Laura John honored at annual luncheon for her dedication
10/28/20 10:25:am
About 150 guests attended the event virtually and in Eastchester, New York, which featured Al Roker, host of the Today Show, as a guest speaker.
Janet Gatlin, manager of regional outreach, nominated Laura, and her co-workers submitted a bio and kind words. In response to the nomination, Laura says that it’s been an honor to be recognized for her work over the years.
“I truly believe that every person has the capacity to recover, and this is what I use to guide my work each and every day,” she says. “I am beyond grateful and humbled that Rogers chose to recognize me out of all the amazing individuals in this organization who also do this work. This recognition will definitely fuel my dedication to helping people obtain and maintain recovery from substance use disorders. It has been an amazing honor to be able to join people on their journey to recovery, and I am thankful to be able to continue working on promoting hope, decreasing stigma, and being a resource to those in need.”
Below we’ve gathered statements from members of the Appleton team.
“Laura John is passionate about her work. She is genuine and trauma-informed in her approach. She thinks outside the box, is unafraid of problems, and serves as a natural leader and role model for patients and colleagues alike. She is a skilled therapist, clinical supervisor, and advocate. She abides by ethics and always seizes opportunities to educate and collaborate with others. Laura meets individuals where they are and reminds them of their capacity and strengths, and that they matter. In her interaction with patients, she talks with them, not at them and, in so doing, motivates them; she encourages them to keep on keeping on because they’re worth it.” ~Angela Gardebrecht, therapist, Appleton
“Laura has a strength in her ability to meet patients where they are at while being genuine and real. She excels in providing psychoeducation, breaking down concepts and material so patients and families can more easily understand. Her passion for the Mental Health and Addiction Recovery program has not gone un-noticed during her time with Rogers with patients reporting, ‘I’ve never had a better educator and therapist.’ She is a strong advocate and ally for this population by participating in speaking engagements and promoting recovery through community events. Laura’s leadership is truly one-of-a-kind, and I value the dedication she promotes, helping our patients strive to be the best version of themselves.” ~Alexis VanEperen, Addiction Recovery therapist, Appleton
“Laura has a true passion for working with patients and advocating to reduce stigmas around mental health and substance use disorder. She has a way of connecting with patients and really helping to increase their motivation for treatment and hope for the future. I can always count on her for community awareness presentations and I always learn something hearing her talk – she has presented for police departments, medical coders, and fellow substance use counselors. Her passion and belief that recovery is possible is evident whether she is speaking with a patient or presenting to a room of professionals.” ~Amanda Puhl, outreach representative, Appleton
