Ronni Batchelor

The Power of Showing Up: Turning Hardship into Connection

We all have a story to tell, and as a storyteller at heart, I believe our stories are the most powerful tools we own. In my role as a Peer Support Counselor, my lived experience isn’t a shadow from my past, it is my greatest strength. It allows me to truly see people, listen deeply, and walk alongside them as they discover what they need to thrive.

My experience has been wide-ranging, but it is all a part of one journey. Some of my experience has been based around volunteering – for example, I ran a mobile food bank 3 days a week in partnership with the Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission. I also worked as a volunteer to help families access Medicaid coverage.

I’ve gained relevant qualifications along the way too. In August of this year, I successfully earned my Washington State Supervision of Peer Specialists Certification from the Washington State Health Care Authority. It all has its roots in wanting to be a force for positive change in my community.

Through everything I’ve learned, I believe that most people who are navigating tough times really just need two fundamental things: to find something they love to do, and to allow themselves to be loved in return.

Standing in the Gap:

As Peers, we occupy a unique and vital space. We are there for the folks who fall through the cracks. For those who aren’t detainable by law but aren’t ready to walk into inpatient care voluntarily. When people are transitioning back into the community, they don’t just need a system; they need a person. They need someone to assist them in navigating resources so they can build a successful, self-directed life. I know exactly how isolating it feels to need help and find nothing but closed doors. My life has been shaped by profound losses and hardships. I lost one son to suicide, another to cancer, and a grandchild to a brain injury. I even placed children for adoption during a time in my life when I was constantly told I was stupid and flawed. When you hear those messages long enough, you start to believe them. But resilience is a powerful thing. I learned how to turn it all around, and today, I use that strength to help others do the same. I stopped believing my critics, and instead, I chose to believe in myself and the people I serve.

The Strength of Community Partnerships:

I believe deeply in the agency that stands behind me, and I believe in the power of collective resources. None of us has to do this alone. Think about it this way: if I know five people, and you know five people, and we connect those networks, uniting as one, we suddenly have an abundance of support. Whether it’s an ID, housing opportunities, food, clothing, or goods, community integration is what transforms lives. My job isn’t to take on someone else’s challenges or fix their lives. My role is to understand their unique needs, support their goals, highlight their strengths, and support them clearing their path forward.

A Journey of Dignity, Remembering My Friend:

To show you what this looks like in practice, let me share a story about a man in our community. Years ago, before I became a certified Peer, I used to see him around town experiencing chronic homelessness. I would give him a few dollars, food, water and even a down sleeping bag in the winter. Though he rarely spoke to me, it wasn’t until I had the backing of my organization that everything changed. Armed with the right tools and credibility, I was able to build real rapport. He had been surviving on the streets for ten years, navigating the community while experiencing the symptoms of untreated schizophrenia. The system had completely failed him. He was trapped in an exhausting circle.

His Social Security had stopped because he was without an address, but he couldn’t get housing without an income. He had a disability but couldn’t access his medical. Together, leveraging his incredible resilience and a partnership with Northwest Justice, we started opening doors. We secured his medical insurance, got him a downstairs apartment with a sliding glass door so he didn’t feel trapped, connected him to his chosen treatments for schizophrenia, and unlocked his Social Security benefits. By the time he was 64, he was thriving. He was making friends and building a vibrant social circle. He passed away four years later. While it was heartbreaking, his funeral was one of the most inspiring moments of my life. The room was filled with friends and people who had truly gathered around him to form a community. He passed away with absolute dignity, and knowing he was living in an inclusive community where he was respected and deeply loved. For me, that is what matters.

Stepping In When the World Steps Out:

What good are resources, if the people who need them most can’t access them? The individuals in our community living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or co-occurring substance use challenges are incredibly vulnerable. They are often criminalized simply for trying to survive, often facing criminal charges for taking food because of their hunger or charged with trespassing while trying to find a safe place to sleep. Personally, my purpose is to show up when others don’t. When the world is afraid of people without housing, using substances, or are having a mental health crisis, this is where Peers step in. We don’t see a diagnosis, we are not clinicians, and we don’t judge because we see a human being needing support who has immense worth and potential. Let’s keep building the bridges, sharing our stories, and reminding each other of the strength we carry within.

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