Happy Mother's Day!
Today and every day, we celebrate mothers who so tirelessly give of themselves to family, friends, and people in recovery. Moms in recovery often seek a balance between being a mom, practicing self-care, and participating in their pathway of recovery.
Finding balance in life and recovery can be challenging, but there are resources available that can make even the toughest days a little brighter.
The National Institute of Mental Health offers various resources and strategies for practicing self care, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving your mental and emotional health.
A special Happy Mother's Day to these women in recovery, who shared their experiences on finding balance, joy, and living life on life's terms.
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“For me, being a mom in recovery means embracing all of the parts of new parenthood with as much grace and patience as I can. It can be overwhelming how much joy, pride, fear, and sheer awe I feel watching my daughter explore the world, and the gift of recovery is that I get to be present for all of it,” Bryn K., of Carlisle, Mass. with her daughter, Camille, almost 9 mo. Bryn is president of the Maine Recovery Coach Certification Board.
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“I start my day off with a prayer asking God to direct my day. I give my daughters dignity so that they can figure out what they need to do in their own lives. I try and pause, listen, and say it with love,” Debbie K., of Portland, with her daughter, Joan and granddaughter, Vera. |
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“Being a mom in recovery to me means being intentional with my time and energy. Asking for help when I need it. Leaning on those who have walked this path before me. Remembering that I can only take care of my children as well as I take care of myself,” Amanda K., of Portland, with her daughters, Chiara, 13, Isabella, 12, and Eve, 17 mo. |
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“I stay connected to my higher power and to other people in recovery. I keep myself grounded with meditation and I live one day at a time. And I have fun! I love being a mom!” Sarah H., of Topsham, with her son, Callum, 4. |
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“One of my favorite gifts of recovery is the relationship I have with my teenage son. He has been part of my recovery journey and understands what I need to do to maintain a healthy life for us. … I practice to remain present and create realistic expectations for myself. Being gentle with myself and remembering to ask for help when needed,” Erica Oliveira, community outreach specialist at Bangor Area Recovery Network. |
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"Being in recovery has made it so there is nothing competing against that quality time I have with my children. … I am 100% focused on them and living in the moment. I finally have freedom!!! They have their mom back and I'm a better mom than ever,” Kayleigh D., of Peru, with her daughters Carliegh and Amora. Kay is a host of the YouTube show, Recovering with Friends, which is sponsored by Larry Labonte Recovery Center. |
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Your voice matters: LD1714, funding for RCC's
PRCC is holding a testimony writing workshop for LD1714, an Act to Create a Sustainable Funding Source for Recovery Community Centers in Maine, which is sponsored by MeRAP and organized collaboratively with PRCC.
PRCC is so excited about LD1714, which proposes allocating 12 percent of the tax revenue from the sales of cannabis to support Recovery Community Centers, bringing an additional funding stream to our growing movement. The hearing is on May 10 and the workshop on Monday is to learn how to offer testimony.
Your voice matters. If you would like to participate in the workshop, you are very welcome. If you would like to offer testimony or share your written story about what RCC’s mean to you, please let us know.
To submit written testimony, please write and submit it HERE. A guide to writing testimony can be found HERE. Watch a video on how to submit your testimony HERE.
You can also watch the hearings via the Legislature’s streaming service. You may access the live stream (or archive) by going to the date of the committee meeting on the Legislature’s calendar.
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Recovery Community Centers meet for 2nd annual retreat. |
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Recovery community centers across Maine gathered in late April at the Black Bear Inn in Orono for the 2nd annual retreat led by PRCC’s Recovery Hub.
The retreat drew managers from 14 of Maine’s recovery community centers, who came together to learn, collaborate, and build upon their shared vision for the future.
The retreat kicked off with a presentation by Dr. John Kelly, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Recovery Research Institute at MGH. Dr. Kelly gave a talk, "Recovery Community Centers: Rationale & Science." He presented on the science of recovery community centers, the importance of data collection, and national research on peer recovery support services. PRCC has participated in this research since 2017.
“Just a few years ago, there were only two recovery community centers in Maine,” said Leslie Clark, executive director of PRCC, prior to the presentation. “Today, we are about to see the 20th center open. So much of the work we do, we know, is making a huge difference. We are seeing before our very eyes how stigma is being reduced and how that allows and helps people to come forward. We rely so much on your work to share the story of recovery and the science behind it.”
On day two of the retreat, PRCC's Recovery Hub, presented an overview of curricula for Supervision, Ethics, and Recovery Ambassador trainings.
Melissa Doyle, of Maine Resilience Building Network, followed with a presentation “Stress Impact and Resilience.”
The retreat ended with 30 minutes of self-care, facilitated by Sarah Kelly Reid, co-founder of the Art of Self Worth.
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Join us for the 2023 Hope Conference on May 17 at the Augusta Civic Center.
The theme for this year’s conference is Empowerment: Creating our Choices & Living our Lives.
There will be two keynote speakers. Dana Foglesong, a certified peer specialist and past president of the National Association of Peer Supporters, will give a talk, "Reframing Resistance."
Foglesong was part of the group that developed National Practice Guidelines for Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors.
Also speaking is Maine native Ian Harvie, a standup comedian, writer, actor, and public speaker, who has been in recovery for 30 years.
The Hope Conference, which stands for Having Opportunities for Personal Empowerment, is an annual peer-lead conference featuring workshops, resources, and discussions about recovery and wellness. PRCC is a sponsor of the conference and will have a table and offer a workshop presentation. PRCC staff members Nicole Proctor and KiM Capone-Sprague serve on the planning committee.
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In honor of Mother’s Day, Coastal Recovery Community Center will host “Celebrating Mothers Within Recovery” from noon to 3 p.m. on May 13 at 11 White St. in Rockland. The event provides a space to celebrate and honor all the mothers and others who support recovery.
Share messages on a memory board to those that helped you along the way. For more info, call 207-691-3697.
Bangor Area Recovery Network is holding an AA meeting, "Mothers in Recovery - Speaker Jam" from 2 to 4 p.m. May 13 at 142 Center St. in Brewer.
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Mental Health Awareness Month |
PRCC is holding screening of the documentary, “Compassion Cures: Building Hope by Overcoming Stigma,” at 6 p.m. May 11 at 102 Bishop St. in Portland.
The 30-minute documentary features collective voices and music on how we can overcome stigma when it comes to substance misuse disorder and mental health. There will be panel discussion with PRCC staff and experts across the state.
Please see the flyer for co-sponsor organizations and more details.
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Coastal Recovery Community Center, 11 White St. in Rockland, offering Wellness Wednesdays. See flyer for details. For more info, jesse@knoxclinic.org.
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Lakes Region Recovery Center is partnering with Bridgton Hospital for a Mental Health Awareness Walk, beginning at 10 a.m. May 18 at 2 Elm St. in Bridgton.
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Bangor Area Recovery Network is offering a free seated massage from 12:30 to 5 p.m. May 21 at 142 Center St. in Brewer. Massages will be offered by students from the Therapeutic Bodywork Learning Center.
BARN is holding a meeting, Alternatives to Suicide, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. May 10 at 142 Center St. in Brewer. The meeting will be led by BARN Recovery Coaches, Caitlyn & Erin.
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Roads to Recovery Community Center, 1 Water St. Caribou, is offering various events in May to support people with mental health struggles.
On Mondays at 11 a.m., the center is offering workshops about managing anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, and mental health.
The center is offering “Mental Wellness Wednesdays." The center is holding a mental health awareness barbeque at 11 a.m. May 29. For more information, check out their Facebook page.
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Things to do!
Come run with us! The Sober Run Crew meets every Tuesday at 4 p.m. starting at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland.
“The running group is what finally motivated me to hop back into running. I used to run a lot of races and I was nervous to restart. Knowing the welcoming folks at PRCC could support me is what it took!” said a member of the PRCC Sober Run Crew.
For more info, reach out to PRCC, 207-553-2575.
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PRCC teams up with Town and Country FCU to help members with their finances
Brittany Eaton and Lyndsey Laskey are on a mission to help PRCC members better understand their personal financial story.
Brittany and Lyndsey, who work in the collections department at Town and Country Federal Credit Union in Scarborough, visited PRCC on April 28 to talk with members about their finances.
Brittany and Lyndsey regularly visit PRCC from 1 to 2 p.m. on the third Friday of every month. They talk one-on-one with PRCC members about their personal finances and answer questions about budgets, dealing with debt, rebuilding credit, and how to open bank accounts, etc. They also give presentations on budgeting, credit, saving, and other topics.
"We feel that everyone deserves a second chance,” Brittany said. “We want to support people through their recovery journey and help them get back on track with their finances.”
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Recovery Ambassador Training
Portland Recovery Community Center is offering a virtual Recovery Ambassador Training from 1 to 4:30 p.m. May 25 on Zoom; and in-person from 1 to 5 p.m. June 15 at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland.
The Recovery Ambassador Training is comprised of curriculum created by Faces and Voices of Recovery and covers modules on the recovery advocacy movement, the science of addiction, stigma, language, and recovery messaging. The Recovery Ambassador program takes the telling of our recovery stories to a new level with a new purpose.
“Through this training, participants learn tools for decreasing the stigma and discrimination that still exists towards people living with SUD," said Tess Parks, Recovery Rising coordinator at PRCC. "By using our collective stories to change hearts and minds, we can serve as ambassadors of a movement that shows that recovery is possible for individuals, families, and communities.”
Also, if you live in the Bangor area, PRCC and BARN are co-hosting the Recovery Ambassador Training from 12 to 4 p.m. June 30 at BARN, 142 Center St. in Brewer.
To register for this free training, please click the link:
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PRCC bricks to grace the garden and entryway for years to come.
PRCC is selling bricks which will be engraved with a message in memory or in honor of a loved one or with a message of thanks or hope. These bricks will be installed in our entryway and garden pathways and will be cherished for years to come.
Individual 4x8 donor bricks can be purchased for $100. Business owners and non-profits - show your support as a recovery friendly workplace by purchasing an 8x8 brick. The cost is $1,000 for a business and $500 for a non-profit with a budget of $500,000 or less.
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Building Recovery Community Throughout Maine
This newsletter allows us to connect with you, our Maine recovery community. Whether you're a person in recovery, family member, or ally, you are part of the solution to addiction. Published on a regular basis and sent via email, this newsletter provides updates and gives you an opportunity to help support recovery and spread the message of hope throughout the state of Maine. To learn more about PRCC, whose programs are funded in part by the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, visit our website. Please send any feedback or information you'd like us to include to newsletter@portlandrecovery.org.
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PORTLAND RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER portlandrecovery.org |
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