Tou has not only worked at Guild once, but twice! After leaving to take care of his own mental health during the pandemic, we welcomed Tou back to the Guild fold when he was ready to return to work on our Ramsey County ACT Team. We are so fortunate to have him and are more than pleased to introduce you to him.
Describe your role at Guild. What do you do? What team are you on?
My full name is Tou Ger Yang; in Hmong, it means “Youngest son.” I am a peer support specialist on the Ramsey County ACT Team. I recently rejoined Guild but have been with Guild for approximately four years.
As a peer support specialist, I get to share my story with my peers/clients. I share coping skills that are available, work side-by-side with them to set and work on reaching goals, and I am an advocate for our clients on the team.
What does your average day look like at work?
On an average workday, I may see 5-10 people. I usually meet with people to assist in medication management, help in activities of daily living, and work on goals.
Why does your work matter?
The work that we do on an ACT team is important because we provide a lot of support by having psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, LADC, vocational, and peer support specialists.
Is there one memory that stands out to you where you really saw Guild’s impact in action?
While on the Youth ACT team, I saw many of our young people grow in a short amount of time. There was a young person that moved here from down south that was isolated in their apartment due to mental health symptoms and being afraid of their environment and the people in the community. The team was able to build rapport with the young person and educate them on their mental health, get them on medications that worked for them and educate them on how to find resources in the community.
What’s special about Guild’s approach, and how do you play a role in it?
I feel supported by my supervisor and coworkers when I must care for my own mental health, and I think that helps me do good work with my peers and clients. I left during the pandemic to care for my mental health, and when I was ready to get back to work, I knew I always had a place with Guild. Guild allowed me to slowly work up to full-time, and in that time, I was able to work on the Dakota, Ramsey, and Youth ACT teams.
What’s one thing you want people to know about your work with Guild or why you work with Guild?
I work with Guild because I know that the people do great work and are invested. I’ve had the opportunity to personally explore the mental health services that are out there and can say that Guild is at the top.
Want to work with Tou and other people like him? Check out our open positions, here.