The Wrap by Michigan Medicine Headlines · Michigan Medicine Podcast Network

The Wrap - OCWR and its revamped COMPASS program

·29 min·1 clip

Caring for those who care

The Wrap opens with a conversation about OCWR and the refreshed Compass Peer Support Network. Jeremy Fowles and Dan Elman introduce the episode and bring on four guests from the workplace resilience team. Whitney Begumann explains that OCWR is the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience and describes her role as director. She frames the work as a way to guide support efforts for staff across Michigan Medicine. Jody Eckelberry-Hunt talks through the history of Compass and how it came to be. Denise Irvin adds background on how the program was designed and how peer support fits into workplace wellbeing. Jillian Dronfield helps keep the conversation moving. The group keeps returning to the idea that peer support is meant to build a real sense of belonging inside the organization. Again and again, the discussion comes back to the need for someone who understands the same environment and can listen without judgment. That includes leaders who may feel isolated and unsure where to turn. It also includes staff who are dealing with stress, fear, or the weight of difficult workplace events. The guests describe the program as a way to offer support in a form that feels accessible and tied to the workforce. Denise outlines upcoming trainings and points listeners to the Compass peer support website. She mentions immediate training dates and notes that additional sessions are already scheduled for 2025 and 2026. The episode also highlights quarterly support meetings for peer supporters. Those meetings are meant to offer refreshers, case study discussion, and space to talk through what is working. Support for the supporters is treated as part of the program itself. By the end, the episode leaves a clear picture of how the program works and why it exists.

As heard by us

A grounded look at peer support, training, and the work of keeping it usable.

This episode looks at the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience and the refreshed Compass Peer Support Network, with the guests spelling out what the program is for and why it matters.

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Why you'd press play

Want a grounded look at workplace peer support inside Michigan Medicine?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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