Christina Lee in St. Louis. She works at the St. Louis Empowerment Center as a peer case manager supervisor.
She spoke about peer support workers – people who have their own experiences with either substance use disorder or mental health who are now giving back and helping others – and the important role these folks can play in recovery.
Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words.
Christina Lee: Through their experience that they share, we're able to support, advocate and, basically, you know, work within the treatment recovery settings to help clients meet those recovery goals, Help engage them, help them have their recovery be long lasting.
I think often, you know, there's a lot of stigma within the healthcare system and the mental health system. So, being understood and knowing where someone's coming [from], the biggest thing is that shared experience, right?
"We pulled ourselves out of the grave, you know, with the help of others. There was someone who gave me hope when I didn't have it, and so, it's so personal to be able to give that back."Christina Lee
It's the glue, really, that connects the clinical and treatment world to the person, right?
Someone to be able to walk through and say,” Hey, look at me. I did it,” right? “This is your hope. It's possible.”
And especially – hope is something that is desperately needed because there's not a lot out there. Just with the, you know, the treatment system and the recovery system right now and the access to treatment and recovery programs.
So, having more peer support in that role that said, “Hey, it's possible, it's done,” and to show and model what works and what worked for me in my recovery.
And, you know, sometimes, you know, I might not be the right peer specialist for someone, but this person is and finding that right connection to the person to help, you know, just be there and support them through it.
Diversity and Inclusion is so important, especially because with mental illness and substance use – it affects communities differently, and it's really hard when someone doesn't feel like the person sitting across them understands what they've been through – whether that's culturally, socioeconomic, even different areas.
"So, just having that representation is really vital to bring people to and engage people into the recovery and treatment field and get them help because, you know, just having someone to understand you, means everything."Christina Lee
I mean, Missouri is very broad. We have inner city, and then we have these rural deserts needing is just as much help.
So, just having that representation is really vital to bring people to and engage people into the recovery and treatment field and get them help because, you know, just having someone to understand you, means everything.
And, you know, having that that inclusion to all people is so, so, so important to get that trust and just, you know – love, compassion, empathy, that's what really does it, you know?
And peer workers, we’re such – it's so personal, right? This is our lives. This is what we've been through.
In reality, you know, we pulled ourselves out of the grave, you know, with the help of others. There was someone who gave me hope when I didn't have it, and so, it's so personal to be able to give that back and hold someone's hand and just be there and have them know that you actually understand what I'm going through.
It just means everything.
