Pam Crawford
Recovery Services Administrator II
Recovery Innovations of California
CHOICES Learning Center
1211 Embarcadero, Oakland, CA 94606 - Alameda County
My 20 year career as a Psychologist, was a path I felt drawn towards, as I attempted to find a way to make sense of the years of many types of abuse that I suffered at the hands of the men in my family growing up. In addition to PTSD, in my teens, I experienced my first severe depressive episode, followed by post-partum depression after the birth of my son, and many other episodes that punctuated my adult years. Trying to make sense of this also, I pursued knowledge through the only vehicle that made me feel somewhat worthwhile, school. When I took my first psychology class, I knew I could find the answers I had been looking for. Not only did I find the answers for myself, but I was able to create a career path that allowed me to give back to others who had similar life experiences ---- though, the medical model of mental health treatment did not feel like the best fit, I was at least able, on a small scale to support others who considered mental health Recovery a viable option, through sharing my story and life successes.
I longed for the day when the tiny light of hope I held, for a mental health Recovery model to permeate the larger mental health system, would become a reality. Then, I saw an ad for a Recovery Innovations Program that was opening up in the East Bay Area of California. After talking with Jennifer, Wendy, and eventually Lori, I knew I had finally found the perfect opportunity to be an ambassador for the Recovery model in a County that not only realized the limitations of the medical model, but had the foresight to envision and embrace the paradigm shift of Recovery that is rapidly spreading across the nation, and a desire to be at the forefront of that movement. At the CHOICES Learning Center, I have a wonderful team of folks, all who have lived Recovery experience, and are invaluable in delivering the highest quality of coaching support, and are truly making a difference on a daily basis.