Her Story
About Emma
Emma Schleicher is a certified peer recovery coach and behavioral health advocate committed to supporting individuals and families affected by substance use and mental health challenges. Although currently unemployed for the past four years, she maintains her certification as a peer recovery coach and is working toward becoming a registered behavioral health technician. Her background includes roles as a drug and alcohol treatment specialist, special education teacher, and music teacher for kindergarten through twelfth grade. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in music education from CSU Pueblo in 2009 and served eight years in the Army, during which she attended the Navy School of Music. Additional credentials include a drug and alcohol treatment specialist certification from Stratford Career Institute and certification as a Smart Recovery facilitator. She draws from her own lived experience in addiction and recovery, nearly two years sober, and attributes her perseverance to personal strength and a strong support system.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Emma
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my strength and perseverance, digging myself out of addiction to build myself to where I am now. I also credit my support system including my coach, my mom who was my rock during sobriety, and friends who stuck by my side. My coach taught me the elephant analogy of taking one bite at a time.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to follow my heart and follow my gut. I've also learned to believe in manifestation by saying things out loud, work hard, and let things unfold as they are supposed to at the right time. My coach's advice including the elephant analogy of tackling big problems one bite at a time has been tremendous.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
This is a harder field than most people are ready for. Make sure that you're prepared for any situation, have empathy, and try your best not to be judgmental in any way. If you are judgmental, work on that because you cannot be judgmental in this field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is lack of funding, with valuable resources in the community being shut down. Mental health is leaning towards the medical side rather than peer coaching and recovery support. Stigma needs to be changed and reduced, and I believe strongly in parent advocacy and patient advocacy.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Compassion is one of my biggest values - you have to be a compassionate person to be in this field. Empathy is essential. Loyalty, respect for others, and being respectful of cultural diversity and whatever challenges people are dealing with are core values.
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