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I have been working in the substance use recovery field for about 4 years now. My path to this work was not a career choice at first, it was born from my lived experience, deep pain, and ultimately, my healing. I am a person who is in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, and like many others, I did not get here without going through loss, heartbreak, and growth.
My addiction has taken a lot from me. I lost custody of my two oldest children during the height of my active use, I carry that pain with me every day. I've lost many family and friends, more than I can count to substance related deaths. Now, I am currently watching my father lose his own battle with addiction. Grief has been constant in my life, for a long time, I allowed it to isolate me. But now, I use that grief as a bridge to connect with others who are hurting in similar ways.
Becoming a Peer Grief Support Specialist felt like the right path for me because I know what it is like to live with the kind of loss that does not always have a space in traditional treatment settings. Grief is complicated. I bring empathy, experience, and a deep sense of purpose into my role because I have been through it. I am here to sit with people in their pain, not trying to fix it, but to let them know they are not alone.
I am currently pursuing associate degrees in both Social Work and Human Services with plans to go for my Master's in both Public Health and Social Work. Education is part of how I continue to grow, not just for myself, but so I can show up even more for the people I support.
This work is more than just a job to me, it's a calling. Every day I use the pain and lessons from my past to hold space for others as they seek to find their own way forward. I believe that healing happens in community, and I am grateful to be part of that process with the people that I serve.