Jason Schwartz recommended that I start posting new episodes of my podcast The Peer Support Professional’s Guide.
Earlier this year I was approached by the Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) about doing a podcast. They didn’t give me many parameters initially, besides wanting something for peer specialists. I thought, with all the outstanding questions about a workforce that feels so new, why not create a resource, a guide, to becoming a better peer professional?
I’m actually posting the last episode the season, of which there are 5 episodes before it on all sorts of topics…the ethics of peer support, the realities of Medicaid reimbursement, strategies for working alongside clinicians, finding mentors in the field. And guests were all peer specialists themselves – some who continue direct practice, some who have gone onto careers in training and national leadership.
But this episode, I talked to Justin Beattey, who is truly one of my favorite people in the field. Justin, with his many connections to state and national certification bodies, comes with a wealth of information about a very confusing topic. With all the peer certifications, credentials, trainings, and trainers that exist – what’s the right way to become a peer specialist? See below for the link to the stream or check out Spotify/other podcast hosts:
The best tips in this episode:
- Don’t start your path to a peer career with the question “Where do I get trained?” Start with, “What certification will get me hired?” Look at job postings in your area first and work backward to find what trainings are useful.
- Don’t assume a training or CEU will count just because the provider says it will. Check with your certification agency before spending the time or money, and get this confirmed in writing.
- Don’t treat CEUs as boxes you have to check to stay certified. Build a professional development plan around the populations you serve, the skills you want to strengthen, and where you want your career to go.
