Meet Summer Anderson, a Kitsap local, soon to be graduate focused on Organizational Leadership, peer support advocate, a recovery hero.
Summer has experienced a lot over the years. She knows what its like to be in a family that uses substances. She knows the unique and scary challenges of becoming a teenage mother. Summer has experienced what it means to be without a home, without a license, without a community to support her. Though she has faced many hurdles, she remains resilient and now uses her own recovery story to inspire and support others.
Summer’s recovery journey and experience with substance use disorder is one that has informed and inspired her career and passion for supporting the community. She is particularly interested in creating a recovery café setting in Kitsap County. She has seen the transformative power of peer support and community settings and desires to foster spaces that support and nurture recovery in the many ways that it shows up within the community.
When asked “what does recovery mean to you?”, Summer responded “Work. Hard work.” She described that recovery is not easy and takes a lot of grit. But it’s worth it. “There was a point where I realized, I want to be there for my son.”
Summer’s advice for the health-serving workforce:
Embrace trauma-informed care
Empower clients and community members with the science behind the brain, addiction, and trauma
Recovery looks different for everyone
Create opportunities for peer support
OCH is honored to share Summer’s incredible story and is inspired her resilience and commitment to the community. Keep up the great work, Summer!