Season 1; Episode 12: Reducing Harm
Meet Robert, a mental health worker, harm reduction advocate, program coordinator of a low-income housing unit on the Downtown Eastside, and a raver at EDM music festivals. In this episode, Robert and I talk about working in the harm reduction tent at music festivals, getting his Bachelor of Arts in psychology, his journey to becoming a clinical psychologist, and how to protect yourself from burnout in high-stress front-line jobs.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and RadioPublic
Robert and I met as shelter workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and opioid crisis. Robert is an overall amazing human being who is extremely emotionally intelligent, and very well-versed in all things harm reduction, mental health, and safe consumption of illicit substances. In this episode, we talk about:
His job as a Program Coordinator at a mental health housing site on the Downtown Eastside
His personal experience with mental health and how these experiences influenced his work today
Working at a harm reduction tent during music festivals and talking people through uncomfortable psychedelic trips
What it was like working at the Salvation Army together
Completing his BA in psychology and his journey to becoming a counselor or clinical psychologist
The systematic barriers that make it hard to access mental health services in BC
How to ask your boss for a raise when you work in a non-profit
The differences between working in a low-income housing unit and in a shelter
Using discretion with self-disclosure to clients in the mental health field
How do we talk to people about the stigma against drug use and how do we convince even the most rigid anti-drug fanatic that people who use drugs are human and are worth investing resources into
Safe consumption sites
The umbrella of harm reduction and how affordable housing is a harm reduction measure
How to deal with burnout in a high-stress front-line job
The benefits of both Opioid Agonist Therapy and abstinence from drug use
How to work in the mental health field while you’re dealing with mental health issues of your own
If you’d like to read up more about these topics, I’ve written a few in-depth features discussing some of the topics, like:
What people need to know about the health crisis that continues to kill six people a day in B.C.
Supervised consumption sites: What you need to know
If you enjoyed this episode, follow me on Instagram, leave a comment, send me a message, or just reach out in any way to let me know what you think! Also, share with your friends! Sharing is caring!