Strategic Storytelling

Telling Your Story with Lorrin Gehring

Your story of recovery is what gives you authority. Knowing how and when to disclose your story is a big part of the effectiveness of your work as a peer. This workshop will help you sort out the power of telling your story.

Tools for Learning and Teaching

Telling Your Story Links

  • This virtual event explores experiences of young people in recovery who share their stories to create change. Recovery movement leaders share ideas about maximizing impact and minimizing risk when telling personal stories.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi0KvDa4g3c
  • Telling Your Recovery Story: Giving Meaning and Purpose to Your Pain by Using It to Help Someone
    by Ken Braiterman
    http://mentalhealthrecovery.com/info-center/telling-your-recovery-story/
  • Sharing your journey on living with mental illness can be one of the most difficult things to do. We are afraid of judgment, rejection, and that people will think differently of us. Ironically, the more you tell your story, the more you will find that people can relate on a personal level whether that be with them as an individual or a family member. Your story can break down walls. It can create bonds of friendship and trust with peers. It can help others feel not so alone in their illness. It can also help on your own path to recovery. Chrissie and Jody talk about what it was like to learn to tell their story and also give some tips on learning how to get started. It is our duty to get our stories out to the world so we can start changing the stigma on how others view mental illness! Join us! We want to hear your journey! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk8brIiIzYU
  • Peer specialists share their stories to assist clients in recovery
    https://isthmus.com/news/news/peer-specialists-share-their-stories-to-assist-clients-in-recovery/

Lorrin Gehring

Lorrin Gehring is a Holding the Hope speaker for 2018 Webinar.Lorrin Gehring, is a passionate leader who began advocating for youth rights in her early teen years. In her career she has been fortunate to serve as an Advocate, a Case Manager, a Resource Specialist, a Social Marketer, a Director, a Teacher and a Peer.

In each of these positions she has advocated for young people to have a voice and choice in their lives and the systems that serve them. She has authored numerous articles on youth involvement and is the 2011 Voice Award recipient for excellence in the field of youth advocacy, as well as the 2012 Marlene Matarese Advocate for Youth Rockstar awardee. Lorrin is currently the Program Director for Statewide Youth Sound in Washington. Her favorite color is green, and she is an award-winning karaoke singer holding a first-place award for best worst karaoke performance- she’s got passion.

Culturally Informed and Appropriate Peer Support

Julianna Gale

As peer counselors, we can be strong advocates for culturally specific recovery. This workshop will explore some ways to draw upon cultural strengths, increase cross-cultural understanding, and move towards healing justice in order to improve outcomes with participants, coworkers, and supervisors.

Tools for Learning and Teaching

Power Point Slides

Helpful Web Links

Links for Advocacy

Washington State Certified Peer Counselor Curriculum

Julianne Gale

Julianne Gale is a Holding the Hope speaker for 2018 Webinar.

Julianne Gale, MA, MAT, AAC, CPC is a youth peer counselor in rural Mason County, WA. She has been involved in various types of peer-based counseling since 2010. A queer Jewish woman of color, Julianne has a passion for social and environmental justice community organizing. Since 2007, she has collaborated with organizations such as youTHink, Gender Justice LA Theatre of the Oppressed, Dignity & Power Now, Black Lives Matter LA, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Winyan Camp, Sustaining All Life, United to End Racism, A Window Between Worlds, The Center for Nonviolent Education and Parenting, and more.

Strengths Based Peer Support

Speaker: Garry Lewis

Substance use and mental illness rob us of our belief in our own strengths. Peers help us realize we still carry those strengths in us. This work shop is about how supporting from a strengths-based perspective fosters wellness and recovery for mental health and substance use.

Tools for Learning and Teaching

PowerPoint Slides

Helpful Web Links

Print Articles

  • “Strength Through Service: Janet”, published in Peering Forward, the HMHAS Peer Advisory Bureau Magazine, 3rd Quarter January 2019 Ed. This article highlights the importance of routine in recovery, interacting with others, helping others (volunteering), and discussing your life with others.
  • Module 6: Supporting Goal-Setting, page 89 “Exploring Strengths” in the Washington State Certified Peer Counselor Curriculum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garry Lewis

Garry Lewis is a Holding the Hope speaker for 2018 Webinar.Garry D. Lewis considers himself a peer in recovery of Mental Health and Substance use. He has overcome his own personal challenges of Bi-Polar and Substance use by remaining positive and productive, “living life on life’s terms,” and celebrates his [almost] eight years of recovery. His wellness has led him to work in the Mental health field as Director of a Peer Run Drop-In-Center for the Spindletop Center in Beaumont, Texas. There, individuals in recovery find support, encouragement and hope. Gary is a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) facilitator, Advanced WRAP Facilitator, Recovery Coach Trainer, Co-Occurring Disorder Facilitator as well an Emotional CPR (ECPR) Apprentice. Gary advocates for himself as well as his peers and understands that recovery can help improve quality of life.

Stand up for Mental Health

Speaker:  David Graniner

Join us as David brings his extraordinary wit and wisdom to start off our day of extraordinary learning.

 

David Granirer

David Granirer is a Holding the Hope speaker for 2018 Webinar.Keynote Speaker, David Granirer, RPC, MPCC, M.S.M. is a counselor, stand-up comic, author, and founder of Stand Up For Mental Health (SMH), a program teaching stand-up comedy to people with mental health issues. David who himself has depression, is featured in the VOICE Award winning documentary Cracking Up. He also received a Life Unlimited Award from Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, an Award of Excellence from the National Council of Behavioral Health, a Champion of Mental Health Award, and a Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada and was recognized as one of the 150 Canadian Difference Makers in mental health. He works with mental health organizations in Canada, the U.S., and Australia to train and perform with SMH groups in dozens of cities. www.standupformentalhealth.com