If you are reading this now, there is a good chance you are a regular reader of Peer Posts, our Perry Wellness Center blog. If not, then allow us to fill you in. We’ve been writing and posting articles about PWC for over a decade now. Who is “we”? We’ll step from behind the curtain long enough to tell you: Mulkey McMichael and Pam Davis.
Mulkey has been a master of all trades at PWC for over ten years, with a primary focus on media communications and other PR efforts. A former board member of the organization, he spent most of his professional life with the Americus and Sumter County school systems, as an art teacher and ultimately as the consolidated system’s public relations director.
As for Pam, she had the honor of being Stuart Perry’s first “boss” in the mental health field when he worked as a case manager at Middle Flint Behavioral Healthcare. She served as the executive director of the organization, which continues today to provide behavioral health services throughout much of the Southwest Georgia area. After retiring from this role, she has worked as a business communications consultant and writer for a variety of non-profit organizations.
Mulkey's and Pam’s paths first crossed at Americus High School, where Mulkey taught and Pam studied. Now they coordinate getting newspaper articles, blog posts, and regular Facebook posts out to the general public. When Mulkey recently conducted a look back through the archives, he was surprised to find 1,232 postings on the website. The articles are generally informational or inspirational, as they take a positive look at the daily goings-on at a mental health and substance abuse recovery center. Many peers have enjoyed seeing positive articles about themselves, and a few have shared articles or achievements themselves on these pages.
The division of labor is informal. But the seed of each article starts with the striking photos Mulkey captures that show the beauty of the campus, the smile on a peer’s face, or the final product of a peer’s or staff member’s hard work. Along with notes or drafts, the photos arrive in Pam’s inbox. She uses her experience as a grammar nerd, writer, and former mental health professional to complete the final article.
When discussing the purpose of these communications, Mulkey stresses the need for positive information in the public eye about behavioral health recovery. He notes that news publications and social media often seek out negative news to post. Pam agrees, pointing out that there is already stigma associated with mental illness and addiction, much of which is due to misinformation or ignorance. Normalizing the daily lives of peers and the activities of a treatment program is a way to help remove stigma and fear of the unknown.
Perry Wellness Center has a great deal of positive information to share, having been named the top mental health provider in Georgia for many years. To learn more about the individuals and activities that shape our program, go to perrywellnesscenter.com and look through our Peer Posts and Archives. Also check out the Perry Wellness Center and Rudy’s Happy Patch Market Facebook pages.