As you read this recovery wellness testimony, please reflect upon your own life and wellness work. We know that recovery is a choice and wellness is a practice so as a Certified Peer Specialist and Supervisor I want to be creative with my options to practice wellness activities for my benefit and to be resilient, to have the confidence and ability to share my success with other people. Recovery is a choice and using wellness tools and action plans is my practice.
Once upon a time...no! In a galaxy far far away…does not fit! It all began…not for me!
My name is Erik Whisker and I have worked for Peerstar since 2011—goodness, really? I cannot remember what the year 2011 was like. As I began working as a CPS and soon thereafter as a Supervisor I had several good mentors to guide me along the way with wellness practices-activities. One practice I learned working with peer after peer was the communication art of, “Brainstorming.” I have worked with a number of peers to practice brainstorming. This would be one thought like (water), that creates other thoughts like (creeks, streams, ponds, lakes, oceans, relaxing, waterfalls, nature, reflecting, meditation, prayer, candlelighting, quiet time…) see how that works?
Over time, I began to use brainstorming more in practice than talking about it in writing (those college days are over, I think). To emphasize, I created and implemented a list of wellness tools that can be relaxing, entertaining, empowering, motivating, and all with a positive focus. I believe we know it is easy to be negative—the world is full of negativity—lets rewrite our focus to be positive. One side note, I once had a peer who would spew ten negative words in seconds then I challenged him to spew out even more positive words even if he had to [yell] them—nonetheless it made for an interesting service.
Let’s name some wellness tools: 1) Worry Box; 2) Scream-Pillow Therapy; 3) Chewing Gum; 4) Blanket Therapy; 5) Candle Lighting; 6) Wrap-Audio Wrap; 7) Exit Plan; 8) Walking; 9) Sports; 10) Natural Supports; 11) Social Time; 12) Quiet Time; 13) Enjoy Nature; 14) Recovery Manual (separate from Wrap); 15) Breathing Techniques; 16) Talk to a Trusted Support; 17) Arts and Crafts; 18) Expressive Writing; 19) Hygiene Practices; 20) campfires; 21) run or jog; 22) Change-Recovery-Environment…
This is a brief list of wellness tools and the action plan is practice the wellness in good time and questionable times.
Erik Whisker
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