Tradeswomen in Recovery Find Support Off the Job and On

A 12-step meeting at a national construction conference clearly shows that addiction recovery belongs in the workforce. At this year‘s Tradeswomen Build Nations convention in Houston, attendees saw how trade leaders believed that workers’ mental and behavioral health were top priority in union building trades.

The convention was sponsored by TradesFutures and North America’s Building Trades Unions and generally zeroed in on making construction careers more equitable for women. But the presence os a women’s 12-step meeting indicated how addiction has impacted the labornfroce and that recovery was paramount.

Recovery at Industry Events

Professional conferences often concentrate on skills, leadership and career advancement. But remember that attendees bring their whole lives to an event, recovery work included.

One speaker described finding a 6:30 a.m. 12-step or other faith group at a previous Tradeswomen Build Nations convention 600 miles from home. Hearing from other tradeswomen in recovery helped her feel less alone. 

Peers Reduce Isolation

Recovery feels isolating and depressing when someone believes they’re the only person coping with an addiction at work. A meeting with colleagues offers a different message. People can hear from others who understand both recovery and the demands of their profession.

That shared context matters. It allows participants to discuss support with people who may understand work travel and industrial stress and hazards, job culture and the challenge of protecting recovery routines away from home. The conference setting also makes recovery visible rather than treating it as something attendees must hide.

Recovery & Career Development Work Together

Working is part of a healthy routine but isn’t a substitute for real treatment. Basically, employment isn’t a cure. Recovery professional spaces encourage connection and access to peers.

Union apprenticeship programs and industry organizations can also assist. Conferences can include recovery meetings in their schedules and wellness coalitions make it easier for someone to ask for help without fearing judgment.

The St. Louis Building Trades Wellness Coalition has even made efforts to break the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction. The goal is to create environments where people feel safer discussing their needs.

More Recovery Options

Twelve-step meetings provide peer support, but they don’t offer medical detox, diagnosis, psychotherapy, or medications. People who need clinical services should be able to use those services alongside a mutual-support meeting.

A coordinated approach is especially important when managing depression, anxiety or another mental health concern during recovery. Peer connection and professional treatment serve different purposes, and a person may benefit from both.

Make Resources Accessible

The Texas convention offers a practical lesson for employers, unions, and event organizers. Include recovery resources in event info, schedule them at accessible times and make clear that participation is welcome.

Folks who are ready to enter a treatment program can also find resources in any city they visit, even if for work. Our directory features lists of verified facilities in Texas and the other states. It’s free and sorted by location.

You can also dial 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to speak with an expert and explore local options wherever you’re located.

Author

Terri Beth Miller, PhD

Author, Award-Winning Post-Secondary Teacher

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Terri Beth received her PhD in English literature from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and is an educator and disability studies scholar. For more than a decade, she has written extensively in the fields of mental health and addiction recovery and fiercely advocates for the destigmatization of mental illness.

Editor

Peter Lee, PhD

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Peter W.Y. Lee is a writer and historian of American history during the Cold War. His primary focus is the relationship between youth and popular culture and its impact on U.S. society during the twentieth century. He has published widely on how the public has used popular culture as a mechanism to address political and social shifts throughout time