There is a story that goes something like this…One summer I was the Recreation Director in my hometown while attending college. We gathered the children each Thursday onto a bus to ride to an indoor swimming pool five miles from our community. As the director, I’ve chaperoned the children to a Milwaukee Brewer game and ridden bikes to a lake for a picnic. I had only one instance where I neglected to count heads and lost one of the children. Fortunately, the lost child found their way back to our group.
I often hear those in Recovery being extremely critical of the guides they have in their lives i.e. therapists, psychiatrists, support groups, peer mentors, and others. Through the guide’s neglect, we become scattered and lost. Recovery promises to raise special guides to shepherd us on our journey. When I hear peers in Recovery engaging with a person by phone, email, book signing events, podcasts, and support groups it moves me to compassion for them.
We struggle to find the resources to help us heal today. We face a change of services, we lose our insurance coverage, not enough therapists/psychiatrists to meet community needs, and the changing roles of peer support. We cannot solve all these problems but can be part of the solution meaning Recovery is in charge.
Recovery’s promise of compassionate shepherding has come through people willing to facilitate peer support groups and embrace a peer mentor into their lives-https://superhumanbeing.net/thursday-zoom-event/ I have witnessed people in Recovery give of themselves to aid others in the healing process. All of us in Recovery have experiences to share with our peers.
Roles can be as complex as facilitating a group or becoming a Certified Peer Specialist. Roles can be as simple but vital as being available to listen on the phone, suggest a support group, suggest a book to read, share a meal, and many others based on the needs of people. People who support people with mental health conditions, addiction, or trauma can do simple but vital activities as well.
Recovery can fulfill our hunger and the hunger of our peers far more than ordinary bread.
SuperHuman Being
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/