Free Faith-Based Symposium: Overcoming Stigma

Northwestern Prevention Collaborative will offer a Faith-Based Symposium on Overcoming Stigma on June 8th from 9:30 am – 11:00 am. The Symposium, which will be free and virtual, will look at how faith communities can help reduce the stigma of addiction and help the local community come together. The speakers for the event will be Bryon Johnson and Misty Harris.

Misty is a survivor of abuse and addiction, and the author of “The Broken Woman,” published in 2017. She holds an AA in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Human Services. She is the recipient of a “Woman of the Year” award presented by Soroptimist International. An ordained minister and inspirational speaker, Misty is also a hard-working graduate student, pursuing her LSATP in Addiction Counseling while holding her CSAC-A and QMHP Trainee state license. Misty currently works as a Senior Counselor at a treatment center.

Bryon is the senior leader of Grace & Mercy Ministries and a person in long-term recovery, known for his book “From Dope Fiend 2 Son of a King.” He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, Registered Peer Recovery Specialist, Peer Recovery Specialist Training of Trainers, and a Peer Recovery Specialist Ethics Training of Trainers. He is both Trauma-Informed Certified and Person-Centered Certified. Bryon currently works in Northern Virginia as Senior Peer Support Specialist.

This event is open to all members of the faith community, whether ministers, leaders or laypersons. To complete the required pre-registration, visit bit.ly/FAITH2021JUNE (link is case-sensitive).

About Northwestern Prevention Collaborative

The Northwestern Prevention Collaborative covers the Lord Fairfax Planning District, encompassing the City of Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren. One of their current areas of focus is on opioids, with dual goals of preventing young people from misusing prescription drugs and reducing the number of heroin/prescription drug overdose deaths. The Collaborative is a partnership between Page Alliance for Community Action, Family Youth Initiative, Warren Coalition, Northern Shenandoah Substance Abuse Coalition and the Prevention Department of Northwestern Community Services and is funded, in part, through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.