Monica

Senior firsthand Guide
Canton, OH

At firsthand, Monica brings invaluable lived experience and understanding to her role as a firsthand Guide (Peer Recovery Specialist). Previously, she served on the front lines of crisis intervention as a certified peer recovery specialist. Her work included mobile crisis response, assisting individuals experiencing acute mental health crises in homes and public spaces. The challenging work instilled in Monica both resilience and a powerful commitment to helping others through some of the most difficult moments in their lives.

Monica's path to peer support was shaped by her own mental health and recovery journey. Starting at 14, she faced challenges with severe depression and bipolar disorder, resulting in numerous psychiatric hospitalizations as she sought the right treatment. In her early twenties, Monica experienced a prolonged struggle with dependence on pain medication following a series of surgeries. For nearly a decade, she wrestled with addiction until she found compassionate care and guidance through a pain management clinic, where she received suboxone and naloxone to overcome her dependency. Monica has been substance-free for ten years as of 2024.

Monica also put in the difficult and grueling work of improving her mental health through dialectical behavior therapy and anger management. Through this work, Monica was able to transition from surviving on disability income to joining the workforce.

This journey is the foundation of Monica's work in peer support today. Driven by her own experiences of feeling isolated and misunderstood, she is dedicated to providing a bridge for others navigating recovery. Monica strives to show people that recovery is possible and a fulfilling life is within reach. 

Monica appreciates the opportunity at firsthand to work with individuals with diverse needs, learning and growing from each interaction. She values the dual-focus approach of addressing both mental health and substance use disorder in clients, which has broadened her skills and deepened her empathy. The most rewarding part of her work, she says, is helping individuals achieve stability.

Outside of work, Monica cherishes the simple joys of life that she once felt were out of reach. She loves reading, spending time with her family, and bonding with her dog, Lola. For Monica, these moments represent a life that’s no longer clouded by the struggles of the past—a life that is vibrant, fulfilling, and grounded in purpose.