In the trauma-informed and peer-support spaces, we often talk about the value of lived experience. But we rarely discuss the complex reality of carrying personal pain while maintaining professional roles. For a long time, the system taught us to keep these identities separate—as if our struggles somehow diminished our expertise.
The truth is exactly the opposite. My own journey through deep personal pain hasn’t hindered my professionalism; it has defined it.
When we navigate our own trauma while working within human services, mental health, or community advocacy, we develop a unique, dual perspective. We understand the systemic barriers because we’ve hit them. We understand the weight of the stigma because we’ve carried it. When we bring our whole, authentic selves to this work, we move past clinical theory and offer real, grounded hope.
However, balancing these two worlds is a delicate dance. It requires fierce self-compassion, intentional boundaries, and a network that values our humanity as much as our credentials. We need spaces like the New York State Trauma-Informed Network to continue pushing the conversation forward, ensuring that professionals with lived experience are not just included, but heard.
I’ve spent years navigating this exact intersection, uncovering the historical and systemic factors—from poverty to institutional gaps—that shape our collective healing. I am diving deeper into these truths in my upcoming paperback book SCARS TO CREDENTIALS (My Life is Lived Experience), which explores the journey of lived experience through pain and professionalism.
Our stories are our greatest assets. By embracing both our vulnerabilities and our expertise, we can build a more compassionate, effective system of care. That is my mission, as a peer, human, and professional.
Welcome and Join the Journey! ☺️
About Angela:
Angela M. Colón‑Rentas is a New York State–certified Peer Specialist, Youth Peer alumni, Skillbuilder, and credentialed Family Peer Advocate. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Rochester, New York, she brings tenure, having more than nine years of professional experience in the mental health field. Informed and guided by lived experience within the mental health and juvenile justice system, Angela has served as Storyteller in Residence for the New York State Trauma Informed Network and Research Center and is a contributor to the Mad in America Journal.
Member of the Monroe County’s S.W.A.T. (Spreading Wellness Around Town) Youth Council, at 15 years old she became the winner of a national art poster contest for the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. Displayed across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Guam. It was chosen to amplify children’s mental health during mental health week 2008. As a credentialed Youth Peer Advocate, her work has been recognized by New York State’s Office of Mental Health with the 2022 “What’s Great in Our State” Youth/Young Adult Award.
Committed to advancing peer advocacy, Angela M. Colón‑Rentas partners with grassroots and established organizations to reduce stigma and address disparities in systems of care, particularly within underserved communities. She has served as a consultant and lead coach for BIPOC PEEEEEEK’s Healing Together: Family Peer Advocate Workforce Collaborative and now leads the Partners in Community Development: Youth Peer Advocate Workforce Collaborative in both Rochester, and Western, New York. Where she has trained and supported parents, youth, and caregivers through the Peer Advocate credentialing process and champions the Peer Profession career pathway.
Angela is also a member of the University of Rochester, E.A.C.H. Youth and Parent Advisory Board and is a VIP (Very Invested Parent) for The Children’s Agenda. In these spaces, as a parent, and always a peer advocate she continues advocating for mental health support, equity, and Peer Support Services within schools and across community-based settings.
An accomplished artist, she integrates advocacy and creativity through her distinctive Mirror‑Writing‑Art practice and brand SINBoundaries ARTWORK. Continuing the legacy of that 15-year-old girl within the mental health field and juvenile justice system, she uses her art to inspire reflection, hope, and dialogue around mental wellness and community. As a storyteller, she is the author of the book SCARS TO CREDENTIALS (My Life is Lived Experience). An inspiring book of resilience, awareness, and hope: for youth, peers, professionals, and communities.