ARCHway Book of HOPE Under Development

ARCHway has been working on a book of HOPE which has a launch date of 11/2020. The book will have an estimated 16 stories of Hope by individuals in recovery as well as professionals in the field. Over the next year we will be previewing a number of these stories which we HOPE will inspire individuals, families and communities that people can and do get better.
Marci’s Story of Hope
Marci Smith is a certified peer specialist at the Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA) in St Louis.
She recently shared her personal recovery story with ARCHway, and we were honored to be able to capture it in this short story and video footage. With over five years of recovery, Marci’s story is truly inspirational. She shared the progression of her recovery and her growth along the way.
At first, her main purpose in recovery was survival. This purpose grew into a need for self-acceptance, and today her recovery involves being of service to others. Through this progression, Marci grew into the person she is today, full of compassion and drive to help as many people as possible recover from substance use and mental health disorders. Marci knows the reality of addiction. She knows the pain and suffering. She has lived it. But she also knows the hope and joy of recovery. She is a shining example of someone who is thriving in their recovery. She enjoys life, she lives intentionally, and she has a vast support network. She is very passionate about closing the gaps in care for those struggling with substance use disorders, especially the gaps in women’s care. In addition to her work at ARCA, Marci has volunteered time for ARCHway helping with events and some of the recent interviews. She also volunteers two weeks a month for the Narcotics Anonymous phone line, attends and chairs meetings, sponsors, and runs support groups at Haven House Recovery Residences. We thank her for all she does to support those on their journey.
You can listen to Marci’s interview or read more about her journey as well as others by going to https://thearchwayinstitute.org/stories-of-hope/.
 
Expand Training of Family Therapy Graduate Students
ARCHway & Saint Louis University School of Medicine
 
Saint Louis University’s (SLU) Department in Family & Community Medicine was awarded a HRSA grant in August 2019. This grant allows increased partnering with ARCHway as a way to expand the training of family therapy graduate students in the area of substance use disorders. SLU students and classes provide master level training in counseling skills for peer specialists. ARCHway’s peer specialists, Colton Baker, Jordan Hampton, and Emily Jung, have been attending one of their graduate level counseling classes, participating in class discussions around counseling skills, partaking in role play scenarios with the students, and sharing their knowledge from working in the field with the class. ARCHway peers are excited to share their personal experiences with substance use disorder and their expertise from working in the field with these graduate students and faculty instructors. We would also like to involve other peer specialists in this process as well to increase education as a peer community and begin working on improving curriculum for peers.
In addition to these educational opportunities, ARCHway is helping to promote SLU’s Center for Counseling and Family Services. They provide services for individuals, couples, and families, enrichment and prevention programs for individual and family growth and development, and preliminary assessment and referral to other service units. They operate on a sliding fee scale with fees as low as $10 per session. To make an appointment, call 314-977-2505, email [email protected], or reach out to ARCHway staff. We know that substance use and mental health disorders can disrupt relationships and families in addition to their impact on the individual. A safe place to talk with guidance from a professional can provide support on the path of recovery.