At É«ÖÐÉ«, we believe that recovery is possible. We also know that recovery is a journey. There are ups and downs. Highs and lows. And often, there is a moment when we realize that we have learned powerful lessons on our journey that enable us to help others.

Sherri Randall is a perfect and inspiring example of this journey. As a Peer Recovery Coach at É«ÖÐɫ’s Perris Mental Health Urgent Care programs, she has transformed her own life experiences and is now helping others on their journey.

Sherri has shared her personal story (below) to offer hope and inspiration to others. The trauma in her journey has helped her to become empathetic and compassionate. Her life experiences have taught her coping skills that she is generous in sharing with others as they make progress in their own journeys.

We are so grateful to Sherri for sharing her story. It’s a powerful reminder that we have each traveled a unique road — and our journeys help shape the ways we approach the work.

Everyone has a reason why they do this work — and we are honored that Sherri has shared hers. Thank you, Sherri!

Hi! My name is Sherri and this is my story… 

I am a mother of three awesome young women and a fantastically smart and handsome grandson. I have a wonderful longtime boyfriend and we reside in Murrieta, California. I was born in California and have lived in Southern California most of my life.  My mental health story begins at an incredibly young age. My mother suffered from childhood trauma, caused by her abusive homelife, and ending up in the foster care system, this led to lifetime mental health issues. My father suffered from alcohol addiction and chronic pain, had had several painful neck and back surgeries, ultimately my father took his life when I was 12 years old. My personal trauma began with my mother's mental abuse and father's suicide, as one could imagine it was difficult for me at such a young and impressionable age to process and cope with this type of trauma.  I delt with mental abuse from my mother almost every day of my adolescent life, while also trying to cope with my father's death. These overwhelming life events ultimately led to me to making risky life choices that eventually lead to my own alcohol and drug abuse.  At a very low point in my life, I made an attempt to take my own life, I was admitted into a psychiatric facility, and given a mental health diagnosis and prescribed medications. I felt so ashamed, unsupported, and hopeless, especially because I was all alone with no family support or resources. I learned I had to take control of my own life and sought out the only resources and coping skills I knew, reading books, listening to motivational talks which ultimately led me to the practice of journal about gratitude. This practice of journaling what I was grateful for helped to change my thoughts and the way I looked at life and the world around me. However, I learned that that the coping skills I once relied upon were not enough.  I sought out my own individual therapy so I could process the trauma I had suppressed for so long.  With the healthy balance of medication and therapy, I have been able to take back my life, my hopes, and my dreams.  

Most of my work experience has been in the medical field, my last job was Clinical supervisor for a multi-disciplinary pain group and worked with many patients with behavioral diagnoses while suffering with pain. That is where I found my niche, I grew to take pride in helping those that needed it the most and found out more about myself than I ever thought I would while attending to those patients.  I have always believed that life leads you to where you are supposed to be, with that said, I was laid off from my job during COVID and while looking for work I landed a temporary Office Coordinator job here at The É«ÖÐÉ« Perris Mental Health Urgent Care. When the opportunity came to apply for the Peer Recovery Coach position, I jumped at the chance to grow even more. I went through Peer Employment Training and learned so much about myself and my journey with my mental health recovery. Now, I work at The Perris MHUC as the Lead Peer Recovery Coach. Being a Peer Recovery Coach provides me the opportunity to share my life experiences with others and helps me to relate to the people we serve – sharing my story of trauma in a meaningful way to create connection and to demonstrate that I too have walked in loneliness, hopelessness, and shame.  Being able to share my story in a meaningful way to help others is such a unique and beautiful opportunity for me.  I am proud of who I am and no longer ashamed of pain I came from, in this position I have gained so much insight into not only the mental health recovery of others but also of myself. I love helping and connecting to the people we serve and the resources and opportunities we give to those who need them most.