What if recovery didn't start with a diagnosis... but with
belonging? In this episode of
LC Mentally Well, host Dr. Mike Carter sits down with Callie and Maddie from the
Thomas M. Wernert Center — a rare, peer-led community that is redefining what mental health support looks like without therapy, prescriptions, or clinical charts. Based in Ohio, but needed worldwide, this Center offers a deeply human model: no intake forms, no insurance billing, no judgment — just coffee, connection, and community-led care. We unpack:
- What makes peer support a gold-standard tool for mental health recovery
- How the Center empowers people through choice, dignity, and lived experience
- Why the most powerful wellness tools may be gardening, guitar lessons, or crafting beside someone who gets it
- How spaces like this help individuals recover not just alone, but together
- The role of DEI, LGBTQ+ belonging, trauma-informed design, and accessibility in shaping real recovery environments
The Thomas M. Wernert Center doesn't treat people — it
believes in them. And for many, it's the first place they've ever been seen as more than their story or their symptoms. This is more than a podcast. It's a blueprint. A call to action. A window into what every community could build. Whether you're a policymaker, practitioner, community leader, or simply someone searching for support — press play. The future of mental health starts with
together.