Hello everybody,
I am a survivor and a mental health advocate.
I live in Frederick MD.
Currently I live on SSI and I work part time at a wellness and recovery center. My monthly income is $810 and I spent most of this amount as rent.
It is difficult for me to do my advocacy work with such low income. Some discretionary funds are required for someone to be an advocate.
I cannot earn more then $60/ month, otherwise SSA will subtract it from my SSI. Because I live in chronic pain, I cannot work construction jobs for cash.
I would like to focus on being a better mental health advocate, spend less time in lines for free food and foraging for basic necessities.
I have digestive system problems and I cannot eat many kinds of food that are offered in the food bank.
The subjects that I am passionate about are:
- Peers/peer recovery
- ACE Study /ACE testing/ connection of ACE and zip code
- Trauma psychology / Post Traumatic Growth
- Jungian psychology
- environment/ "environmental logotherapy"
My dream is to go to college to study Jungian psychology and psychoanalysis.
Currently I am writing another article for the newspaper about the mental health care system in Maryland and a professional journalist is advising me.
I am writing about Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS or CPS in some states) In some states CPRS services are medicaid-billable, allowing people with lived experience to be employed in facilities such as mental hospital diversionary respites where they help guide people out of crisis.
I would like to write about my "favorite topics" full time and make a liveable wage.
Thank you.