Healing, Growth, and Purpose: Becoming a Peer Specialist

• By: Patricia Masi Peer Specialist
• April 21st, 2026
• anxiety, art therapy, breast cancer, lived experience, mental health recovery, peer specialist, peer support, postpartum depression, Spring 2026 Issue
• 39    0

On January 14, 1980 (my birthday) I sat at a drafting board at Island Drafting and Technical Institute in Amityville, New York, beginning my journey as a mechanical draftsperson. One thousand hours later, I earned my certification and was placed through the school's employment services at an...

Finding the Perfect Fit with Peer Support: Navigating Employment with Mental Illness

• By: Jonathan Landau, MA Kristopher Migliore, LMSW ACMH
• January 22nd, 2024
• employment, job search, mental illness, peer specialist, peer support, recovery, social identity, social inclusion, stigma, substance use disorder, Winter 2024 Issue
• 1801    0

Searching for the right job, or even any job, can be stressful for weeks, months, or even years. The challenges may not even stop after obtaining gainful employment. They can bleed into maintaining that job, which then shields us from engaging in the stressful job search process. These challenges...