Meet our intern: Nick Farvour
Back in June, Nick joined At The Roots as an intern through the Wisconsin Area Health Education Center. In just eight short weeks, he’s jumped headfirst into a variety of projects, represented us at community events, and built meaningful connections with some of our incredible partners.
From day one, Nick brought the flexibility and adaptability this work truly demands. Whether the day called for a last-minute agenda shift or juggling multiple tasks at once, he handled it all with grace, humor, and a positive attitude. His willingness to dive in, no matter the challenge, has made a lasting impression on our team and the community. In learning what community care looks like, Nick has an understanding of how important connection is in recovery.
He just gets it.
As we say good-bye, here are his takeaways from his time with our team:
No matter what your past is, you have more in common with EVERYONE than you think.
Lived experience isn’t specific to any certain experience. Living is experience. Being human is a pretty solid indication that you experience emotions and are a subject to the human condition. That’s enough common ground to bond with anybody under the right circumstances. Being closed-minded doesn’t just apply to your attitude towards other people. It applies to your self-image too.
For example, before starting my time with At the Roots, I did not see myself fitting in with my colleagues. The idea of everybody having “lived experience” made me worry that my lack of comparable experience would be a detriment to my ability to bond with everybody in the space.
Back to my point, I could not have been more wrong. My lived experience is truly unique to me and my self (yes, I mean my self, not myself), and being with people who see me as a valuable individual has helped me realize that the most valuable way to connect is to speak up and to be genuine. Every person at the office has their own story, which is tangible through the unique bond that I have formed with each of them. It’s been really incredible to be grounded in such a natural way, and I hope everyone on Earth has the opportunity at some point to gain a feeling of collective humanity for themselves.
Improving is not curing - a long term solution does not mean perfection.
As an individual who is not a care provider, I don’t have a whole lot to say about peer support from the perspective of a person who takes on clients. That said, I have learned a lot about the patient-focused model. Being able to inform a patient of their condition, their options, and the implications of those options is a solid indication of being a good provider. Forming a relationship with that patient in a casual, yet professional sense is even better.
At At the Roots, I realize that we have peers, not patients, but the principle applies even still. And actually, I think it holds true to life in almost any way you frame it. In friendships, relationships with bosses, parents, or even with yourself, an analogy of the patient-focused model applies. I believe that coming to an agreement, or rather, a compromise, is far healthier than trying to push towards an rigid goal.
A person may never be 100% cured of their anxiety, but if treatment allows them to live a happy and whole life that they enjoy, then it is worth it. I really like this thought process, as improvement is not linear and it is not perfect. If more people were able to adopt this philosophy, the world may become a far more agreeable place.
Community is one of the greatest motivators
I have never worked in an office space before being with At the Roots. I was a bit nervous because of the unique culture associated with an office. I was worried I may not feel productive/motivated, I may be unprofessional, or I might just not fit in. Well, I was wrong on each and every front.
At the Roots has provided me with an incredible community of hardworking people who strive for the best, yet still find time to make sure that life doesn’t stay too serious for too long. When I am in the office, I feel motivated to get work done and to do my absolute best, because it’s what I see every single other person doing without question and without complaint.
That being said, when it’s time to take a break, everyone is able to chat, smile, laugh, and unwind. I find it inspiring to be surrounded by these people every week and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn from them.
Separately, but on the topic of community, I have begun to realize that knowing lots of people is a terrific way to stay out of trouble. I am certainly not the type of person to do troublesome things in the first place, but even still, I find myself wondering what my coworkers would think if they saw me in public. It really just inspired the realization that community engagement drives so much positivity and more quality behaviors. One of my biggest take-aways from my time with At the Roots will be that I need a community no matter where I am in my life.
