Stories From The Road

The Attitude of "Going Pro"

 

There are some professional principles from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield that really gave perspective and validation about how I should approach my job as a peer support specialist.

To be a Peer Support Specialist ia an emerging career choice whose identity, payscale and legitimacy seems to be trying to find its place in the workforce. I say that it is for us to set forth the standard of how we want to be perceived.  I say along with Steven Pressfield it is found in the attitude of "Turning Pro"   Meaning (as far as I apply this to peer supports) we should dedicate ourselves fully to the art of learning and being a peer professional or specialist.

So what are the qualities that define being professional, Pressfield sets forth qualities of what that means, here are 7  (I took liberty to adapt within a wellness & peer context) :

1. We show up every day. This is a joy and a job.  A duty and a delight. It is our mission and mantra to hold up the hope and support for others. We might do it only because we have to. But still we show up. Still every day we apply our hearts and lived experiences to our work.
2. We show up no matter what. We come full-hearted or half-hearted. For noble reasons or less than noble ones. There should be a fire in our hearts. Still we show up no matter what.
3. We stay on the job all day. We are to be fully in. Though our minds may wander, our bodies remain in the driver's seat. We don't punch the clock until the whistle blows.
4. We are committed over the long haul. We are a part of the peer workforce. We are committed to the movement. Committed to the profession. Committed to the beautiful work to be done here in NC. Others will know whether this is a side-gig or if this is the real deal.
5. We live knowing the stakes are high and real. Others wellness is tied to our own. Others moving forward in their recovery is either hindered or helped based on our own recovery journey. Our families and children depend upon our intentionality towards wellness and our work. We are the ambassadors for the recovery movement in NC.
6. We work for pay and are to be paid what we are worth. We are not here for fun, a past time. There is work to be done and we have invested in learning the art and craft of being a specialist in supporting other peers. This is a career path to be compensated.
7. We master the art of our jobs. There is a body of knowledge to be gained. Core competencies and skills to be acquired. Ethical standards and boundaries to be upheld. This is a profession that requires ongoing training and daily practice.

Because our legitimacy and profession will not be taken seriously if we don't show up every day. If we are not fully in, then it will show. People will know whether we are committed to this profession and the movement.

It is for us to set that standard. Going pro is an attitude and outlook that causes us to approach our jobs and the people we support with a level of care and concern that it deserves and they deserve.

That we deserve. We are specialists. We are professionals.

Employment & The Road To Recovery

 

The fact is that 60 to 70 percent of those with co-occuring illness want to work yet only 15 percent of those individuals are currently employed. 

The good news is that when people who participate in IPS supported employment programs are almost three times more likely to gain employment than other types of employment strategies.

It is a myth to say that work is too stressful for individuals with co-occuring illness. We know that work improves self-esteem, adds a sense of purpose, and contributes towards recovery in positive ways for many people with dual disorders.

It is a myth to say that individuals with co-occuring illness will do poorly and are prone to relapse. It is known that when individuals are given opportunities for competitive employment with the right supports that they thrive. They become more intentional in their own wellness and relapse is not so much the outcome of work but is due more to unemployment, housing instability, and loss of social supports.

 Employment was for me the consummation of my recovery journey. Employment is vital towards one's wellness, one's feelings of empowerment, one's sense of contribution and is what will truly help that individual reconnect with themselves, others and their sense of meaning and purpose in life.