Making a commitment is difficult, but it can also be hard when that thing you've committed to comes to an end. You lose that regularity and familiarity that has been present for a good chunk of time. Remembering the nerves and apprehension you felt when initially starting feels almost like a rushed, awkward hug, and the embrace at the end is long, warm, meaningful. I've been doing my peer support practicum at Starlings.

We keep hearing that stories matter, which makes sense, because they do. But for some of us who have grown up with the stress and stigma...

We often hear the “maybe ifs” and “what ifs” from peers who have, or had, a parent struggling with substance use & incarceration. Some remember believing it is their fault, a belief that grows as they do. Some are quietly grateful when their parent went to prison, told it was a place for getting better, and trusting they will. But as we grow and learn and start to listen to our inner voices, the questions shift. We begin to wonder: what would have been different if support h