Our Peer Supporters
Our peer supporters are dedicated individuals who have personal lived experience with mental health challenges/diagnoses and have completed comprehensive peer support training. We continuously seek out new learning opportunities to enhance our skills and stay updated on the latest best practices in peer support.
Tony, Peer Supporter and Founder
About Tony
I have faced the challenges of depression and anxiety for the past 13 years. My journey has included significant periods of anxiety that impacted my academic and professional progress, such as needing extra time to complete my undergraduate degree and ultimately leaving grad school due to being overwhelmed by health and social anxiety. In the depths of my most severe anxiety, getting out of bed each day was a daily struggle. Recently, I have focused on wellness techniques that have greatly improved my well-being.
I am a trained peer supporter, have founded successful online peer support communities and bring 3 years of experience in providing peer support.
Our One to One Peer Support Sessions
I want to join you on your journey to mental wellness. I’m here to give you space to express yourself and to listen to and understand your struggles and feelings.
In our peer support sessions, we can explore books from various evidence-based therapeutic approaches together, including DBT, CBT, mindfulness, or any other methods that interest you. As we read through the material, we’ll engage in meaningful discussions about the techniques and tackle any concerns that arise. It’s a collaborative process where we learn, reflect, and implement together. For instance, if we decide to complete cognitive behavioral therapy thought records for the week, we can work in parallel, with each of us completing our own records. We can then discuss both the challenges we faced and any encouraging moments or progress we noticed while implementing the techniques.
Additionally, if you have homework assigned by your therapist, such as readings or workbooks, I’ll work on it alongside you. I’ll read the material and complete the assignments alongside you, which will not only motivate you by showing that you’re not alone in the process but also help keep you accountable. By working together on the therapy homework, I can support you in staying on track and getting the most out of your therapy sessions.
We can create weekly plans and discuss your accomplishments and obstacles. We can brainstorm solutions to some difficulties you’re experiencing. We can set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) together.
Further, I believe that it is very important to recognize and celebrate pieces of progress and small wins. Once you attain some level of progress towards recovery or other goals, let's celebrate together!
Flexibility is key during our peer support sessions; we can have our sessions online or I can travel to a meeting location you decide (within the City of Toronto). We can also decide on a location together! I know of a few nice meetings places such as: public libraries, community centres, coffee shops, or even taking a walk together. The theme of each session can be decided by you, whether you want to vent or work on wellness, everything is up to you.
I offer a free 50-minute initial peer support session free of cost!
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