When you meet Mary Powers, her compassion for others is palpable. Her path to joining SOUND’s Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT) as a peer support specialist began with her own path to hope, healing, and recovery.

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“I’ve had a lot of different jobs – doula, CNA, even ski patrol,” she says. “But after returning to the Pacific Northwest in 1999, that’s when my personal struggles really began.”

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Mary was hospitalized for mental health crises on two occasions, using inpatient treatment to help her find a path forward. Over the years, she worked to rebuild her footing – running a small jewelry business, taking psychology courses, and leaning on family who “took care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself.”  

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“Through it all, I realized I wanted to help people in similar situations. That’s when I started asking to do ride-alongs with crisis teams. I knew that was the kind of work I wanted to do.”

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With that goal in mind, Mary became certified as a peer support specialist and spent years volunteering, coaching, and honing her skills in empathy and active listening. “One of the best techniques I learned was to let my comments or questions pass – to truly listen,” she says.

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After recovering from another crisis, Mary refocused her career goals on behavioral health, eventually discovering SOUND Behavioral Health in that process. “I saw the job posting, interviewed, and at orientation there was a computer and phone with my name on it. It felt meant to be,” she says. “The first month I was convinced I should quit – it was all so new, and I doubted myself. But my team kept encouraging me. They helped me believe I belonged.”

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Today, Mary responds to crisis calls across the region alongside a clinician as part of SOUND’s MRRCT program. “We show up, listen, and meet people’s needs,” she says. “Even if we can’t fix everything, we try to give people hope. Many are simply relieved to know someone is here for them.”

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For Mary, the work is deeply personal – and profoundly fulfilling. “I’ve grown more here than anywhere else,” she says. “My coworkers, the peers we serve, even the mistakes I’ve made – I’ve learned from all of it. SOUND has really been the cherry on top of this experience. I feel so fortunate to be here.”

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SOUND’s impact extends far beyond any single story. Through programs like MRRCT, teams of clinicians and peer support specialists meet people in moments of crisis – offering compassion, connection, and hope when it matters most. For Mary and countless others, SOUND doesn’t just change lives. It helps people rediscover purpose, resilience, and the power of recovery.

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