Peer Support Is Vital For Successful Reentry and Recovery
Emily Bartley, a former resident of Gemeinschaft
Home's Women's House, is now devoting her life to
helping others in recovery.
Reentering the community after more than a year in jail was terrifying. My addiction to methamphetamines had cost me everything, including the custody of my daughter. The thought of facing recovery alone felt daunting and near impossible. Isolated and scared, I was ready to give up.
Yet in that dark place, a shift began, a realization that I had a purpose.
My journey from incarceration to my current role at Strength in Peers is more than my story; it is a testament to the power of peer support and the hope I carry for others.
I needed help reentering the community because I had lost everything. I walked out of Rockingham Harrisonburg Regional Jail with only the clothes I was wearing when I was arrested. I first began to build my support system at the Women’s Gemeinschaft Residential program and through them I found out about other support groups and resources in the area.
The support I found in reentry programs in the Harrisonburg community was crucial to my journey, as I began to find my footing and a new sense of compassion for others. My own recovery became the foundation for my current role, where I now use my lived experience to provide empathetic guidance to others who are walking a similar path. I started as an intern, and after becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, was offered a full-time position providing one-on-one peer support services primarily to people experiencing homelessness and who have recently been released from incarceration. Seeing my own journey come full circle from needing help to providing it motivates me to continue offering a safe place to those who feel as lost as I once did.
My personal journey has given me a deep understanding of the barriers people face when they reenter the community from incarceration, and I use my experience navigating community services and overcoming challenges to help the people I serve. At Strength in Peers we offer a wide range of services for those coming out of incarceration, including help with obtaining vital records, applying for employment, and securing public benefits. These services provide a practical foundation, but the true power lies in the peer-to-peer connection.
I have witnessed countless individuals turn their lives around, but one participant’s journey stands out. This person came to Strength In Peers after spending over a year at Rockingham Harrisonburg Regional Jail, the same jail I was in. They were familiar with our organization after attending some of the peer-led substance use recovery groups that we offer there. Over the past eight months, I have had the privilege of watching him rebuild his life. He has found stable employment and housing since his release, and has worked hard at rebuilding relationships that were broken with his family and friends during his addiction and to build a support network for himself from nothing. The anxiety that once defined him has slowly given way to a quiet confidence.
He is now approaching his two-year sobriety milestone and has even applied for an internship to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. Seeing someone find the hope thatmwas lost in his addiction is an incredibly powerful experience and I am grateful to be a part of it. This work is more than just providing resources; it is about walking beside someone on their journey, sharing mutual experiences and reminding them that a different life is possible.
My journey from incarceration to becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist has taught me that recovery is not a linear path, and that it looks different for everyone. The greatest lesson I have learned, both for myself and the participants that I work with, is that a strong support system is key. So my work at Strength in Peers is more than just a job; it is a testament to the hope that a person’s darkest moments can lead to their greatest purpose. The hope I give to others strengthens my own recovery, a continuous journey of growth and service. I am living proof that with the right support, it is possible to not only survive the challenges of reentry but to thrive and help others find their way, too.
- Emily Bartley is a former client of Strength in Peers and now offers help to others as a full time Peer Support Recovery Specialist at 917 North Main Street.
2 comments:
Wonderful for Emily and those around her and those to whom she ministers. may she find all the grace and support in her loving ministry to those she touches and guides to recovery.
I'll pass that good word on to her.
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