From Spark to Service
Getting Started
About the "From Spark to Service" Podcast
This podcast brings you authentic, firsthand stories from South Dakota professionals in the behavioral health field. Discover what sparked their interest in a career in service, how they got started, and what keeps them motivated.
Through candid conversations, you’ll gain an understanding of the various roles in the behavioral health field, the rewards and challenges of their work, and lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Whether you’re exploring a career in behavioral health or are simply curious about the journey of others, these stories are sure to ignite a spark of your own!
Episodes
Episode 1 | Shaina Smykle - Certified Prevention Specialist
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For our first episode, we welcome Shaina Smykle, a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) who is the Substance Use Prevention Program Manager at the South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health. In this episode, Shaina shares the experience that sparked her interest in the field, how she got to where she is today, the challenges and rewarding aspects of her job, and advice for those who are interested in working in prevention.
Episode 2 | Randee Peterson - Certified Addiction Counselor
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Randee Peterson is a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) dedicated to ensuring individuals receive the care they need to recover from substance use disorder. With a background in criminal justice, outpatient counseling, and a management role in the publicly-funded system, Randee’s experience provides a multifaceted perspective of the addiction field in South Dakota. In this conversation, Randee speaks candidly about her personal experience with compassion fatigue and the rewards and challenges of working in the field. She also discusses what success means to her and how her persistence, passion for stigma reduction, and compassion for others motivate her.