So, you want to become a peer specialist, but where do you start? Credentialing expert Justin Beattey helps us breaks down the maze of becoming certified. We discuss what credentials really mean, how requirements vary by state, and what peers should consider when choosing a pathway. We also dive into the bigger questions: How do we improve portability across states? And how can credentialing support (not restrict) workforce growth?
Kim Govak joins me for an essential conversation on ethics and professional boundaries, in recovery support services. We explore what ethics look like in the real world of peer work — from dual relationships and self-disclosure to navigating workplace expectations and protecting the integrity of lived experience. Kim shares practical strategies for ethical decision-making, strengthening core competencies, and staying grounded in recovery values while working within complex systems.
Annie Powell shares her journey from working in peer supportto founding One World Recovery Network (OWRN) and serving as director of SAMHSA’s Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS). We talk about what it takes to step into executive leadership as a person with lived experience and why professional development must be a priority as the workforce grows. Annie discusses OWRN’s efforts to strengthen training, supervision, and career pathways for peers, as well as CARS’ broader national initiatives aimed atmoving the workforce forward.
Racquel Garcia joins me to share her journey from frontline peer work to testifying before Congress. In this powerful conversation, Racquel discusses how advocacy can grow organically from lived experience and why peers belong in decision-making spaces. We explore what it takes to step into leadership, how to navigate systems that weren’t built with peers in mind, and how recovery voices can influence funding and legislative change.
As peer support workers are integrated into hospitals, courts, and other systems of care, new opportunities (and new tensions) emerge. In this episode, Karen Miller shares her experience working as a peer specialist in a hospital and justice system settings, often as the only peer on her team. Together, we explore what it means to maintain peer values within clinical environments, navigate supervision that may not be peer-informed, and advocate for the integrity of the role.