I began working in the mental health system 26 years ago. I have worked nationally in numerous states, internationally, and in and with various organizations, systems, services and types of environments from hospitals to housing, group homes to community programs, family preservation and reunification to crisis services. What I learned professionally, reinforced what I experienced personally… most services were not designed based on the fundamental truth that we recover. As a result, they focus on confinement, diagnoses, medications, rules, structure and behavior management. None of these things get to the core of healing and instead, re-traumatize many of us with the beliefs that we are sick, broken, and disabled.
In 2005/2006, I had the amazing opportunity to start PRN and demonstrate what an organization that is designed for wellness looks like and how effective it truly is. I used the knowledge that was given to me by thousands of people throughout the years about what helps and what harms and together, our team of people that have also been directly impacted by trauma, labels, systems, diagnoses and despair, challenge illness identities, reform systems and demonstrate that recovery is probable.
People have their own solutions. We have to listen.