Most journeys – at least the ones that are most worthwhile – are not in a straight, uneventful line. There are usually bumps and potholes along the way, maybe a flat tire or a cracked windshield. Sometimes worse.

What makes the journey worthwhile is how you make it through the challenges so that you can appreciate the positive experiences: the views, the people you meet along the way. The way you grow.

Haley’s mental health journey has been a road filled with significant challenges but it has also seen her grow in ways that she never thought possible.

A Challenging Beginning

Her journey began in her youth. As she got older, Haley found her mental health challenges interfering with school and work. She had hoped to serve in the military and while she passed all the exams with flying colours, her mental health kept her from achieving this dream. When she did find work, her experiences of intense paranoia or delusions made it difficult to maintain those jobs. Medication and vitamin B injections have helped but Haley has still had times when she’s had to be hospitalized. These were often the most difficult times and because of her experiences, she tried to keep her challenges a secret.

“I had a lot of shame and fear about my mental illness and being disabled in general,” Haley explains.

Despite difficult setbacks, Haley has had many successes. She is happily married to a very supportive husband and has children that she adores. Haley has found friendship and support, even while in hospital and later at a mental health clubhouse in Mission called Centennial Place.

Successful Employment

And while other employers would see her mental health challenges as a hinderance, Haley has found employment in a job for which her challenges as not only an asset but a requirement. Haley has served as a Peer Support Worker (PSW) and is currently working as a Mental Health Worker with Communitas Supportive Care Society. This work is a dream come true.

“Peer Support training was intense and I loved every minute of it,” she says. “I had dreamed of become a Peer Support Worker and helping people like me. I had dreamed of a job that I could be proud of.”

Patrick Raymond manages Peer Support Services for Communitas. He remembers Haley’s time as a PSW and is encouraged by her insight and self-awareness.

“Haley is so resilient,” Patrick remembers. “Despite the challenges that sometimes come back without warning, she always bounces back and is so open to sharing about her experiences so as to encourage others.”

Adria Roberts worked alongside Haley as a PSW. Adria also noted Haley’s ability to be vulnerable and share genuinely about how she was doing. She appreciated Haley’s calm and gentle demeanor when interacting with the people she served.

“Haley is a good example of why lived experience is so important when working with people who are in the midst of their own mental health challenges,” Adria says. “It creates authentic connections, cultivating spaces for people to not feel silenced by shame or guilt because it normalizes the support in life that we all need.”

Twist in the Road

Haley served as a PSW for nearly three years, working mostly in psychiatric units in hospitals in Abbotsford and Chilliwack. These years were filled with both satisfying employment and personal challenges. Both of Haley’s parents passed away in the same year and when her mental health suffered, she took a sick leave to get help. When she was ready to return to work, it was suggested that she consider an alternative site and was given the opportunity to work as a PSW in a transition home facilitated by Communitas.

“I was scared at first but over time, I gained confidence,” she remembers. “I began to feel more comfortable and even that I belonged there.”

When Christina Stevens, the manager of the home, suggested that she apply to become a Mental Health Worker, Haley was surprised and honoured. When she was hired for the role, she was overwhelmed.

“I had been stepping out of my comfort zone and each time I did, I grew. I even blossomed,” Haley says. “Now, when people ask what I do for a living, I proudly say ‘I’m a mental health worker’.”

For her part, Christina is glad that Haley agreed to take a chance and explore a new role. She has seen Haley grow tremendously and is glad to have her as part of the team. Christina believes that Haley brings a level of experience that others can’t, simply because of her personal journey.

“She connects, understands, and interacts with the people she serves in a way that no other staff can,” Christina says. “Haley’s experiences serve as a positive example of how recovery is possible and that they too can live a life that is more than their diagnosis.”

Haley is so grateful for her work and feels strongly that she gets as much from caring for the people she serves as she gives to them.

The Road Ahead Looks Bright

Today, Haley continues to see herself as a person who is growing and learning. She continues to do things to maintain her own mental wellness. She trained to become a yoga instructor and finds joy in teaching classes. She has begun to take Ju Jitsu classes, listens to music, reads books, and goes for nature walks. She says that her work at Communitas has been key to her recovery throughout the years.

“I feel really happy with my progress and am grateful to the people who believed in me,” she says.

Her advice to others who are on a mental health journey is to be courageous enough to take risks that will lead to growth.

“Taking little steps add up to big changes,” she says. “Recovery and a happy successful life is, indeed, possible.”