Hi, I am Laurie Woodman and I want to tell you a personal story of recovery that I never thought could happen. The concept was so new to me and I did not believe it was possible for a farm girl with just a high school degree.
I have a mental illness and was sure I was to live my life in an institution or at minimum with my mother. I could not drive, work or have any quality in my life. Then I joined a DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Alliance) group. There I learned that talking was helpful, friends were good, never expecting to become a facilitator. I learned by trial and error. I had friends in the field that introduced me to a person living in recovery and teaching this class for free, which I could afford, called WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan). I enrolled and made a friend and mentor that saw my potential before I ever dreamed I could do anything. Her name is Jennifer Hill. She showed me how to use what I learned and reach for a part time job. She then encouraged and coached me through the vocational rehabilitation steps to get my training to become a peer specialist. All along she encouraged and helped me see a future.
As a result of Colorado Mental Wellness Network’s encouragement and support I am now working and leading a fulfilling life. I could not have reached this spot in my recovery without The Network. Jennifer emailed me all the positions I qualified for thus helping get my career started. To this day my success in my recovery and providing for myself comes from the various programs I attended. Thank you Colorado Mental Wellness Network.