In its guidelines on peer support, the Mental Health Commission of Canada defines it as “a supportive relationship between people who have a lived experience in common.” It involves building on that shared experience to understand a peer’s situation empathetically and is particularly important during times of stress, trauma or uncertainty.
Peer support is not a clinical treatment based on psychiatric models and does not involve diagnosis.
How peer support is delivered
- Through one-on-one conversations or in group settings
- Informally (by peers who have not been formally trained) or formally (by individuals trained to provide this type of support)
Effective peer supporters:
- Forge authentic connections that foster hope for recovery.
- Empathize with another person’s situation through a common experience of emotional and psychological pain — and show that the pain can be overcome.
- Listen to the other person, validate the other person’s experiences and share relevant stories from their own journey to wellness, but never direct the other person’s path.
- Offer non-judgmental support and share coping strategies, information and resources.
The goals of peer support are to:
- Help people discover and build on coping strategies that work for them.
- Promote a broader sense of community and a positive, supportive training and practice culture.
- Help people overcome challenges and manage wellness.
- Complement clinical approaches.
Peer support leads to positive outcomes:
The Centre for Mental Health and Addictions says peer support…
Improves coping and self-management skills
Builds stronger social networks
Reduces isolation, symptoms, substance use, intensive service use, hospitalizations
Holds people accountable to their own recovery goals
Fosters the values of hope, empowerment, self-determination and mutuality, and the belief that everyone can recover from stressful issues
Concepts related to peer support:
Mentorship: While peer support happens between equals, mentorship involves an experienced person providing guidance, support and encouragement to a less experienced person.
Physician coaching: Life and business coaches can help physicians achieve clarity of purpose, focus, creativity, productivity and work-life balance. An outside perspective can help them objectively reflect on their lives and goals, and on what’s needed to make and maintain critical changes.
Counselling/psychotherapy: Psychologists and psychotherapists provide clinical information on self-help strategies, while peers work together to help each other find strategies that work.
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