What is Peer Support?
Peer Support is about building connections and relationships with others. Peer Support workers create connections by sharing their personal journeys with others. This inspires hope for others struggling with lived experiences of mental health issues, addiction struggles and uncovers what’s possible on the path to recovery.
Peer support is different than talking to a clinical healthcare professional.
Peer support is a supportive relationship grounded in the principles of mutuality, empathy, and connection. Peer support harnesses the personal lived experience of a mental health, substance use, and/or trauma issue to create a mutually supportive relationship.
Peer Support...
- Always voluntary & self-directed
- Based on shared lived experience
- Rooted in hope
- Relationship based (not clinical)
- Recovery focused
- Grounded in the action of moving toward wholeness, rather than away from illness
Who is Peer Support For?
The short answer – everyone!
The longer answer – Anyone who is looking for someone to talk to about mental health or recovery without judgment. Anyone looking for resources to start or continue their wellness journey. Anyone needing help navigating the mental health system. Anyone who feels defeated and needs inspiration. Anyone who feels alone or like the people in their life don’t understand what they’re going through.
At the Wellness Network, we offer one on one peer support, provided by our peer navigators, as well as Recovery College Courses which are peer-developed and peer-facilitated.
