Empowering Recovery Through Experience

At the Alliance, peer recovery coaches are people who've been there themselves. They use their own experiences with recovery to support and guide others on similar journeys. 

Paul Shankin, a Peer Recovery Coach, explains why he does this work: "What inspires me is knowing that every time I show up, I'm helping someone feel less alone. I've lived through trauma, addiction, and deep loss. I know how powerful it is to meet someone who doesn't judge you but understands you." 

That kind of understanding builds real trust, and it's that trust that helps people find treatment, build recovery skills, and discover hope. But the support doesn't stop there. The Peer Recovery Team also helps with housing resources, employment support, family relationships, wellness planning, community connections, and crisis support. 

Pepper Catt, a fellow Peer Recovery Coach, shows just how far their reach extends: “I am grateful to work at the Alliance because we do so much more than peer support. We are part of a crisis team that works side by side with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and the Oakland Community Health Network. We educate the community through wellness events and Naloxone training. We offer insights on committees like the Overdose Fatality Review Board and the Suicide Fatality Review Board."

What makes the Alliance different from other organizations doing this work? Paul puts it this way: "So many organizations talk about recovery, but very few empower people in recovery. The Alliance actually invests in people with lived experience. That told me this was an organization that doesn't just want to look good; it wants to DO good."

For Pepper, what they do as professionals is also personal: "I want to be the voice for the people in our community that don't typically get one. I want people to know they aren't alone and there is help out here."

Paul agrees. For him, the Alliance is exactly that help: "The Alliance isn't just an organization, it's a lifeline. We don't just talk about change, we show up when people are hurting or overwhelmed. That kind of work matters. It saves lives."

We are so grateful to Paul, Pepper, and the other peer recovery coaches for using their own lived experiences to help others and change lives every day here at the Alliance.