PEER Voices Podcast

Our last show discussed the pros and cons of peer recovery supporters receiving services from the place where they work.  Turns out that our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, have more to say!  Listen in as they continue the discussion.  How much of the refusal to access services is stigma?  Are we stigmatizing ourselves?  Is your employer on your side?  Do you distrust your agency?  How do you know when your worries are justified?  We talk about all that and more! Show Notes:  3:43 – “But we're also putting peers in a cage where we just can't be human and we can't talk about very real issues and problems and concerns and things that, you know, tick us off.” (There is a lot of pressure on peer recovery supporters to maintain a façade of perfection.) 4:59 – “We spend more time living our lives than we do managing our illness. ‘In recovery’ does not mean cured.” (Recovery is a lifelong, ongoing process.) 5:51 – “If you're expected to be perfect, failure is inevitable, because nobody is.” (Employers sometimes have unreasonable expectations of peer recovery supporters.) 9:35 – “Even though our supervisors and our workplaces said, ‘Look, you know, HIPPA is in place. We're going to protect you. We care about you.’ We don't believe them.”  (Many peer recovery supporters do not trust that their privacy and confidentiality will be respected.) 18:14 – “You know one on one advocacy is just an area of advocacy that is almost always missed because, frankly, it's the hardest.”  (Advocating for yourself can be more intimidating than speaking on behalf of the larger group.)

Should peer recovery supporters receive services from the place where they work?  Or is it better to go elsewhere?  This common question doesn’t have a straightforward answer.  You trust the quality of your agency, but do you trust the discretion of your co-workers?  Join our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, as they discuss the pros and cons of getting treatment close to home.  Plus learn about your options and legal rights if there is a problem. Show Notes:  2:13 – “Even though this resource is available to them, and they have access to it, they do not go to it. They do not participate in it. They would rather go across town. They would rather go to people who don't know them.  (Many people prefer to receive mental health and addiction services anonymously.) 4:26 – “And then there's some folk that are sitting over there waiting on the other shoe, the proverbial other shoe, to drop.” (Peer recovery supporters often receive additional negative scrutiny.) 5:21 – “I would not blame the peer for making a decision to not get their ongoing support services from the agency in which they work.” (Where to receive services is a complicated and intensely personal decision.  There are no wrong answers.) 9:48 – “. . . having a mental health struggle, having a substance use struggle, is not seen in a positive light.” (The stigma of mental illness and addiction is pervasive and peer recovery supporters are not immune to it.) 19:30 – “. . . we have to insist and rely upon the policies that would apply to a client or a patient apply to us in this context. HIPPA. Privacy. Confidentiality. All of that. And if those things are violated, then those things need to be reported. That means rocking the boat. That means speaking up.” (The same policies that protect other service recipients apply to us.  Part of advocacy is self-advocacy.  Do not be afraid to insist upon your rights.)

On this episode of PEER Voices, our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, are joined by TPC’s Assistant Director, Deidra James.  Deidra has been with The PEER Center since its founding, and is a critical component of the agency’s success. Deidra’s cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and sunny disposition can make our difficult work feel easier.  Listen in as Deidra explains her role at TPC, shares some of her fondest memories, and tells us how stress can be a necessary part of growth. 

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine created the RecoveryOhio Initiative to coordinate and improve how the state addresses mental health and substance use disorders. The Advisory Council includes a diverse group of individuals who have worked to address mental illness or substance use issues in prevention, treatment, advocacy, or support services, as well as other government and community organizations Our own Juliet Dorris-Williams was appointed to the council. On today’s show, Juliet talks about her experiences at meetings and with other members, as well as explains some of what RecoveryOhio means for the peer community. Listen now for more info about this exciting new initiative. Show Notes: 7:29 – “. . . there were not only peers with lived experience, but there were also members of law enforcement. They were also judges. There was an ex-governor on the council. It just goes to show how much of our life, how much of society, comes to bear when we're talking about how we support people living with mental illness and an addiction. And trauma prevention professionals were there.” (The RecoveryOhio Initiative aims to bring a diverse group together to improve care in Ohio.) 11:59 – “But when we go out into rural Ohio, you get a completely different take on advocacy.” (Peers across Ohio are not a monolithic group, we face different challenges.) 12:23 – “You may as well not have resources if people don't know about it and people can't access it. And so yes, we are resource rich but still so fragmented and siloed.” (Better funding does not necessarily lead to better care if the care delivery system is inadequate.) 15:22 – “Because . . . .mental illness and addiction, knows no boundaries with this.” (Mental illness, addiction, and trauma does not discriminate. It affects people in all walks of life.) 20:16 – “Because our work isn't done. We were told that we weren't done. The plan is out. but we weren't done. Still open for feedback. . . . “ (The RecoveryOhio Initiative is not complete. Council members and government officials are still open to comments and critiques.)

Facilitating a support group is a lot of pressure.  Standing in front of a room full of people who are looking to you for answers is nerve-racking.  Our hosts, Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard have been there!  On this episode of PEER Voices, they share the knowledge and experience gained through guiding hundreds of peer groups.   Whether you are a seasoned leader or just starting out, Juliet and Gabe can help you be more relaxed, more engaging, and offer better support to our peers.   Show Notes:  5:37 – “We need to know that other people have done it. Have managed to get past some things. That other people have managed to live in recovery.” (Peer support groups demonstrate that success is possible for someone like you.) 15:33 – “Just figure out what people commonly mistake or don't know, and fix it.”  (If you are consistently having the same problems, re-think your approach.) 17:41 – “Consistency is very comforting. Especially if you're fearful, or worried, or anxious, or new at this.”  (Make sure your support group has clear rules that are always followed.) 20:25 – “People will talk. Somebody will fill the silence. Just don't feel obligated to make it be you.”  (Don’t rush to speak, let group participants have time to answer.) 24:22 – “Too many groups closed down because they're like, "Oh, it didn't work. It didn't. It wasn't an overnight success." (A support group needs to meet consistently for 6 months or more to become established.)

Everyone has had a bad boss.  But what can you do about it?  How do you balance the needs of the employee vs. the agency?  And what are supervisors looking for in new hires? Join our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, as they interview Susan Steed, a certified peer recovery supporter and program manager at The PEER Center.  Susan tells us about her personal history of mental illness and trauma.  Listen in as she explains how she entered the field, and what it has been like to move up the ranks into a supervisory role.   We also explore how to improve your relationship with your boss and Susan shares what she looks for in a potential employee. Show Notes: 10:51 – “If you have some challenges, please talk to your supervisor. If you're not getting through to them, speak to the person above them.”  (Don’t allow problems in the workplace to go unsolved.  Advocate for yourself and find solutions.)   12:42 – “If we're being good supervisors, we want to take care of our people, and we want our people to be successful. And that's a partnership relationship.”  (You and your employer are on the same side, working together for a common goal.)   14:08 – “If you don't know how to do it, don't assume that everything is just magical and that's going to fit into place.” (Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  We are all peers.)   17:07 – “I look for someone with compassion. I think someone with compassion will have a lot to give.”  (Successful peer recovery supporters are understanding and empathetic.)   17:27 – “ . . . having lived experience and also having the ability to articulate that.”  (Just because you are in recovery, doesn’t mean you would be a good peer recovery supporter.)   18:07 – “I want someone that has been in recovery for a while, maybe a couple of years. Because I want someone that is ready.” (It takes time and experience with your own recovery to help others.)

“It’s not about you.”  How often do you have to remind yourself of that?  When providing peer support, the focus is on those we serve, not on ourselves.  We try hard to never “give just to get.”  But helping others still has a positive impact on our own recovery journeys.   It can even lead to stunningly deep insights into larger issues. On today’s show, our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, interview Renetta Scott, a long-time employee at TPC who is living in recovery with schizophrenia.  Renetta shares her own recovery journey, and tells us how offering support to others has helped her maintain wellness.  Join us as Renetta tells about the surprising things she learned through leading support groups. Show Notes:    1:26 – “I think the job is very therapeutic in and of itself. It helps me in my recovery.” (We all continue to learn and grow no matter how long we have been in recovery.) 5:43 – “being here and being amongst people like myself who are in recovery, who are working recovery, it's already healing. . . I'm working my recovery with them and they're working their recovery with me.” (Peer support is a two-way street.) 8:21 – “You would be surprised what we learn. For example, there was an article about schizophrenia and Auschwitz.” (Mental illness exists in a larger social construct.) 9:35 – “There's unfortunately a sordid history of abuses of people with mental illness.”  (Stigma and violence towards the mentally ill has existed throughout history.) 12:58 – “ . . . if you are not aware of where you've come from, then you don't know where you can go.”  (Knowing our history, even the traumatic parts of it, has value.)

The PEER Center is a drop-in support and recovery center in Columbus, Ohio.  But when anyone and everyone can “drop-in” there is bound to be conflict, right?  Not necessarily.  Join our hosts Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, as they welcome DeShawn Davis, our Director of Facilities and Security.      DeShawn explains the surprising keys to maintaining a safe and secure space – using de-escalation techniques and showing compassion.  Join us to learn why an aggressive approach to security can do more harm than good.  DeShawn will also tell us how The PEER Center has managed to have only a handful of security threats in our over 11 years of existence. Show Notes:  3:29 - “Ninety eight percent of the time, conflicts can be resolved just by talking it out.”  (Patience and understanding go a long way towards resolving conflict.) 6:55 – “A lot of times people come in with baggage. They come in with things that are bothering them from way before they even heard about The PEER Center.”  (Those we serve have many issues they are dealing with.  Do not take it personally.) 8:27 – “Don’t pick up the rope.”  (Do not allow yourself to become engaged in conflict.) 14:27 – “Model the way. Model the way of recovery, model the way of life.”  (Our everyday behavior can have a large positive impact on those we serve.) 16:22 –  “they are only words, but there is power behind words and people's feelings can get hurt.”  (try to be empathetic to those you are working with.  Issues may be more nuanced than they first appear.) 23:08 – “Some family members, we love them to death, but we don't want to be around them.”  (Conflict is inevitable even under the best of circumstances.)

The New Year is here, and we are all hard at work on our resolutions.  Do you want to lose weight?  Get more organized?  Quit smoking?  Did you make the same resolution last year?  What about the year before that?   Join our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, as they discuss why making a New Year’s resolution can be damaging and how to work towards long-term goals and recovery year round.        Show Notes:  1:29 – “It’s almost always generated by some type of outside force….I do not like New Year’s resolutions.  Because we want people to feel like they are worthy.” (Change comes from within.  If the motivation for change isn’t your own, you are unlikely to succeed.) 3:10 – “All of these people are going to make money on how bad we feel about ourselves.” (Many resolutions are inspired by commercial advertising, which is designed to prey on our perceived inadequacies.) 7:47 – “We have a goal and milestones and steps along the way.  That’s how we get there.” (Large or long-term goals need to be broken down into smaller parts.) 15:33 – “Don’t be wedded to a mistake just because you took a lot of time to make it.”  (Be humble enough to see when the path you are on is not going in the right direction.) 17:27 – “As long as you are still alive, you can still do it.”  (Large goals take a long time, and it is never too late.) 20:43 – “How about being happy now?”  (You will not magically be happy at some future time.  Recovery is a lifelong and daily process.)

“We offer support to those living in recovery with mental illness, addiction, and/or trauma.”  You’ve heard that before, but what does it mean?  Join our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, as they discuss what trauma is, what impact it can have, and how to practice “trauma informed care.”      Many in our community have experienced trauma, from stereotypically horrible things, like war or violence, to other, more nuanced, experiences.  Listen in as Juliet and Gabe discuss their own past traumas and review possible coping mechanisms.  Juliet puts on her “social worker hat” to help us understand more about an often overlooked component of mental illness and addiction. Show Notes 1:48 – “We do ourselves, and our peers, a disservice by not understanding, and not bringing in, the trauma element.” (The role of trauma in mental illness and addiction is often overlooked.) 2:29 – “Trauma is an event that changes your life’s trajectory.” (Trauma is an unambiguously life-changing event.) 8:35 – “I wouldn’t be the person I am today had those things not happened.  Now, would I choose those?  Absolutely not.” (It does not lessen the impact of trauma on your life to acknowledge that you learned or gained wisdom from your experiences.) 14:36 – “…those among us who are super resilient.  And they don’t have to do any of those self-destructive things to cope and get through life.  (Everyone handles trauma differently, and some coping skills are more productive than others.) 15:37 – Acknowledging that you are suffering from trauma goes a long way to finding the right therapeutic treatment.  (Recognizing the impact of trauma on your life is the first step in moving beyond that trauma.) 17:28 – “…there was some power there.  Power in being able to connect with other people who had similar stories.”  (Peer support can be helpful to a variety of people, including those impacted by trauma.)

Did you know that peer recovery supporters have a code of ethics?  Across Ohio, our staff is asked the same question again and again – “Can I date someone I am giving peer support to?”  Our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, explain exactly why it is a bad idea (and unethical) to become personally involved with the people you serve.  There is a line between clients and providers.  In addition to being unethical, crossing boundaries with those you are supposed to be helping can put your job, your certification, and even your agency at risk.   Peer recovery support is still new in Ohio, and we are all responsible for helping it to grow and thrive.  The misbehavior of one peer recovery supporter reflects poorly on all of us, and on the entire concept of peer support.  Don’t be a hindrance to our community.  Listen now as our hosts explain the importance of maintaining high standards for all of us in the field.   Show Notes:  4:26 – “They are vulnerable.  And right in that moment there is a power differential.”  (We are all peers, but we aren’t all on equal footing.) 5:14 - “That person should forever be [out] of your pool of “datable” people.”  (It is never acceptable to become personally involved with those you are serving.) 7:06 – “Maybe you overstepped.  What should [you] do to make it right?”  (What should you do if you now realize your behavior crossed the line?) 15:00 – “Help me understand.  Tell me how I am missing it.”  (If you aren’t successfully connecting with a client, don’t be afraid to ask how you could see things from their point of view.) 17:22 – “I am more able to assure that they are safe and secure in the context of this building.”  (Clearly defined rules and boundaries keep everyone safe, both emotionally and physically.) 20:41 – “If we have one “bad apple” peer supporter, that reflects on all peer recovery supporters.”  (Our field is still new and our credibility is easily damaged.  The poor behavior of a single peer recovery supporter potentially impacts the credibility of peer support as a concept.)

Whom do you think of when you think of an addict?  Someone shooting up in an alley?  A drunk with a bottle in a paper bag?  In this episode of PEER Voices, we discuss how inaccurate these stereotypes are, and how their prevalence deters some from seeking recovery. Today our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, interview Derrick Kirkland.  Derrick did not reach recovery until his 50’s, but using the 12-steps, he now has over 7 years of sobriety.  Join us as Derrick discusses the unique challenges of reaching recovery later in life and tells us what techniques and skills have worked for him.  Derrick credits his religious faith and the many people who reached out to him for the life he now lives, and he shares remembrances of his many mentors Show Notes:  1:45 – “Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern helped me quite a lot in my recovery.”  (Potential role models and inspiration are everywhere.) 4:30 - “It’s a boomerang and a ripple, all at the same time.”  (Helping others can further your own recovery) 6:15 – “Please quit playing with God before God takes his hands off you.” (Recovery can have a spiritual motivation for some) 11:45 – “It’s never too late, as long as I have breath in my body.”  (You might have many false starts before reaching recovery.  The important thing is continuing to try.) 15:15 – “I found I suffered from a spiritual malady, not a material malady.”  (Addiction doesn’t always look like you expect.) 18:00 – “[What is the definition of ‘peer?’]  It means we are on the same level.  (We are all in the fight together.)

There are plenty of podcasts about mental health and psychology, but one point of view is usually missing – that of a peer.  Peers are those of us who have a lived experience with mental illness, addiction, and trauma, and there is finally a podcast made by peers for peers. There are lots of clinicians and family members talking about what peers need to do (or what needs to be done to or for us).  However, those who actually live in recovery are rarely invited to join the conversation.  Our hosts, Juliet C. Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, talk about why this lack of representation is dangerous, consider possible reasons for it, and give advice on how we can combat it.  Do you want to be part of the conversation rather than just the subject?  Then listen in as Juliet and Gabe give practical, real-world steps you can take to have your voice, your peer voice, heard.   Highlights of PEER Voices Episode One 1:35 – “people talk around us or for us” (peer perspectives are not included or appreciated) 3:22 - “[peers] aren’t in the front of [clinicians] minds” (usually peers are not deliberately excluded, we are just an afterthought) 8:45 – “invite yourself” (we must make opportunities for ourselves) 12:22 – “we are not at the table unless we go to the table” (we must go the extra mile to be heard) 14:38 – “three words:  I respectfully disagree” (being agreeable is important for advocacy, being belligerent is not often useful) 16:30 – “[what is] the biggest goal of the peer movement and this podcast”