The Message is We Love You

What the issue of "harm reduction" means in both principle and practice can be confusing. Does it mean endorsing negative behaviors or not caring what people do to themselves? Or does it mean supporting people wherever they are in their recovery journey and stages of change? According to the folks at the nonprofit agency Franklin Street Harm Reduction (FSHR) in Olympia, Washington it means, first and foremost, treating all individuals they encounter with respect, dignity and love.  In this podcast we speak with FSHR Co-Director Christina McVeigh and Lyssa Hammons, a Harm Reduction Support Specialist at the agency. Christina is a licensed MH counselor whose career has focused on Olympia's youth and families for the last twenty years. Lyssa is an advocate who brings her lived experience to the outreach work she does as she addresses complex social issues and offers support.  We have a wonderful conversation that touches on what low barrier services in the context of harm reduction means, how trauma gets addressed at FSHR, and what it means to stay connected to one's outcome rather than another person's outcome. Additional links: Wildflower Alliance Intentional Peer Support