Transforming a Passion for Teaching into Life-Changing Support
From Kindergarten Teacher to Recovery Coordinator
A passion for helping others led Ann to her career as a kindergarten teacher, but after a certain point, she felt ready for a new challenge that would allow her to engage her capacity for empathy and compassion in a new way. She found it at Arbor Place, a nonprofit residential and outpatient treatment facility for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) in Menomonie, WI. Ann is a recovery coordinator, assisting and advocating for people in recovery as they navigate everyday life.
The clinicians provide the treatment, and recovery coordinators like Ann ensure that the other elements required for success in recovery are covered. She accompanies Arbor Place clients to doctor’s appointments, aging and disability resource centers, meetings with landlords, and even to court. “I support them with the day-to-day stressors—housing, employment, insurance, food. I go with them and advocate for them. I’m a support system.”
Everyone is Capable of Recovery
When dealing with clients, Ann operates from her core belief that everyone is capable of recovery, which helps her keep a positive mindset on tough days. Meeting the needs of the people she supports requires flexibility, creativity, and strength, which is why we consider Ann a Recovery Hero.
Since taking this position, Ann’s had her eyes opened to how differently people with SUD are treated and the heavy burden that stigma places on them. In addition to attending appointments, some clients ask her to sit in when they make important phone calls, and the tone often shifts when the person on the other end of the call realizes Ann is also in the room.
“When I speak up, the attitude changes. My clients will say, ‘Do you see what I’m talking about?’” Ann said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Advocate and Partner
Ann views her role as a component in the partnership between the clinicians, herself, and her clients. A recovery coordinator provides a safety net of support for those who need it, and assistance to face challenges and barriers with an advocate in your corner. “I want to come alongside them and reassure them they’re not alone. People want to help them,” she said.
It’s been a transition from teaching to working with people in recovery, and Ann credits the team at Arbor Place and the community members she works closely with for helping her make the switch. Adapting to this entirely new area and population has been a learning curve, but she is supported by a group of people willing to listen and provide guidance.
Tackling Myths
And along the way, she’s absorbed some powerful lessons about myths around addiction from the life stories of her clients. One persistent myth, for example, is that addiction is somehow reserved for people who are uneducated or of lower status or income. Ann is clear that the idea that anyone is above addiction is nonsense.
“This can happen to anybody. The stories I’ve heard, what people have been through … you don’t know what life will throw your way,” she said.
Being at someone’s side while they’re working to improve their life has provided Ann with a lot of satisfaction. “I really enjoy what I do, I like building that rapport,” she said. “I love to be alongside them and see the success they’re having.”
In recognizing Ann’s extraordinary passion for helping others and her dedicated work as a Recovery Coordinator, we celebrate her profound impact on the lives of individuals navigating the path of recovery. Ann’s unwavering commitment to advocating for her clients and her ability to foster genuine connections not only highlight her strength and compassion but also inspire hope for those facing challenges with substance use disorders. Her story is a powerful testament to the transformative power of empathy and support, reminding us all that recovery is not just possible with the right guidance and encouragement—it’s a journey worth taking. Ann is a Recovery Hero.
