The Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery

The Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery We celebrate substance use disorder recovery through trainings, advocacy and leadership programs.

Some of the most valuable knowledge in any workplace doesn't come from textbooks.It comes from lived experience.People w...
08/06/2026

Some of the most valuable knowledge in any workplace doesn't come from textbooks.

It comes from lived experience.

People who've navigated recovery.
People who've supported loved ones.
People who've experienced mental health challenges.
People who've learned what helped, and what didn't.

Recovery Friendly Workplaces recognize that lived experience isn't something to hide.

When people choose to share it safely, it can become one of the most powerful tools for reducing stigma and building understanding.

Not because anyone owes their story.
But because every story has the power to remind us that recovery is possible and that no one should have to navigate life's hardest moments alone.

Reflection Invitation:
Whose wisdom might your organization be overlooking?

Consider how your workplace can create safe, voluntary opportunities to learn from lived experience.

One of the biggest misconceptions about workplace education is that it's only needed after something goes wrong.After an...
08/05/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about workplace education is that it's only needed after something goes wrong.

After an overdose.
After a mental health crisis.
After an employee leaves.

But education isn't about responding.
It's about preparing.

It gives people the confidence to recognize concerns early.
To start conversations sooner.
To connect coworkers with support before challenges become crises.

The strongest workplaces don't wait until something breaks.
They build understanding before it's needed.
That's what prevention looks like.

Reflection Invitation:
How might your workplace be different if everyone felt more confident having supportive conversations?

Invest in learning before you need it.
Check out our learning platform: vamhar.learnupon.com

Every employee shapes culture!Many organizations think this work belongs to HR.Or leadership.Or supervisors.But workplac...
08/04/2026

Every employee shapes culture!

Many organizations think this work belongs to HR.
Or leadership.
Or supervisors.

But workplace culture isn't built by one department.
It's built by everyone.

The coworker who checks in after someone returns from leave.
The receptionist who greets everyone with kindness.
The teammate who interrupts a stigmatizing joke.
The manager who models vulnerability.

Culture lives in everyday interactions.
Which means everyone has the power to shape it.

Reflection Invitation:
How does your everyday behavior contribute to the culture of your workplace?

Choose one small action this week that helps someone feel they belong.

Recovery Friendly Workplace education isn't about telling people what to think.It's about helping people understand.Unde...
08/03/2026

Recovery Friendly Workplace education isn't about telling people what to think.
It's about helping people understand.

Understanding that substance use disorder is a health condition.
Understanding that recovery looks different for everyone.
Understanding that mental health exists on a continuum.
Understanding that asking for help is not weakness.

The more we understand, the less room there is for fear, shame, and misunderstanding.

Knowledge doesn't solve every problem.
But it changes how we respond to people experiencing them.
And that changes workplace culture.

Reflection Invitation:
Has learning something new ever changed the way you viewed another person?

Keep learning. Every conversation and every new perspective has the potential to make your workplace more compassionate.

When people think about stigma, they often picture discrimination or unkind words. Sometimes stigma looks like that.But ...
07/31/2026

When people think about stigma, they often picture discrimination or unkind words. Sometimes stigma looks like that.

But more often, it's much quieter.

It's assuming someone is "less committed" because they're taking time off.
It's whispering instead of asking.
It's believing someone should "just get over it."
It's making jokes that nobody challenges.
It's changing how we see someone after they disclose they're in recovery.

Stigma doesn't always announce itself.
Sometimes it simply makes people decide:
"I'll keep this to myself."

Education helps us notice the assumptions we didn't even realize we were making. And awareness creates the possibility of responding differently.

Reflection Invitation:
What messages - spoken or unspoken - does your workplace send about mental health, recovery, or asking for help?

Challenge one assumption this week - with curiosity instead of judgment.

We Can't Talk About What We Don't Have Words ForOne of the biggest barriers to supporting people at work isn't a lack of...
07/30/2026

We Can't Talk About What We Don't Have Words For

One of the biggest barriers to supporting people at work isn't a lack of compassion. It's a lack of language.

Many of us genuinely want to help a coworker who's struggling.
We just don't know what to say.

We're afraid we'll make things worse.
We'll ask the wrong question.
We'll offend someone.

So we say nothing.
Silence can feel safer than saying the wrong thing.
But silence often leaves people feeling even more alone.

Recovery Friendly Workplaces recognize that education isn't about having all the answers. It's about giving people enough understanding and confidence to begin the conversation. Because knowing what to say can change whether someone reaches out, or keeps struggling in silence.

Reflection Invitation:
When someone at work is struggling, do people know how to respond, or do they mostly avoid the conversation?

Think about one conversation you've avoided because you weren't sure what to say. What might have helped you feel more prepared?

The goal was never to create the longest list of employee benefits.The goal is something much simpler.When life becomes ...
07/29/2026

The goal was never to create the longest list of employee benefits.
The goal is something much simpler.

When life becomes difficult…
Does someone know where to turn?
Do they trust the people around them?
Do they believe they'll be met with compassion instead of judgment?

Recovery Friendly Workplaces understand that support isn't measured by how many resources exist. It's measured by whether people feel safe enough to use them.

Because every workplace will experience difficult seasons.
The organizations that thrive aren't the ones that avoid hardship.
They're the ones that respond to it with clarity, humanity, and care.

Reflection Invitation:
If someone in your workplace needed support today, what would you hope their experience would be?

If your organization is ready to strengthen the supports you already have, learn more about becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace through VAMHAR. vamhar.org/rfw

Many employers want to better support their employees. They simply don't know where to begin.The good news?You don't hav...
07/28/2026

Many employers want to better support their employees. They simply don't know where to begin.

The good news?
You don't have to start from scratch.

Many Vermont employers already have the foundation of a Recovery Friendly Workplace.

The work is often about connecting the pieces:
Building trust.
Strengthening communication.
Making existing supports more visible.
Helping managers feel confident.

Recovery Friendly Workplace certification helps employers build on what they're already doing well, and expands from there, with VAMHAR's support!

Reflection Invitation:
What strengths does your organization already have that could become the foundation for this work?

Take inventory of the supports you already offer. You may be closer than you think.

We often think of benefits as something an employer provides.Health insurance.Retirement.Paid time off.But there's anoth...
07/27/2026

We often think of benefits as something an employer provides.

Health insurance.
Retirement.
Paid time off.

But there's another benefit every workplace can offer - Dignity!

Treating people with respect.
Listening before assuming.
Responding with compassion.
Creating space for honest conversations.

Those aren't listed in an employee handbook.
Yet they shape workplace culture every single day.

Reflection Invitation:
How does your workplace communicate dignity, especially during difficult moments?

Think about one interaction this week where you can intentionally lead with curiosity instead of assumptions.

The Benefits Employees Never UseOne of the biggest challenges employers face isn't offering benefits.It's helping employ...
07/24/2026

The Benefits Employees Never Use

One of the biggest challenges employers face isn't offering benefits.
It's helping employees feel comfortable using them.

People often avoid support because they wonder:
Will this affect my job?
Will my coworkers find out?
Will people think I'm unreliable?

Those questions aren't about benefits.
They're about TRUST.

Recovery Friendly Workplaces understand that communication matters just as much as coverage.

Reflection Invitation:
What questions might employees have about your workplace benefits that no one has answered?

Choose one existing benefit this month and make sure every employee understands what it is, how it works, and how confidentiality is protected.

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1 Blanchard Court, Suite 204
Montpelier, VT
05602

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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