Hi, I’m Jane.
As I get older, I depend so much more on the benefits of nature. I love a great sunrise or sunset, appreciate the sounds of birds and trees, and feel so much better outside. The sunshine takes over my life in a positive way. I am here because I believe surrounding ourselves with nature is the most positive thing a person can do.
We ARE nature. It is not separated from us.
My connection to nature came quite unintended.
I grew up in Appalachia, and it is, indeed, wild and mountainous.
I would spend summers at my grandmother’s farm in the West Virginia hills. I could swing on grapevines, swim in the wide part of the creek (snakes and all), and spend the day canning, making butter, and not caring that there was no indoor plumbing. I was just a kid who would breathe in all the wonder about me. It was 215 acres, but not all farmed. The woods were immense and hilly.
I’ve known for many years that working in mental health is my calling.
I’ve tried doing other things but have always returned to this work. Now, here I am, retired but not ready to stop. I do my best to keep myself as healthy as I can.
I’ve learned so much over the years I’ve worked in mental health service. The source of what I know and do is the people who allowed me to be part of their lives by letting me provide services. This has been my life.
A little about me…
I’m married and have two grown children and a grandchild. My life has been a tangled tapestry of successes and failures, but those experiences have made me who I am. My experiences include eating disorders, depression, anxiety, marriage, divorce, custody, being an unwanted child, a dysfunctional family, and chronic pain. I’ve come a long way and am still working on life.
I’m glad to have told you a little about myself. I’m also inquisitive, and I love getting to know someone by listening and experiencing with them in the moment. I’d love to get to know you – especially if I can help as your Peer Support Specialist.