Reduce the Stigma by Straight Up Care
Reduce The Stigma is an initiative by Straight Up Care, with a mission of reducing the stigma that surrounds substance use and mental health. Too often, stigma creates barriers and restricts access to services. Our hope is that by spreading the stories of individuals with lived/living experience with substance use and/or mental health we can break down barriers and build bridges. Reduce The Stigma has two series: Meet the Peer and Recovery Conversations, both hosted by Whitney Menarcheck. Meet the Peer is a special series where we shine the spotlight on peer specialists. Peer specialists are individuals with mental health and/or substance use lived experience who have received special training to support others along their recovery journey. Straight Up Care uses the term peer specialists to cover the various titles and certifications that can be held by an individual with lived experience helping others, such as Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS), Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), Certified Family Recovery Specialist (CFRS), Certified Peer Counselor (CPC), Peer Support Specialist (PSS), Recovery Coach (RC), and more! All peers interviewed on Meet the Peer are providing peer support services through the Straight Up Care Platform. To find a peer support specialist, visit https://straightupcare.com/members/. Recovery Conversations is a series of discussions with people and organizations who are serving individuals with lived and living substance use and/or mental health experience. Through Recovery Conversations, we hope to spread awareness of the numerous resources, initatives, and programs available to support individuals with substance use and/or mental health needs. About the host, Whitney Menarcheck: Whitney is the Chief Innovation Officer at Straight Up Care. Whitney is a trained professional counselor who recently completed training as a peer specialist. With over 12 years of experience serving individuals with substance use and/or mental health needs, Whitney is passionate about reducing stigma and elevating the voices of those with lived experience. Whitney's personal lived experience is with depression, grief, and trauma. Straight Up Care is a comprehensive platform ecosystem that provides all the administrative, compliance, and marketing tools for peer specialists to work for themsevles. Our hope is that by eliminating the barriers peer specialists encounter we can accelerate the connection between peers and the individuals who seek their services. Learn more about Straight Up Care: https://straightupcare.com
Episodes
Joy and the recovery journey aren’t usually synonymous, but if Ken Dunn, Chief Joy Facilitator has his way, that won’t be the case for much longer. With an emphasis on the importance of joy and play when pursuing a goal, learning something new, or taking on a challenge, he delivers a message of hope and inspiration. Sharing his lived experience with substance use, work, and video game addiction, Ken discusses the import...
ADD/ADHD has received a lot of attention in recent years for the over-prescribing of medications. In fact, the US is experiencing a nation-wide shortage of medications used to treat ADD/ADHD. While the diagnosis has been in existence since the 1960s, albeit under a different name, the prevalence of ADD (now known as ADHD) and its medications surged in the 1990s among elementary-aged children. Decades later, we’re now able to ...
Talk to Belinda: Straight Up Care
Belinda Ennis, a peer in training in Arkansas, shares her experience in the peer...
In this episode of Recovery Conversations, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Alicia Nolan, the founder of Choose to Live, shares her personal experience with suicide and mental health and how it led her to start her organization. Choose to Live aims to create a safe space for people to talk about their struggle...
Talk to Sam: https://straightupcare.org/consultant-profile/5411133
Sam Mason, a peer support specialist based in South Dakota, shares her inspiring journey of resilience and healing. Hosted by Whitney Menarcheck, this conversation delves into Sam's lived experiences as both a survivor of unhealthy relationships and a supportive loved one of individuals battling ...
In this powerful interview, Mary Beth O'Connor shares her journey from trauma and addiction to becoming a judge, offering hope and inspiration to others facing similar struggles. From growing up in a violent household to battling addiction for over a decade, Mary Beth's story is one of resilience and triumph. Discover how trauma and addiction are often interconnected and how Mary Beth found solace in drugs before embarking ...
In this episode of Meet The Peer, Jennifer Lazarus, a certified peer support specialist in North and South Carolina, shares her journey of becoming a peer specialist and the importance of peer support. She discusses her own lived experience with mental health challenges and addiction, emphasizing the role of peer support in recovery. Jennifer also highlights the need for self-advocacy and the value of p...
Join host Whitney Menarcheck in an eye-opening conversation with Anna Meredith, the education and survivor services supervisor at River City Domestic Violence Center in Yankton, South Dakota. Discover the vital role that River City plays in helping individuals fleeing domestic violence and offering resources to break the cycle. Gain insights into the services provided, such as the 24/7 crisis line, emer...
In this powerful video, join Hawaii Peer Specialist Ryan Spillane as he shares his personal journey of overcoming addiction and finding a path to recovery. From struggling with substance abuse and mental health challenges to discovering a new purpose in life, Ryan's story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Through his experiences, he challenges stigma surrounding addiction and del...
Adam Martin, the founder and executive director of the F5 Project, shares his journey from being a five-time felon to creating a successful nonprofit organization. F5 Project focuses on helping justice-impacted individuals by providing housing, peer support, and reentry services. The organization has achieved a 75% success rate in helping individuals complete their program and avoid reoffending. Adam em...
In this episode of Meet The Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck speaks with Tim Reck, a peer support specialist in South Dakota. Tim shares his journey of overcoming trauma, addiction, and DUIs to find recovery and purpose. Tim's story highlights the importance of acceptance, facing fears, and finding genuine connections in the recovery community. He emphasizes the difference between worry and concern, as...
In this Recovery conversation, the tables are turned - Dr. Mo interviews Whitney Menarcheck, Chief Innovation Officer at Straight Up Care. Whitney discusses her journey to Straight Up Care and her personal mission to eliminate barriers and provide opportunities for individuals with lived experience. She shares her own experiences with depression, grief, trauma, and her work with individuals with substan...
Welcome to another episode of "Meet the Peer," the podcast where we introduce you to inspiring individuals who are making a difference in the world of mental health and addiction recovery. Your host, Whitney Menarcheck speaks with Taylor Roberts, a peer specialist from South Dakota.
Taylor is here to share his personal lived experience, including his struggles with substance use and his journey to recovery. He will take ...
Rachel Schuster, a certified allied addictions professional and certified addiction registered nurse, shares her personal journey of recovery and the challenges she faced as a healthcare professional. She emphasizes the importance of mental health in the recovery process and the impact of language and stigma on individuals seeking help. Rachel discusses the need for person-first language and the role of...
In this episode of Meet the Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Vanessa Needles, a peer support specialist in South Dakota. Vanessa shares her lived experience, including her journey through addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges. She recently became a peer specialist and is excited to use her experiences to support others. Vanessa describes peer support as using one's lived experience to provide a light for other...
In this episode of Recovery Conversations, host Whitney Menarcheck talks with Amory Mowrey. Amory shares his lived experience with addiction and mentalhealth , highlighting the role of a #peer advocate in his #recovery journey. He emphasizes the importance of community support and the challenges of redesigning life in recovery. Amory also discusses the impact of boundaries and the need for healthcare professionals to examine their ...
In this episode of Meet the Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Roger Crouell, a Certified Peer Specialist in Virginia. Roger shares his journey and lived experience, including his struggles with addiction, incarceration, and finding his path to recovery. He discusses the importance of peer support and the role of a certified peer specialist in helping others through difficult times. Roger also highlights the significance of f...
Summary
In this episode of Recovery Conversations, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Denise Burton-Epp and Marybeth Collins from the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA) about their program, Celebrating Families. NACoA's mission is to eliminate the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol on children and families impacted by addiction. Celebrating Families is a unique program that focuses on the whole family sys...
Summary
In this episode of Meet the Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Christma Rusch, a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Recovery Coach. Christma shares her lived experience, including growing up in a challenging environment and her own struggles with mental health and substance use disorder. She discusses the importance of empowering individuals through peer support and creating safe spaces for healing. Christma also ...
In this episode of Meet the Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck interviews Mikayla Hanzlik, a certified peer specialist in South Dakota. Mikayla shares her journey through drug court and how it changed her life. She discusses the importance of peer support and the impact it can have on individuals in recovery. Mikayla also talks about the challenges of navigating early recovery and the need for a support system. She emphasizes the power ...
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