PEER Voices Podcast

The PEER Center

PEER Voices Podcast focuses on information valuable for peers in the state of Ohio -- and beyond. Hosted by peers with information designed for peers, tune in biweekly to learn more.

  1. From Trauma to Thriving: PJ Jackson on Healing & Recovery

    10/29/2025

    From Trauma to Thriving: PJ Jackson on Healing & Recovery

    What if healing from trauma isn't about reliving the pain, but about taking back your power and rewriting your story? In this episode, Pristina "PJ" Jackson reveals how she turned childhood trauma and complex PTSD into a life of purpose as a bold advocate for mental health and addiction recovery. PJ opens up about the years she spent cycling through hospitals, therapy, and even electroshock treatments, only to realize that the traditional narrative of healing left her stuck in an identity of trauma. She explains how shifting her perspective—seeing anxiety and survival instincts as her body's way of protecting her—allowed her to move beyond coping and into active recovery. Together with hosts Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard, PJ challenges long-held assumptions about treatment, recovery, and what it truly means to "show up" for yourself. She offers practical, empowering insights on reframing safety, working through fear, and building the capacity to thrive instead of merely survive. If you've ever struggled to break free from old narratives of pain this episode is for you.

    28 min
  2. How Advocacy Strengthens Recovery with Cheri Walter

    10/15/2025

    How Advocacy Strengthens Recovery with Cheri Walter

    Peer support saves lives, reduces relapse, and strengthens recovery — yet too often, it's undervalued and underfunded. In this episode, hosts Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard sit down with longtime recovery advocate Cheri Walter to explore why peer services matter and how advocacy can amplify their impact. Cheri, a person in long-term recovery and board member of The P.E.E.R. Center, brings 40 years of experience in Ohio's mental health and addiction systems. She explains why peers are not a replacement for clinical care — but rather an essential complement that helps people thrive, avoid crisis, and stay connected. Together, they discuss the urgent need for sustainable funding, the risks of over-professionalizing peer work, and the power of peers leading at every level of decision-making. If you've ever wondered how to strengthen the recovery movement or why advocacy is critical right now, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical next steps. Listen now!

    33 min
  3. Wearing Many Hats: The Multi-Role Life of a Peer Supporter

    10/01/2025

    Wearing Many Hats: The Multi-Role Life of a Peer Supporter

    In peer support, your title might say "peer supporter / specialist," but your life experience, education, and skills often add up to much more. Many peers wear multiple hats—combining lived experience with roles like social worker, counselor, advocate, educator, or even executive director.   In this episode, we explore what it means to bring all those roles into the room. Our hosts, Juliet and Gabe, share how their professional training and lived experience overlap, the benefits (and occasional tensions) of wearing more than one hat, and how to stay authentic to the peer role while honoring other parts of your identity.   We talk about the opportunities this brings—greater resources, wider perspectives, stronger advocacy—and the challenges, from navigating boundaries to avoiding role confusion. Along the way, we highlight how multi-hat peers can bridge gaps in treatment settings, meet people where they are, and model that recovery is not one-size-fits-all. Whether you're a peer specialist, a professional in another helping role, or both, this conversation celebrates the unique strengths that come from showing up as your whole self.

    30 min
  4. Walking the Same Road: Why Self-Care May Look Different for Peers vs Clinicians

    09/17/2025

    Walking the Same Road: Why Self-Care May Look Different for Peers vs Clinicians

    Whether you're a certified peer supporter or a licensed clinician, the work of supporting others can be deeply meaningful—but also deeply draining. Both roles carry heavy emotional weight, and both require real commitment. Yet, the way we talk about and practice self-care often looks very different between the two. In this episode, guest Jennifer Martinez joins hosts Juliet and Gabe to explore the unspoken expectations that peers should "prove" they're strong enough, how stigma can shape the conversation around rest and boundaries, and why licensed professionals may have more structural support for taking care of themselves. Jennifer brings a unique perspective, blending lived experience with professional insight, and she shares practical, no-fluff strategies for making self-care sustainable—not just a checkbox. We also dive into what peers and professionals can learn from each other, and how mutual respect can help close the gap. If you've ever wondered how to keep showing up for others without running yourself into the ground, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, supported, and ready to protect your own well-being. Listen now!

    42 min
  5. From Darkness to Determination: Stephanie Mitchell Hughes on Surviving Depression and Finding Strength

    09/25/2024

    From Darkness to Determination: Stephanie Mitchell Hughes on Surviving Depression and Finding Strength

    In this powerful episode of PEERVoices, Gabe Howard and Juliet Dorris-Williams sit down with Stephanie Mitchell Hughes, Assistant Director at NAMI Franklin County, to explore her deeply personal journey through major depressive disorder and the challenges of solo parenting. Stephanie opens up about her early struggles with depression, the turning point that led her to seek help, and the ongoing battle to manage her mental health while raising her children. Through candid conversation, she shares the determination it took to push through the darkest times, the importance of finding the right treatment, and how her lived experience fuels her work in mental health advocacy. This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing similar challenges, offering hope and insight into the power of perseverance.

    28 min
  6. Learn About Power-Neutral Approaches to Mental Health Recovery

    09/11/2024

    Learn About Power-Neutral Approaches to Mental Health Recovery

    Join Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard on PEERVoices as they sit down with Teresa Conley, the longtime manager of Pathway Clubhouse in Columbus, Ohio. Teresa shares her 33 years of experience in the mental health field and reflects on the deep-rooted partnership between Pathway Clubhouse and the PEER Center. Discover how these organizations emphasize a power-neutral approach by treating members as colleagues, fostering an inclusive and empowering environment for mental health recovery. Listen in as they explore the evolution of these spaces, the importance of shared leadership, and the impact of collaborative community building.

    29 min
  7. What Is a Peer Respite? With Michelle Beyer from ASCEND

    08/28/2024

    What Is a Peer Respite? With Michelle Beyer from ASCEND

    In this episode of PEERVoices, hosts Juliet Dorris-Williams and Gabe Howard sit down with Michelle Beyer, executive director of ASCEND and a passionate advocate for peer support. Michelle shares insights about ASCEND's unique peer respite program, the only one of its kind for adults in Ohio. She explains how this non-clinical, home-like environment offers an alternative to crisis centers, providing a comforting space for individuals to recharge and receive support from peers who truly understand their experiences. Tune in to hear about the challenges and rewards of running such a vital program and the impact it has on the community.

    29 min
  8. Empowering Through Peer Support with eCPR's Kimberly Ewing

    08/14/2024

    Empowering Through Peer Support with eCPR's Kimberly Ewing

    In this insightful episode, our hosts speak with Kimberly Ewing, the lead trainer for eCPR, about the transformative power of peer support. Moving beyond the common perception of peer support as just another tool, they emphasize its profound personal impact. Peer support is more than just "peers talking to peers"; it has far-reaching goals and uses.   Kimberly shares her journey and the importance of self-care in supporting others, introducing the concept of 'putting your own oxygen mask on first.' The discussion delves into the essence of showing up authentically, seeing each other, and walking together through healing. Join us to discover how true peer support can create meaningful connections and foster resilience in both personal and professional settings.

    22 min
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About

PEER Voices Podcast focuses on information valuable for peers in the state of Ohio -- and beyond. Hosted by peers with information designed for peers, tune in biweekly to learn more.

Information

  • Creator
    The PEER Center
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    PEER Voices Podcast