Some days I just want to go buy a cabin somewhere out in the middle of the woods.

Seriously. Just go live in the middle of the woods and stock my wood fire and basically become a hermit.

I don't want to check the news and see about all the wars and mayhem and murder and all the terrible things that are happening. I just don't want to do it.

But then things happen like when my niece and her husband had a beautiful baby boy with lots of dark hair. His name is Andrew Casimer - Casimer is after my father who just passed away.

And I'm reminded that life just keeps going.

Even when we want to go live in the woods somewhere, wonderful things happen like Andrew. So we're just going to welcome Andrew and we're going to be here together in this world and we're going to do the best we can.

, this is what hope in action looks like.

Not denial about the darkness in the world. But remembering that new life keeps coming. That small lights cannot be extinguished by evil, no matter how much darkness.

As peer supporters, we hold this truth for people who can't see it themselves.

We show up with the realistic expectation that things can get better - even when our clients can't imagine how.

But here's the thing about professional hope...

It requires specific skills. Crisis intervention techniques. Trauma-informed approaches. Boundary management that prevents burnout.

You can't just wing it with good intentions.

Right now, (but not too much longer) you can get our complete on-demand professional development catalogue - 40 HOURS including Ethics & Boundaries, Documentation, Crisis & Suicide Prevention - for just $77.80.  Normally this would cost $389.  Each class includes a quiz and a certificate.