I am happy to answer questions about my own mental health challenges, but I am quite aware that I am not there to tell stories about myself.  My main objective is to empower the patients to feel they can take control of their mental health. 

 

Occasionally, I attend staff meetings to offer a patients perspective and group therapy to help facilitate participation. 

 

 Q: What's your advice for those entering the field? 

 

 

First and foremost, I think it is important to be stable in your own recovery before entering the field.  At times, providing  peer support has been very challenging, even more so than I imagined before I started.  I often feel I need "a peer support support group."

 

Q: What wellness tools do you use in your own life? 

 

 

   Outside of traditional mental health treatments,  The practice of my Catholic faith has been first and foremost in my healing. I also enjoy exercising , spending time with friends, and coloring. ( as silly as it may sound for a grown up.)  Volunteering has certainly helped me maintain my wellness. There are times when I am experiencing challenges moods when I ask myself "what would I tell a patient in this situation.?" I can not be a role model for recovery if I don't consciously live it out in my own life. 

 

Q: What have been your most rewarding experiences? 

 

 

I always find my work rewarding, so that is a tough question for me to answer.   I suppose when I hear the phrase " that gives me hope" from a patient I am most overwhelmed with joy. 

 

 

 Q: What motivates and inspires you to "keep at it"? 

 

 

I have become aware that peer support specialist truly do have something to offer to the recovery process of those seeking treatment  that those without lived experienced cannot . This becomes especially clear as I often have to "mediate" or "translate" between patients and providers. 

 

Peer support is vitally important work that is moving mental health treatment toward a more recovery oriented system of care and I love being apart of that.  

 

 

Q: What are your recommendations towards professional development? 

 

 

As a teacher by profession, I love to learn.  I certainly feel that professional development is critical in any field.   Recently,  I was able to attend a four hour "trauma informed care" class at the hospital and immediately found the information useful to my practice of peer support. 

 

I would say it is important to seek out opportunities that is relevant to your position.  But professional development doesn't always have to be a class with a certificate at the end. Take time to read and follow the latest research and news.  I have several behavioral health organizations "liked" on my facebook page and I always read the articles they share. 

 

 

Q: What recovery champions most inspire you?

 

 

The first person who comes to mind is my amazing peer support trainer Ted Thomas.  I still quote him sometimes to my patients.  He once told me "now you know Amber that life doesn't have to be that way."  And that is the message I try to spread to them. " You may be feeling down now,  but I promise you , life doesn't have to be this way." 

 

 

"Joy to you Amber, as you continue on her journey in your peer work and your own recovery."-Bryan

 

 

Interview with Dr. Ken Blackman: Peer Trainer & A Peer To Veterans

 

My definition of success is very simple. When I get up the morning, I say "Thank you God for another sunrise and a new day."

 

I met Dr. Ken Blackman at the recent NCMHCO Conference in Raleigh and was really inspired by him sharing the wonderful work he has done as a peer trainer and his peer work being done with veterans. I asked him if he would take a few moments to share with me and and peers in NC his heart and important peer work.

 

1) As a peer, how do you define success?

 

My definition of success is very simple. When I get up the morning, I say "Thank you God for another sunrise and a new day."

 

On my knees, I say a very simple prayer: "God, thank you for another day. Please help me use it wisely!  Help me be of maximum use to You and my fellow man."

 

At the end of the day, (if I have done that to the best of my ability) I have had a successful day.

 

Dr. Ken Blackman

 

You can find his professional experience listed here in his -->Resume Final MH-SA Jul 2014

 2) What is a typical day and week for you?

 

I do not know the best way to answer that question because my days are different almost every day and every week. The closest thing to a typical day is when I teach the Peer Specialist Class.

 

I am out of bed at  6:30 AM. and the coffee is brewed.  After morning prayer and meditation, I sit on my back porch with my coffee and my dog and (most days) with my wife.  I watch and listen to the birds. After breakfast, I head to the college in time to be there before 800 a.m. When I teach in Jacksonville, the time moves up and I have to leave for Jacksonville by 6:30 a.m. Class runs until 5:00 PM. I usually spend 15-30 minutes after class with one or two of the students and then head home. Class runs Monday through Friday.

 

I always have homework. In the weeks prior to the class, the beginnings are always hectic because I try to interview all the potential students on the phone.  Many of them are interviewed (in person) prior to acceptance into the course.

 3) What advice do you have for peers just entering the workforce?

 

Dress up and show up.  Volunteer where you can be passionate about making a difference.

 

 4) What experiences have you found most rewarding?

 

Prior to coming to Wilmington, I opened and operated an half-way house for men. The most rewarding part is the miracle when they finally realized they were alive and they wanted to be clean and sober.

 

 5) What keeps you inspired to "keep at it"? 

 

I see miracles every day in my work and in my travels. Also, when I meet with former students or men I met in prison 8-10 years ago who now have their lives back.

 

 

 6) What are the challenges and emotional issues do you see that veterans are facing?

 

We could talk hours on tough issues facing veterans and barely scratch the surface.  We have several very different groups of veterans in our regions. We have a few Korean War veterans. We have many Vietnam veterans. We also have way too many veterans from the various "conflicts"in various parts of the world. Each of these groups of men and women have some problems and challenges unique to their personal history. The VA is starting to understand some of the problems which plague their efforts to help these men and women. As a result of this great need, they are training and hiring peers to support them.

 

 

 7) What positive effects are peers having towards providing support to veterans?

 

The VA has recognized the value of Peers and are using them in several areas with a lot of success. The man who runs the Peer Specialist Program for the VA is a very competent and passionate supporter of Peers. Nothing happens quickly in the VA system especially when it comes to something as new as Peers. 

Interview with James Cioe, LADAC, CSAC, CPSS: Program Coordinator at Governor's Institute on Substance Abuse

 

"We must have a path in our life that supports us working on our “stuff”, our issues. That supports our change. Life is a mirror and nothing brings the mirror like clients. HOW. Honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. Make it your intention to both grow and honor (take care of) yourself for the rest of your life. Have a path in place that looks after yourself emotionally/spiritually and take care of that side of your life."

 

I am excited about the opportunity to share with you some insights from a real leader in the recovery movement here in NC. Jimmy Cioe, LADAC, CSAC, CPSS  who is Program Coordinator at Governor's Institute on Substance Abuse.

I had the opportunity to connect with him and I asked him to share with peers across NC some insights about how he defines success; what a typical week is like for him; his wellness tools; advice for peers and what keeps him motivated to keep at it. Kick back and check out what he shares with us.

 

How do you define success?  

 

Forward movement. Humans want to advance, shine and grow, like all living things, toward our optimal state. What that looks like for each individual can be different. There’s a saying, “It’s important to meet people where they’re at, but not leave them where they’re at.”

 

James Cioe, Program Coordinator at Governor's Institute on Substance Abuse

 

What is a typical day and week like for you?  

 

I have been in the Advocacy business for the last two + years so I do not have much client contact these days. My day is desk work and out in the community. I was a licensed alcohol/drug counselor for the previous 17 years and during that time was introduced to Peer Support concepts and took the training.  

 

What's your advice for those entering the field?  

 

We must have a path in our life that supports us working on our “stuff”, our issues. That supports our change. Life is a mirror and nothing brings the mirror like clients. HOW. Honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. Make it your intention to both grow and honor (take care of) yourself for the rest of your life. Have a path in place that looks after yourself emotionally/ spiritually and take care of that side of your life. Most all of the people we encounter in our work did not receive the parenting they truly desired and needed. One way to characterize the work is we are holding a space for them to learn to parent themselves. That is a way to look at our own process. Parenting ourselves.  

 

What wellness tools do you use in your own life?  

 

Prayer...Meditation..Introspection..Meetings..Sponsor...Sponsees...Service...Charity/Social responsibility...Exercise...Nutrition...Fellowship...Books...Commune with nature...Walks...Humor  

And More-I need all the help I can get.  

 

What have been your most rewarding experiences?  

 

I have seen/aided amazing success stories which, of course are gratifying. Yet, I have to admit the “failures” outnumber that the “successes”, so I am comforted by the Christian Mystic, Thomas Merton’s advice, “Do not depend on the hope of Results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no worth at all, if not perhaps, Results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you will start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.” I have to also throw in that when I finally came in to recovery, I remembered something someone told me ten years earlier, and that led to a spiritual awakening. A counselor had planted a seed that took 10 years to sprout, but sprout it did. What we do does count.

 

 What motivates and inspires you to "keep at it"?  

 

Simply, still, the gratitude for that drop of Grace that changed the course of my life. And those who loved me before I could love myself.  

 

What are your recommendations towards professional development?  

The spiritual path dictates that ultimately there are no regrets. Though we may have amends needed, hard work ahead, sadness over losses & missed opportunities, grief from those losses and deep feelings through it all, in our healing we are headed to a land of no regrets. But I wish I got my BA when I was young and that is officially the only advice I ever give out.  

 

What recovery champions most inspire you?

 

 Many mentors and leaders in recovery have helped me on the way. I see God in all of them and am grateful. Currently, my mentor and teacher is Chris Budnick, from The Healing Place.

 

I conclude with Jimmy Cioe, the Program Coordinator for Recovery Initiatives at the Governor's Institute on Substance Abuse as he shares what recovery is in his own words.  Listen. It is great.

 

 

 

 

Thanks, so much Jimmy. Joy to you always for your journey and the road ahead.

 

David Abernethy, CPSS in Asheville

A Typical Day.

"It feels good to help someone else, it just does. That’s why we become a PSS. If one doesn’t like that, one shouldn’t become a PSS. For myself, I love it; I just have a knack for it. You will feel tired if you are busy. I see all sorts of people and most are needing what we’ve got to give: HOPE. HOPE is what we do as PSS.  A typical day for me includes what we call O.G. or “Orientation Group” where we do an intake on folks needing help in our community. I help with the paperwork and a clinician does triage and “funnels” the client toward appropriate services, Med. Management, Group or individual therapy, etc. Then I’ve usually got some REC (Recovery Education) plans. A few days after triage, the client will come to me and I will look at the CCA (clinical assessment) and the client and I will do the plan. I will guide the individual toward group therapy or individual therapy. I personally teach Dual Recovery, WMR (Wellness Management and Recovery) class, Depressionand Anxiety class and Grief Relief classes. I also do one-on-one sessions with clients. I find these (group and individual sessions) the most rewarding of all. People are actually getting better."

What are Peer Support Best Practices (as you see it)?

"As fully understanding the company you are working for, its mission, quirks, employee/supervisor nuances, expectations, much of it is very subtle and you WILL make mistakes initially and less as you go “down the road” with it. Developing a rhythm is helpful and lots of deep breaths and stepping back are required. The clients are usually “a breeze” at least for me and I know that this sound flippant, but they are really the best part of the job and I look forward to speaking to each one. Maybe it’s just me…

Some advice to a new PSS?

"First, foremost and most importantly, a Peer Support Specialist MUST be stable enough to be consistent in performance. This cannot be over-emphasized. As I experienced in my training and you did in yours, some are plainly and certainly NOT ready for this. We are professionals and must act professionally and there is also an art or practice (as in “law practice” or “medical practice”) involved. People’s lives are on the line, some are unstable and a few are even unsafe to themselves and others. Some clients are expert manipulators .These, fortunately, are rare. Most clients are good people enduring hardships of various kinds. But, all in all, I love my job and look forward to going to work. I hope that you will as well."