The Way Onward

07/31/2026

After a brief detour, The Way Onward is back online. More importantly, the vision continues moving onward.

We're building more than training. We're strengthening workforce capacity through evidence-based leadership development because we believe lasting change begins by investing in the people who make recovery possible.

⭐ We believe stronger leaders strengthen workforce capacity.

⭐ We believe stronger workforce capacity leads to higher-quality implementation.

⭐ We believe higher-quality implementation ultimately leads to better recovery outcomes.

If you haven't visited in a while, we'd love for you to explore the updated website at https://www.thewayonward.com and subscribe to our newsletter. You'll receive the latest news, research updates, training opportunities, and resources as we continue advancing leadership in the mental health and recovery workforce.

Thank you for being part of The Way Onward.
The journey continues.

07/29/2026

07/23/2026

What an honor to be selected to present a breakout session at EMPOWER 2026 for NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals Annual Conference!

As the largest educational conference for addiction professionals in the country, it’s a privilege to contribute to conversations shaping the future of addiction treatment, recovery support, and workforce development.

My session, “Challenging the Process: When Traditional Recovery Models Stop Serving Everyone,” asks an important leadership question:

What do we do when systems designed to support recovery no longer meet the needs of every individual?

Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. By challenging assumptions, listening deeply, and embracing innovation, we can create more inclusive, person-centered approaches that honor the many pathways to healing.

If you’ll be at in Kansas City, I’d love to have you join the conversation on Saturday, August 29, at 3:45 p.m.

Learn more and register: https://www.naadac.org/annualconference

07/21/2026

The proof is in the people impacted by The Way Onward — and the ripple effect is powerful! 🌊

The Certified Facilitators we've trained at UnityPoint Health – Eyerly Ball CMHS are putting The Way Onward into action to strengthen engagement and create meaningful, client-centered progress for individuals living with mental health challenges.

When behavioral health professionals gain practical tools and greater confidence, everything begins to shift — conversations become more productive, clients discover new insights, and possibilities for progress open up. From one professional to one client and onward to families, teams, and communities, the impact keeps growing!

Are you ready to start the ripple effect in your organization?

Contact us today to create a customized, on-site consultation, training, and implementation solution that equips your team to make a lasting difference.

05/06/2026

This Just Got Real — https://mailchi.mp/thewayonward/june-facilitator-training-13058591

05/01/2026

"Aware and Unwilling." This is what a participant shared during the two-word check-in on day one of The Way Onward Facilitator Training.

They explained that something “corporate” like leadership didn't have anything to do with their job in peer support, and it wouldn't help them better connect with people.

And for just a split second, I felt that little voice of self-doubt start to whisper in my ear.

But then I caught it. I paused and reminded myself that I live this stuff. Leadership and recovery aren’t concepts to me... they’re lived experience.

So instead of getting defensive (it's a default mode I'm working on), I got curious. I leaned in to curiosity to understand where they were coming from. And that changed everything.

Once they realized I wasn’t coming from a “corporate” place, that I actually walk a path of recovery too, the walls started coming down.

By the end of the second day, their two-word check-out was,
“relieved and honored... old dogs can learn new tricks and I'm glad to have met you.”

This is why I believe so deeply in this work. It’s why I continue to challenge the process and focus on building leadership ecosystems that actually support lasting change.

Because it takes more than talking about “strengthening workforce capacity” and “building recovery capital.”
It takes lived experience, practice, and space for people to discover it for themselves.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like to bring leadership into recovery in a real, human way… let's explore it together.

Registration for The Way Onward Facilitator Training Online is now open — live, virtual, and now approved for CEUs.

You don’t have to be “all in” to start.
Just willing to be curious. 👉 https://thewayonward.com/training/the-way-onward-facilitator-training-online/

04/24/2026

We have a milestone to celebrate!

The Way Onward has officially been approved by the Iowa Board of Certification for continuing education.

Our Facilitator Training is now eligible for 8 hours of general training CEUs — a meaningful step forward in advancing the credibility and professional standards of leadership-based approaches within behavioral health.

This work has always been grounded in evidence-based leadership practices, and the IBC approval reinforces that what we provide meets the rigor required for professional development in the field.

We’re proud to celebrate this milestone as third-party validation that The Way Onward is a standards-aligned, evidence-based approach to strengthening workforce capacity and expanding recovery capital.

Recovery is the journey. Leadership is the path.

04/06/2026

One of our certified facilitators said it best:

"Leadership has been the missing link."

She wasn't talking just for individuals in recovery, but across teams, organizations, and entire systems.

We've built programs. We've added services. We've strengthened compliance. And yet, sustainable change — the real, long-lasting change — can still feel just out of reach.

💡So what if the next right step isn't more programs... what if it's building more leaders?

⭐ Leaders who help individuals lead themselves through uncertainty, not just follow a treatment plan.

⭐ Leaders who strengthen their teams' capacity, not just increase their workloads.

⭐ Leaders who expand recovery capital for everyone, including the peer workforce, in ways that actually stick.

That's the conversation we're opening up in this free webinar. If you're curious about leadership skills in recovery, and have ideas to add, we'd love for you to join this interactive discussion.

The link will be emailed 24 hours ahead of time. Make sure you're on the attendee list by signing up at https://thewayonward.com/training/reimagining-recovery, and we look forward to seeing you on the 21st!

03/28/2026

Some messages stay with you.

At Missouri Association of Treatment Court Professionals Conference, Sean Astin closed out the event with a quote from Lord of the Rings to remind a room full of treatment court professionals what this work is really about.

In the middle of complexity, challenge, and systems that don’t always make sense… there is still good in this world.

Keep leading. It matters more than you know. 💛