It’s Disability Employment Month. Once again, I’m here to celebrate it. Employment for my community is just as important to us as it is for anyone else. To be gainfully employed truly enhances one’s quality of life. Today’s guest-blogger, Beth Johnson, loves her job at Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley and is here to share what being a worker with a disability means to her. Enjoy and celebrate this event by taking in her words.
Shari
With October being National Disability Employment Month, we as human beings need to realize that those who struggle with a mental health disorder can strive in doing anything in life. Being a mental health consumer is one of the hardest things for anyone to deal with, which I can personally speak about.
People with any type of mental disorder are human beings too. In this case, as a peer recovery supporter, as well as an advocate for people who struggle on a day-to-day basis with any type of disorder, I can and will say, “I’ve been where you are today.” Those who know me, know that I am a very heartfelt person when it comes to wanting to help individuals, whether they are adults or even kids who struggle to ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help whether you’re six years old or seventy. We all need that support.
Lastly, I’d like to say, that I strive for perfection, but I am far from it; but my saying is “to thrive in life, we need to strive for perfection.” As a society, we need to show our appreciation to those who struggle with mental health. We need to tell them that I got your back and that I care about you. Or, if someone is having the toughest day, go up to them and put your arm around them and say, “it’s going to be okay.” Often, that’s all a person who deals with emotional issues need. Someone to love them and to show support.
I have been employed here at Goodwill Easterseals for almost two years. It has helped me grow in ways that I’d thought would never happen. I would like to take a minute to thank all the upper management for working with me on goals that I’d thought would never be accomplished.
Also, the main person I’d really like to thank is my job coach Emily White. She’s the one who found me out of nowhere and she’s helped me not only get through the physical part of my job but also the mental part as well. I love this job and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Well said !!!
I too, would not trade my job here at GESMV for any other job in the whole wide world. I process information slower because of my disability. I’ve also needed extra training/coaching and I appreciate all the people here (and those that have left the agency) that have taken the time to work with me.
Thanks for addressing mental health as it is so often overlooked and affects so many of us.