volume 7, issue hope 6 -choice …...one of the ways, you can explore your occupational wellness is...

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6 HOPE - CHOICE - EMPOWERMENT - RECOVERY CULTURE - SPIRITUALITY JUNE 2015

June 2015

Recovery Innovations extends heartfelt THANKS and APPRECIATION to the

organizations that provide class locations, presentations, services and referrals.

Our connections with others, provide opportunities and environments that empower people to recover, to succeed in accomplishing their goals, and to

reconnect with themselves, others and meaning and purpose in life.

Community Connections

June is Occupational

Wellness Month! June was originally named Occupational

Wellness Month by Words of Wellness.

It has also been called Career Wellness

Month and Professional Wellness Month.

Whatever name you call it, at the core

this is a prime time to think about what

Occupation Wellness is, where we are on

our journey and what our goals are.

What is Occupational Wellness?

Although Occupational Wellness is one of

our 9 Dimensions of Wellness here at

Recovery Innovations, many of us may not

be fully aware of what it means.

Does your thoughts automatically go to

employment? Is that all it is? RI defines it

as “Occupational Wellness is being

involved in paid and/or non-paid activities

that are personally rewarding and make a

contribution to the well-being of the

community...Involves contributing one’s

unique gifts in unique ways.” So perhaps

Occupational Wellness is much more than

just having a job.

Questions to Consider

With that definition in mind, there are

questions you may want to consider when

you think about your own Occupational

Wellness.

1. Do I have currently have an

occupation? Remember: This could be

a job or volunteering in some way.

2. Do I find my occupation personally

rewarding? This could be rewarding in

personal, spiritual way and not just

financially.

3. Does my occupation allow me to

make a contribution to the well-being

of the community?

If your answer is no to any of the

questions above, maybe its time to

explore a different occupation. If that’s

your choice, you may want to think about

your strengths, past jobs or volunteering

that you particularly enjoyed and ways you

can improve your satisfaction with this

dimension of Wellness.

One of the ways, you can explore your

Occupational Wellness is by attending our

Wellness Classes such as: Giving Back

Through Volunteering, Employment as a

Means to Recovery, Success in the Real World

and many more!

For details on Wellness classes, Peer Support and

possible Resource Connections, call Recovery

Innovations at 1-866-481-5361

Quotes of Inspiration

“It might be stormy right now, but it

can’t rain forever.” ~HealthyPlace.com

“Not everyone will understand your

journey. That’s fine. It’s not their

journey to make sense of. It’s yours.”

~Expanded Consciousness

“Go confidently in the direction of your

dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”

~Thoreau

“I want to inspire people. I want

someone to look at me and say ‘Because

of you I didn’t Give Up’” ~Anonymous

“The grass isn’t greener on the other

side. It’s greener where YOU water it.”

~PositiveOutlooks.com

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Wellness City VoiceWellness City VoiceWellness City Voice

JUNE 2015

WELLNESS CITY GREENVILLE:

Teammates in Recovery

Hi My name is Pamela Spence, CPSS and I’m here at Recovery Innovations

Wellness City Greenville with my teammate Lorrine Armstrong, CPSS. We are

sitting here talking about all we have been through to get where we are today. We

talked of our time in addiction and the life lessons we learned along the way and

how Recovery changed our lives.

Lorrine Just hit 6 years clean on May 7th and I will be 4 years clean June 16th .

Through our challenges in life, we’ve gained the strength to attend college. We

both are students at Pitt Community College in the Human Services, Substance

Abuse Program.

We both have the passion for what we do here at work and our desire is to help people connect the dots

and grow to reach their full potential in life. A life worth meaning and purpose. To let our life struggles

show others , that they, too, can come out on the other side clean and sober.

Our plan for the future is to continue spreading the word of Recovery and working with people facing

life challenges, knowing that Recovery is an ongoing process. Through our Recovery Journey we have

gained strength and knowledge that Recovery is Real and we are the Evidence. Through our educational

classes and our 1:1 peer support, we reach our to a diverse group of people. Everyone is Welcome.

Our Goal is to help others get “Their Life Back”. Our lives are better than they were before. Changing the

negative to a positive. We Are Living Life—Not Just Existing.

By: Pamela Spence, CPSS & Lorrine Armstrong, CPSS Wellness City Greenville

Lorrine Armstrong, CPSS &

Pamela Spence, CPSS

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Wellness City VoiceWellness City VoiceWellness City Voice JUNE 2015

Community Building Team: Reflecting back…

I ’ve been reflecting back over the last couple of years that I have had the honor to serve as the Recovery Services

Team Lead for Community Bui lding. Who are we and what do we do? Community Bui lding partners with the TCL

(Transi tions to Community Living) Team at ECBH (East Carol ina Behavioral Health). Our programs were created

as part of the United States Department of Justice Settlement – Transi tions to Community Living Ini tiative. We

have the opportunity to work with individuals that have Severe/Persistent Mental Health Challenges. Most of the

Participants we serve have been l iving in Adult Care Homes or have been discharged from State Psychiatric

Faci l i t ies.

Our Mission…

is to create environments that empower people to recover, to succeed in accomplishing their goals, and to

reconnect to themselves, others, and meaning and purpose in l i fe .

Our Mission Statement so clearly states what we do with those we serve. From the beginning, we partner with the

TCL Transition Coordinator to identify the needs of the individual . Together, we do everything possible to empower

the individual to take control of their own l ife and give them hope that they wil l be successful in l iving on their

own.

We build a special bond with each person we serve – one that al lows the individual to feel safe as they progress

on their journey. They trust our Peer Recovery Coaches knowing that we have a mutual goal – “for each individual

to be successful in their transi tion into independent l iv ing”.

From the f i rst time we meet with a Participant, we ask the individual what areas of their l i fe they want to work

on. To assist our PRC’s as they work with the individual to improve certain l iving and coping ski l l s they have

identif ied for themselves to work on, we uti l ize RI’s Nine Dimensions of Wellness to assist the person in these

areas: (1) Emotional (2) Intel lectual (3) Occupational (4) Physical (5) Social (6) Spiri tual (7) Financial (8) Home

& Community Living (9) Recreation & Living

Since Community Bui lding Team’s inception, we have been an award -winning Team. We have received the

fol lowing awards: ECBH’s State of the Arts Award – Recovery Innovations – Peer Support – Excel lence in

Implementing Best Practice and North Carol ina Counci l of Community Programs – Programs of Excel lence Award –

Recovery Innovations – Peer Support in Transi tions to Community Living .

East Carol ina Behavioral Health has partnered with Recovery Innovations to bring Peer Support Services as an

integral component in their approach to help people transition into the community .

We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Tri l l ium Health Resources as ECBH and Coastal Care

consol idate on July 1 s t . RI’s Community Bui lding Team wil l strive to provide quali ty service as we continue help

transi tion individuals into their own homes with the Transitions to Community Living Initiative.

J im Harrison, NC-CPSS

Community Bui lding

Recovery Services Team Lead

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Durham Wellness City: Stepping Into Recovery

For the third year in a row, Wellness City Durham has had

the exciting opportunity to participate in the NAMI Walks

event. NAMI Walks is an annual fundraiser for NAMI, the

National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is the nation’s

largest grassroots mental health organization, dedicated to

building better lives for the millions of Americans affected

by mental health challenges. NAMI provides education

and support to people in recovery and their family, friends,

and communities.

Leading up to the event, the team co-captains built awareness and

enthusiasm. They fundraised with friends and family and even held a

bake sale. They repeatedly met their fundraising goal and had to

raise the bar. As of the publication of this newsletter, the team has

raised over $1,800! The co-captain’s passion for this event inspired

many Wellness City Durham citizens to join them for the walk.

On Saturday, May 2nd

, fifteen walkers met at Wellness City Durham

and caravanned to the Dorothea Dix campus in Raleigh for the event.

It was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed the walk. Some walkers

chose the shorter loop and some chose the longer route all the way

around the Dix campus. Afterwards the team enjoyed lunch together

and the many activities (t-shirt design contest, dancing, face painting,

bounce-house for children, and visiting with the other teams and the

vendor booths). The Wellness

City Durham team had a unique t

-shirt design that was created

and painted on the shirts by the team members. Everyone

was very excited when we won the contest! It was an

exciting day for everyone. We are looking forward to an

even bigger team for next year’s Walk. Please consider

joining us!

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JUNE 2015

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I’m proud of the people who have the determination and the

fearlessness to actually go and face their demons and get better.” ~Eva Mendes

C itizen Spotlight: Walter J. Knortz

Hi. My name is Walter J. Knortz and my age is 58 years old.

Well, here is some of my story. I was having a normal life. At the age of 26, I

began to have symptoms of severe Depression. I figured out that something

was really wrong. My parents had moved to Asheville, NC. My father said

he’d come and get me from New York. After about three months and no

luck with the medicine I was prescribed, I became bedridden for most of a

year.

Today, I’m a resident of New Bern. I got some help with some good

medicine and support from Wellness City of New Bern. Well, we’ll keep this

short. I am now pretty much functioning with medicine and therapy. I’m

getting stronger day by day. I did make it and very glad that I made it.

~Walter Knortz, Citizen

Wellness City of New Bern

I have been Walter’s friend and Recovery Coach for more than five years now. He has been a pleasure to

know and is always pleasant to everybody.

One of the things we enjoy is doing the meditation class together. As this is usually the first class of the day,

Walter is here first thing in the morning as he is most mornings. I know how he likes his coffee and that he

likes to check out the newspaper before class starts. Some people don’t know it, but Walter was an

employee at the Oasis, the original wellness center before Recovery Innovations took over. He has been a

Peer Support Specialist for sometime.

Recently, Walter has modified his goals and has an appointment with Vocational Rehab to explore future

employment opportunities. I support him in this whole heartedly and am glad to see he continues to make

progress in living his life to the fullest.

~Loyal Osterlund, CPSS


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Outreach Wellness City

Unplug and Go Outside! Did you know that the average amount of time an Adult spends watching TV is 5 hours per day! Likewise, the average amount

of time an Adult spends on their cellphone/laptop/tablet is

5 hours a day also!!! That is why this article is entitled:

June is National Great Outdoors Month! There are lots of activities to get involved with, but first I want to talk about the

Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual benefits of spending time Outdoors!

Being Outdoors while exercising is known as “Green Exercise”. Research done by the University of Essex in England shows that

just 5 minutes of Green Exercise boosted people’s self-esteem! Their research also found that taking a walk outside reduced

Depression scores in 71% of the participants!

Getting enough Sunlight each day is the best way to “soak in” some Vitamin D. Harvard School of Public Health found that lack of Vitamin D (known as the Sunshine Vitamin) can lead to chronic diseases such as Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and even the flu! Walking 15 minutes a day in the Sunshine can boost your Vitamin D levels and improve your immune system. Some other celebratory dates to note that are associated with National Great Outdoors Day are: June 6, 2015: National Trails Day June 6 -14, 2015: National Fishing and Boating Week Saturday June 13, 2015: National Get Outdoors Day Friday June 26 and Saturday June 27, 2015: Great American Backyard Campout And in North Carolina, July 4, 2015 is Free Fishing Day! No license required that day!

So add some more tools to your Wellness Toolbox, step away from the TV and other electronics and head Outdoors

for your Health!

By: Susan Hall, CPSS

Recovery Services Team Lead


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SPECIAL EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

Wellness City Greenville:

Fun Friday on June 12th Come join us for a fun filled day! We will watch a movie during

“Recovery Cinema” and eat together during our Pot Luck meal.

Wellness City of New Bern: ECBH Presentation on

Anxiety on June 3rd @ 11am Kim Williams with ECBH will arrive to speak about Anxiety and

what it means to us all. Do you experience anxiety? If so, don’t miss

this event!

NC Council’s Spring Policy Forum on June 8th &

9th in Raleigh Are you a provider going to the Spring Policy Forum? We will see

you there so stop by our table!

Our Mission

To create opportunities and environments

that empower people to recover, to succeed

in accomplishing their goals, and to reconnect

with themselves, others and meaning and

purpose in life.

Recovery Innovations

Is a nonprofit organization offering recovery-based services in Arizona, California, Delaware, North Carolina, Texas, Washington

state and New Zealand.

www.RecoveryInnovations.org

Recovery Response Center

300 Parkview Drive West

Henderson, NC 27536

Phone: 252-438-4145 Joy Brunson-Nsubuga, Clinical Director: 252-339-2486

Durham Wellness City

401 E. Lakewood Avenue, Suite E1-A

Durham, NC 27707

Phone: 919-687-4041

Kim Chansen, Recovery Services Administrator: 919-702-3314

Wellness City Greenville

2407 S. Memorial Drive

Greenville, NC 27834

Phone: 252-321-0179


1311 Health Drive

New Bern, NC 28560

Phone: 252-672-8781

Community Building Team

Jim Harrison, Team Lead: 252-702-2804


Susan Hall, Team Lead: 252-876-3645

Contact for details on Craven, Jones, Pamlico & Pitt Counties

Dave Edmonds, Outreach Coordinator: 252-886-1104

Contact for details on Beaufort, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell & Washington Counties

Ron Lowe, Outreach Coordinator: 252-702-6515

Contact for details on Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Gates, Hertford, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, & Perquimans Counties

Recovery Innovations has earned the

Joint Commission’s

Gold Seal of Approval™

AND

Find our Wellness City Voice Newsletters, as well as our monthly class Calendars online at

www.RecoveryInnovations.org/rinc

JUNE 2015


volume 7, issue hope 6 -choice …...one of the ways, you can explore your occupational wellness is...

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