It’s very rewarding to be able to help others.

Sara is a peer support specialist and director of a recovery and reentry center.

What do you do for work, and what communities of people do you work with?

A Peer Support Specialist is a peer who works with individuals who are going through the same things in life that they once have. We’re providing peer support to those in recovery or those reentering society from long-term incarceration. We are working one on one with them. We sit right next to them and help them make phone calls, help them access the things that they need. A lot of the time, we’re just here to listen. Once, these supports weren’t around—and there are so many more options now. So many people are so grateful to have us here. They feel safe and comfortable talking with people who have been there and understand what they’re going through. They feel safe opening up. They don’t feel judged. It’s a safe place. I know personally for me, talking to somebody who had lived the same experience that I had was far easier than somebody who maybe didn’t understand it. It’s really hard to understand what some individuals are going through without walking a day in their shoes. 

How did you get into this line of work?

I’m a person in long-term recovery—almost eight years now. Back then, when I needed help—it wasn’t there. I got into recovery, and I spent a couple years going through the motions of being sober every day, but it wasn’t enough. I got to a point where I wanted to do more, and I felt like it was important for my own recovery to do more. So, I started doing public speaking. I enrolled in school and took a program in order to be able to sit for my state exam as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) for the state of Maine.

What do you enjoy about your work?

For me, it’s very rewarding being able to help others. There’s nothing better than that. Being able to give back, being able to see even the small victories—celebrate the apartment keys, the jobs, the days in recovery—these are moments that are really important, and we’re able to be there and celebrate these moments.  It’s definitely an interesting field to work in. It can be stressful. It can be triggering. But, the good days, and the good moments are worth it.

What types of skills and qualities does it take to be successful in this field?

Being able to multitask is very important because you have lots of things going on, lots of people you’re trying to help at the same time, lots of tasks that you’re trying to get done. You need to be very understanding, empathetic, sympathetic. You’re going to hear very difficult things, and you need to remember that your personal views and values aside—you’re here to help somebody. 

Being able to establish healthy boundaries is important. You want to give people everything, but sometimes, you have to step back and let them do it for themselves. You should also have a good self-care routine and a good support system and be good with communicating. Also, we do a lot of community outreach. We do a lot of community interactions just to work with other services within the area—lots of emails, phone calls, meetings—so communication skills are important. 

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting into the field?

I would definitely recommend this field to a friend. This is the first job that I’ve had that I didn’t spend the entire day watching the clock, waiting to go home. I show up to work, and I’m here all day—but it feels like the day has flown by, and I love every minute of it. There are always hard days, but every moment that I’m here, I love it. It’s rewarding. You’re giving back; you’re helping others. I would definitely recommend that to anybody. You feel proud. You feel fulfilled. You feel humbled.