Recovery Talks

Todd and Jim discuss how APS serves over 600 members across the U.S. and internationally—spanning mental health peer specialists, recovery coaches, and family/parent peer supporters. The conversation highlights how national and statewide committees enable cross-state legislative advocacy, address shared workforce challenges, and support global initiatives such as West Africa's "Friendship Benches.” Todd also shares announcements regarding upcoming virtual events, voter education initiatives, and the first annual APS virtual conference.

Please note: This podcast includes a discussion of suicide and harm to children as part of the Lindsay Clancy trial.

Jim and board member Heidi use the high-profile Lindsay Clancy case as a lens to examine widespread ethical and structural failures in the U.S. mental health system

In this podcast transcript, Jim Hajny interviews Jazelle, a dedicated recovery advocate and founder of Way Maker Outreach in Kalispell, Montana. The conversation highlights Jazelle’s journey from addiction and homelessness to becoming a peer support specialist, emphasizing how online learning and formal training empowered her to serve others. She details her ambitious vision for a comprehensive recovery facility that includes detox, transitional housing, and long-term community support to fix a broken system. Jazelle explains the critical need for low-barrier housing and a "care team" approach for mental health, similar to how society treats physical illnesses like cancer. Throughout the dialogue, she underscores the importance of meeting people where they are with unconditional love and radical empathy. Her story serves as an inspiring example of how personal lived experience can be transformed into a powerful catalyst for community-wide healing and social change.

In this episode of Recovery Talks, Jim and Andi tackle the growing confusion around terminology in the peer support field. They dig into how words like "peer," "peer supporter," "peer support specialist," and "peer worker" are increasingly used interchangeably by providers and organizations which may blur or dilute their actual meaning.

The conversation traces the evolution of language in the recovery movement, from older terms like "consumer," "client," and "patient" to today's push toward "peer" and "lived experience." Jim and Andi discuss:

The legal/professional distinction in Montana between a "peer supporter" and a certified "peer support specialist"

Why person-centered, recovery-oriented language (versus clinical language) helps build connection rather than hierarchy or separation

How language shapes identity and self-perception for people in recovery, especially peer supporters who've experienced relapse

The importance of self-care and resiliency planning within peer support training, and why relapsed peer supporters often don't return to the workforce

How modeling recovery-oriented language can gradually shift culture

A preview of MPN's new Peer Advocacy, Change and Empowerment workbook and companion online course

Jim reconnects with his old friend Matthew Federrici, the Executive Director of Doors to Wellbeing to chat about Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing, a peer-led curriculum that has been evolving for 30 years.

Matthew explains that this isn't just another clinical training. It’s a lifestyle practice, much like yoga, where people with lived experience help each other stay well. Instead of using medical labels, the program focuses on community participation, self-determination, and hope. You’ll learn how to build your own wellness toolbox and a daily maintenance plan to navigate "triggers" and difficult times.

Jim and Matthew also share their own personal wellness tools for the day ranging from tending to a greenhouse to hitting the gym. Check it out to learn how you can start taking action in your own recovery journey!

This episode of Recovery Talks, hosted by Jim Hajny of Montana’s Peer Network, features a deep dive with board member Heidi into the often-overlooked connection between nutrition and mental health recovery. While traditional treatment often focuses on stabilization, the hosts argue that what we put into our bodies is a critical component of long-term wellness that is rarely prioritized

Continuing their exploration of the "recipe" for leadership, Jim and Lawrence discuss how a structured methodology—much like the scientific method—is essential for garnering respect for the recovery process and providing a framework for constant improvement.

Join Jim Hajny, Executive Director for Montana’s Peer Network, for an inspiring episode of the Recovery Talks podcast, a show dedicated to the core belief that recovery is possible, it works, and it is a journey toward freedom and peace. In this episode, Jim sits down with his close friend and Montana leader, Lawrence Rhone, to explore the profound connection between recovery and leadership.

Lawrence and Jim dive deep into what they call the "recipe" for leadership, drawing from Lawrence’s diverse life experiences—from growing up in the projects of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to his 17-year-old entry into military service. They discuss how leadership is not just a title but a set of attributes forged through discipline and mentorship.

Andi is joined by professional organizer Karin Freed who discusses the complexities of chronic disorganization and hoarding disorder. She clarifies that hoarding is a clinical mental health diagnosis characterized by a persistent difficulty in discarding items, which is distinct from temporary situational clutter. The discussion explores how mental health issues can contribute to these behaviors, affecting people from all backgrounds. To address these issues, Freed highlights the "Buried in Treasures" class, a structured program that utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy and group support to help individuals stop acquiring items and start letting go. She emphasizes that recovery is possible through peer accountability, safety-first strategies, and shifting one's mindset regarding personal possessions. "Buried in Treasures" groups promote a non-judgmental approach to help people reclaim their living spaces and improve their quality of life. For more information about Karin's courses, contact her at 440-666-9326 or email [email protected]

Jim and Andi discuss the Gold Sauce at the Golden Arches and the Gold Standard mentioned int he new SAMHSA Priorities.