Recovery Talk

This month, we are bringing you another episode filled with conversations with some of our organizational stakeholders. I had the privilege of talking with Chrystal Cantrell of Take Action Today, Dana Smith of New Life II, and Darrell Keim of Latah Recovery Community Center. Get ready to hear from some incredible people doing incredible things. And without further ado, let’s get talking!

This month, we are bringing you an episode hosted by my colleague, Steph Spitz. In it, she talks with Kasey Edwards Snider of Providence Project Nurture and Sarah Bovee of Legacy Midwifery Project Nurture about perinatal harm reduction and the vital role a doula with lived experience plays in the lives of pregnant people with substance use challenges.

In this first episode of the year for us, we’ve brought Tim Saubers back to host a conversation around the intersection of harm reduction and peer support: moving beyond abstinence-based models. In December of last year, Tim hosted a similar conversation for his communities of practice series. In this episode, Tim talks with Jose Martinez of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, and Arc Telos Saint Amour and Shayn McDonald both of Youth MOVE National, to get their perspectives on the subject.

This month, we are bringing you another conversation with one of our organizational stakeholders. In this episode, we talk with Donald Gunther of Mary Hall Freedom Village.

This month, we are bringing you another conversation with one of our organizational stakeholders. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Mo of Straight Up Care.

This month, we are bringing you an episode inspired by the Clinical Training Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health’s Clinician Café: Utilizing the Intersection of Family Planning and Harm Reduction in Communities. In this episode, I talk with Casey Johnson, a harm reduction specialist, and Russell Campillo, a peer educator. They share their personal experience engaging with clinicians, the intersection of harm reduction and sexual reproductive health, and what guidance they have for clinicians addressing harm reduction with their patients.

This month, we are bringing you another conversation with a few of our organizational stakeholders. In this 13th episode of the series, we talk with Stefanie Robinson of Hope Recovery Community, and Patty McCarthy of Faces and Voices of Recovery. Find out more about Recovery Month: https://rm.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/.

In this episode, our host spoke with Scott Breedlove and Melanie Cobb of Landmark Recovery, and Rabbi Ilan Glazer of Our Jewish Recovery. Tune in now to hear stories and anecdotes from the field!

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this sixth and final episode of the series, Tim speaks with Jessi Davis about understanding and supporting mental health experiences. Jessi is an experienced Program Coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the Peer Support, Mental Health, and Substance Use Recovery fields. Jessi is known for work surrounding Youth and Young Adult Peer Support training, technical assistance, and leadership. Currently working at the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, Jessi works to provide support, technical assistance, and training to the peer workforce throughout the 5 states and all tribal communities within Region 6. They have spent much of their career focused on Youth and Young Adult Peer Support and are currently the President of the National Association of Peer Supporters.

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this fifth episode of the series, Tim speaks with Mx. Yaffa about developing advocacy skills. They are an award-winning disabled, mad, trans, queer, Muslim, indigenous Palestinian. Mx. Yaffa conducts transformative work around displacement, decolonization, equity, and centering lived experiences of individuals most impacted by injustice. Mx. Yaffa is a storyteller and an equity and transformation consultant, having shared their story with over 100,000 audience members at speaking events globally. Mx. Yaffa has worked in over two dozen countries, and specializes in global and community vision building.

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this fourth episode of the series, Tim speaks with Shandelle Friedman exploring multiple pathways to recovery. Shandelle is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with 2 years of experience working in the field. Working with members of her local Sober Squad Chapter, she developed a desire to help others navigate the challenges faced by those recovering from substance use challenges. She now works as an ADC-T for her organization and finds peer support to be a vital part of the recovery process.

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this third episode of the series, Tim speaks with Sera Davidow about developing skills as a professional. Sera is a filmmaker, activist, advocate, author, and mother of two very busy kids. As a survivor of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse as a child and relationship violence as an adult, Sera has faced many challenges throughout her own healing process, including many ups and downs with suicidal thoughts, and self-injury. At present, she spends much of her time working as Director of the Wildflower Alliance (formerly known as the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community), which includes Afiya Peer Respite, recently recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of about two dozen exemplary, rights-based programs operating across the world.

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this second episode of the series, Tim talks with Nze Okoronta about supporting people navigating “crisis.” Nze is the Peer Services Manager for Solstice House, a peer-run respite and warmline operated by SOAR Case Management, a small nonprofit organization in Madison, WI with the mission of serving individuals who have experienced mental health and/or substance use challenges. Nze is passionate about peer support in Wisconsin and views peer support work as a fundamentally restorative practice. She believes peer work has the power to reduce and prevent systemic harm, support marginalized communities in a more complete way, and bring radical acceptance to the forefront of mental health and substance use care.

In late 2022, Tim Saubers, who leads our workforce development team, hosted a 6-month Skill Development Series for Peer Recovery Support Specialists. The series was so well attended and in demand, that we also offered it in early 2023. In this podcast series, Tim sits down to have a conversation with each facilitator to have a deeper discussion with them about their presentation and what it means for the field. In this first episode of the series, I talk with Tim about his presentation on ethics within the provision of peer recovery support services. In addition to leading our workforce development team, Tim is a person with lived experience with both mental health and substance use challenges who got his start as a Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist in 2016, and has worked in direct support and supervisory roles. Tim has no formal education beyond his high school diploma and Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Certification. He believes strongly in the value of his lived experiences and learned skills, and advocates for greater recognition and compensation of those without higher education across the field of behavioral health.

This month, Kris Kelly, who leads our RCO capacity building team here at the PR CoE, hosts a conversation with Durga Leela, founder of Yoga of Recovery. In this episode, you’ll get to hear about Durga’s recovery journey embracing Ayurveda and how one of the oldest traditional systems of medicine helps her live a life of abundance. Resources Mentioned in the Episode: Yoga of Recovery WebsiteYoga of Recovery EventsDurga's BookBayan Botanitcals

In this episode, our host spoke with Brandy Anderson-Willis of Indiana Association of Peer Recovery Support Services, Bailey Helgeson of the Roanoke Valley Collective Response, and Mike Durschlag of the Association of Recovery Schools. Tune in now to hear stories and anecdotes from the field!

This month, we spoke with Kim Gannon and Emily Pasman, authors of a recent article in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment entitled, “Knowing or not knowing: Living as harm reductionists in Twelve Step Recovery.” With us, they shared their experiences navigating recovery through Twelve Step programs, their embrace of harm reduction values, their professional research, and the ongoing journey of reconciling these concepts and experiences for themselves. Article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949875923000048?dgcid=author

In this episode, our host spoke with Tim Saubers and Haner Hernandez, both PR CoE team members. Tim and Haner discussed their experiences with cultural identity and how that affected their recovery and healing journeys.

In this episode, our host spoke with China Darrington of Summit Recovery Hub and Ken Vick of Benilde Hall about the work they are doing through their organizations. Tune in now to hear stories and anecdotes from the field!

In this episode, our host spoke with one of our previously featured organizational stakeholders of the month about the work they are doing through their organization. Tune in now to hear stories and anecdotes from the field with Pete Nielsen of the California Consortium of Addiction Programs & Professionals!