Wayne A. Email & Phone Number

I caught Covid while visiting my daughter and her family in the Seattle area in August 2022. That was the beginning of an interesting and fearful period of my life. Many know that Covid attacks the digestive tract. What most people don't realize however is that Covid can disrupt and destroy the essential neurotransmitters which are produced in the gut.That is what happened in my case and I am still in recovery from the wild ride of what can only be described as a panic disorder beyond description as it lasted for weeks and months. A PTSD type of debilitating neurological injury due to Covid which severely reduced me into a non-functioning shadow of my former self. At one point I was highly agitated and found myself pacing the streets at 3 o'clock in the morning. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't calm down. I was in crisis and should have been in the hospital.Now I am in recovery, my heart has been transformed and I have a great desire to help others who are suffering from a psychological disorder. I am hoping to gain Pennsylvania Certification as a "Peer Support Specialist" within the next year and am presently looking for gainful employment in a support role.Society tells us to feel shame which produces isolation and is what prevents us from recovering from a mental disorder or illness. Don't buy into it. There is no shame in a mental illness... and it's not your fault either.There is hope & there is help.While in recovery, I recently completed "Peer Employment Training" through RI International which is accredited through "The Joint Commission on Behavioral Health" (a Medi-Cal affiliate).(June 2023)==========As defined by the Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition:A Peer Support Specialist is a person living with a mental illness who provides mentoring, guidance, and support services and offers their skills to others who are experiencing psychiatric disabilities and receiving mental health services.A Peer Support Specialist provides encouragement, information, and an understanding voice. We help our peers create and follow a plan for their own recovery. We also offer our experience to help our peers discover the many resources that are available to them as they recover.A Peer Support Specialist offers unique support in emergency, outpatient or inpatient mental health treatment settings.