What is Mental Health Peer Support?
Mental health peer support involves individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges journeying alongside others facing similar issues and providing mutual support. This approach is based on the idea that someone who has personally experienced mental health difficulties can offer a unique level of understanding and empathy that professionals without such experiences may not. Together, you and your peer supporter can also learn and apply wellness techniques that align with your needs and/or interests.
Aspects of our One to One Peer Support Sessions
We create a comforting space where you can freely express your emotions. We provide non-judgmental listening to ensure you feel heard and understood, especially when discussing thoughts and feelings that may bring you shame or guilt. Through sharing our own experiences of mental health challenges, hope, and recovery, we offer empathy and demonstrate that you are not alone. We can explore books focused on evidence based therapeutic modalities such as DBT, CBT, mindfulness or other approaches together, discuss techniques, and apply them to our lives. We can collaborate, reflect, and tackle challenges as a team, creating weekly plans and reviewing accomplishments and obstacles. We can set smart goals together, brainstorm solutions to difficulties we face, and celebrate progress. We firmly believe in your potential for wellness, supporting you even when you're struggling to believe in yourself.
Evidence on the Effectiveness of Mental Health Peer Support
Research suggest that peer support is linked to enhanced mental wellness, including increased happiness, higher self-esteem, and better coping abilities, as well as decreased depression, loneliness, and anxiety. These benefits are observed among university students, young adults who are not students, and ethnic and sexual minorities.
Further, a study explored the effectiveness of peer support in reducing recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations. Utilizing a randomized controlled design, the study conducted follow-up assessments nine months post-discharge from a psychiatric hospital. The cohort consisted of patients aged 18 and older who had major mental illnesses and had been hospitalized at least three times within the preceding 18 months. Results indicated that participants assigned a peer mentor experienced fewer rehospitalizations and reduced hospital days.
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Richard J, Rebinsky R, Suresh R, Kubic S, Carter A, Cunningham JEA, Ker A, Williams K, Sorin M. Scoping review to evaluate the effects of peer support on the mental health of young adults. BMJ Open. 2022 Aug 4;12(8):e061336. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061336. PMID: 35926986; PMCID: PMC9358944.
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Sledge WH, Lawless M, Sells D, Wieland M, O'Connell MJ, Davidson L. Effectiveness of peer support in reducing readmissions of persons with multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. Psychiatr Serv. 2011 May;62(5):541-4. doi: 10.1176/ps.62.5.pss6205_0541. PMID: 21532082.
Our Core Value: Mutuality
In our mental health support sessions, we embrace mutuality and equality, ensuring there are no hierarchies between you and your peer supporter. Together, we co-create the relationship, fostering an environment of co-learning and co-growing. We are not here to fix you, but to support you, walking alongside you and working together towards your mental wellness goals.
Our Core Value: Strength Based Approach
Our approach is strength-based, focusing on identifying and building upon your strengths together. We look at what is working in your life and explore ways to enhance and expand those positives. Our goal is to move towards wellness and contentment, emphasizing growth and positivity rather than simply responding to pain and fear.
Our Core Value: Self Determination
Every person has the right and ability to choose what they want and need for themselves, free from coercion or having others make their life decisions. They deserve to be the driver of their own life rather than just a passenger. Peer supporters believe in the expression of each individual’s inner wisdom and support the realization that you have what it takes to become well. We are here to support you through your journey, working together to realize your dreams and goals.
Our Core Value: Wholeness
Wholeness is about recognizing and normalizing that all human beings make mistakes and experience setbacks; these are simply parts of life. Embracing wholeness means understanding that imperfections are natural and do not define our worth or potential.
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