“Temple gave me a chance,” he explains.
That may sound simple, but for Marino, it means everything. He has schizophrenia, which can complicate the job search process—but at Temple, his diagnosis is an advantage. “I’m using my experiences to help people,” he says. “I feel like I have a special way to relate to patients.”
These connections are at the heart of Marino’s work as a Certified Peer Specialist at Temple University Hospital-Episcopal Campus. He leads several groups on the Extended Acute Unit, including Walking Club, Journaling Club, and a Hearing Voices group. The latter is a space for patients who hear voices to discuss their experiences, and having a facilitator who can relate is tremendously meaningful.
“It’s probably my favorite part of what I do,” Marino says. It’s also something he’s been involved in even before he became a Certified Peer Specialist in September 2021, having led the group for three years as a volunteer. Before that, he also volunteered and worked as a gift shop employee at Temple University Hospital-Jeanes Campus, which provided him with structure that helped motivate his recovery.
“Jeanes was a huge part of my recovery process,” Marino explains. “Otherwise, I would’ve just been sitting at my house hearing voices. But at Jeanes, I was running around meeting people and working in the gift shop. I always tell people that your brain adapts, and if you try to do normal things, it gets used to normal.”
“That’s why I loved working at Jeanes,” he continues, “and why I’m thankful Temple gave me the chance to do something useful. I’ve told the volunteer coordinator at Jeanes several times, ‘You guys are a huge part of my mental health.’”
Leading the way with dedication and inspiration
Now, as a Certified Peer Specialist, Marino has the chance to help patients with their mental health—and it’s a role he excels in. “I can’t imagine our team without him,” says Briana Stinson, Episcopal’s Director of Therapeutic Programming.
“He’s the most positive staff member I’ve ever met. He’s always willing to learn, and to do anything and help anyone. He just cares so much, and it shows in his work—he’s a model employee.”
Helene Harron, one of Episcopal’s Behavioral Health Specialists, agrees. “It can be easy to get into the mindset of, ‘This is my job. I do this work, and then I go home,’” she explains. “But Steve is always willing to go the extra mile. I think that’s because he can see a side of the patients that we don’t see, which makes them open up to him in a different way. And he just wants to be there for and support those patients as much as possible.”
For Marino, being able to provide that support—and inspire patients—is the best reward. “I was telling one of the patients that I’d gone to college and gotten really good grades,” he says. And she said, ‘Wow, maybe I can do that too. If you can do it, I can do it.’” And I thought, that’s really what I’m here for. I show patients that achieving their goals is possible, and that things get better.”