Recovery Conversations: Dr. Mo Interviews Whitney Menarcheck

Explicit content warning

04/05/24 • 31 min

In this Recovery conversation, the tables are turned - Dr. Mo interviews Whitney Menarcheck, Chief Innovation Officer at Straight Up Care. Whitney discusses her journey to Straight Up Care and her personal mission to eliminate barriers and provide opportunities for individuals with lived experience. She shares her own experiences with depression, grief, trauma, and her work with individuals with substance use disorder. Whitney emphasizes the importance of unlearning biases and addressing stigma in the field of addiction and mental health. She highlights the role of Straight Up Care in supporting peer specialists and empowering them to become peer entrepreneurs. Whitney also discusses the need to expand peer support beyond addiction and mental health and to break down barriers in accessing services. Overall, her goal is to continue busting stigma and centering the voices of those with lived experience.

Takeaways

Unlearning biases and addressing stigma are crucial in the field of addiction and mental health.
Supporting peer specialists and empowering them to become peer entrepreneurs can create new opportunities for individuals in recovery.
Expanding peer support beyond addiction and mental health can help address a wide range of life experiences and challenges.
Breaking down barriers and eliminating stigma is essential to ensure that everyone has access to the support and resources they need.

We want to hear from you - send us your feedback!

Are you an organization supporting individuals with substance use and/or mental health lived experience, a relevant content creator, or a person with lived experience involved in advocacy and want to join us for a conversation? Complete this form.

Links

Connect with Whitney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneymenarcheck/
Straight Up Care: straightupcare.com
Watch our episodes: ReduceTheStigma.com, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV

Acknowledgements

Host: Whitney Menarcheck

Editing by: Sarah Elash

Music by: AudioSphere

This is a Straight Up Care production.

Takeaways

Unlearning biases and addressing stigma are crucial in the field of addiction and mental health.
Supporting peer specialists and empowering them to become peer entrepreneurs can create new opportunities for individuals in recovery.
Expanding peer support beyond addiction and mental health can help address a wide range of life experiences and challenges.
Breaking down barriers and eliminating stigma is essential to ensure that everyone has access to the support and resources they need.

We want to hear from you - send us your feedback!

Links

Connect with Whitney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneymenarcheck/
Straight Up Care: straightupcare.com
Watch our episodes: ReduceTheStigma.com, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV

Acknowledgements

Host: Whitney Menarcheck

Editing by: Sarah Elash

Music by: AudioSphere

This is a Straight Up Care production.

Previous Episode

Meet The Peer: Taylor Roberts, Peer Specialist

Welcome to another episode of "Meet the Peer," the podcast where we introduce you to inspiring individuals who are making a difference in the world of mental health and addiction recovery. Your host, Whitney Menarcheck speaks with Taylor Roberts, a peer specialist from South Dakota.

Taylor is here to share his personal lived experience, including his struggles with substance use and his journey to recovery. He will take us through his career as a chef and how it intersected with his substance use, ultimately leading him to make a change.

But Taylor's story doesn't end there. He's also here to share his passions for running and foraging, and how these activities have become an integral part of his recovery journey. From hitting rock bottom to finding his purpose, Taylor's story is one of hope, resilience, and determination.

As a peer specialist, Taylor is proud to be part of a movement that challenges stigma and promotes recovery. He believes that by sharing his story, he can help others who may be struggling to see that recovery is possible.

So, whether you're on your own journey to recovery or looking for inspiration and hope, this episode is for you. Join us as we delve into Taylor's incredible story and take away some valuable insights and lessons along the way.

Work with Taylor: straightupcare.com/members/taylorr/

Key Takeaways:

Taylor Roberts shares his personal lived experience and journey to recovery.
His career as a chef collided with his substance use, leading him to make a change.
Taylor's passions for running and foraging have become part of his recovery journey.
He is proud to be a peer specialist and believes in challenging stigma.

Thank you for tuning in to this inspiring episode of "Meet the Peer." We hope you found Taylor's story as moving and motivating as we did. Until next time, keep striving for progress, not perfection.

We want to hear from YOU - send us your feedback!

Links

Straight Up Care: straightupcare.com
Watch our episodes: ReduceTheStigma.com, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV

Acknowledgements

Host: Whitney Menarcheck

Editing by: Sarah Elash

Music by: AudioSphere

This is a Straight Up Care production.

Next Episode

Meet The Peer: Tim Reck, Peer Support Specialist

In this episode of Meet The Peer, host Whitney Menarcheck speaks with Tim Reck, a peer support specialist in South Dakota. Tim shares his journey of overcoming trauma, addiction, and DUIs to find recovery and purpose. Tim's story highlights the importance of acceptance, facing fears, and finding genuine connections in the recovery community. He emphasizes the difference between worry and concern, as well as complacency and contentment. Tim's transformation has inspired him to become a peer specialist and offer support and understanding to others on their recovery journeys.

Receive Peer Support Services: straightupcare.com

Takeaways

Acceptance and facing fears are crucial in the recovery process.
Distinguishing between worry and concern can help shift focus to the present moment.
Contentment is an active state of seeking growth and improvement, while complacency is stagnant.
Building genuine connections and providing non-judgmental support can make a significant impact on someone's recovery journey.
Sharing personal stories and wisdom can break down stigma and inspire others to seek help and support.