Peer Support Specialist Q&A

A peer support relationship is developed between two people who have lived similar experiences with substance abuse, mental health challenges, concerns, conditions, or illnesses. Understanding and interpreting our experiences is made easier with the help of a peer who has overcome addiction and can provide valuable insight on the recovery process.

Being an advocate for and providing emotional/practical support to another person who shares a similar challenge or illness is the role of a peer support. Peer Support Specialists are trained to provide guidance to others who are going through similar experiences and hardships that they have already lived through.

Individuals that have experienced substance use issues in the past are able to provide emotional, social, and informational support to those patients that are currently combatting similar problems through peer support services. Mutual understanding, respect, and shared responsibility are the pillars of peer support.

Research shows that peer support improves an individual’s experience in recovery through guidance, encouragement, and by holding a patient accountable. Furthermore, peer support may reduce hospital utilization, increase independence and a sense of hope, and reduce costs by helping people stay in treatment. People struggling with mental health and addiction issues who receive peer support may feel empowered, build self-confidence, and be able to function more effectively.

Peer support helps increase self-esteem, increase self-management and self-efficacy, improve engagement and social inclusion, as well as promote belief in the possibility of recovery.

Peer support is a system based on one individual supporting another through their own lived experiences. The peer support counselor is available as a compassionate companion to an individual in need of someone to speak to.

Peer support is about listening and providing support rather than acting and attempting to treat or advise the patient. The core elements of peer support programs are effective training, monitoring, and supervision. Some of the core values taught and learned through peer support include personal strength and determination, recovery, hope, health, and well being, built on a foundation of transparent and honest relationships with one’s self and others. Other core elements include respect, trust, dignity, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to personal growth and learning.

Peer counselors can be an excellent source of preventive help to stop a mental health condition from deteriorating. Their support can also be used in harmony with other treatment options to provide a patient with a holistic treatment plan that assists them in dealing with their mental or physical health problems.

Despite an ever-growing percentage of Americans with mental health issues, many still do not undergo any of the many treatment options available. This can be due to time concerns, financial concerns, or the stigmatization of mental health issues. Peer counseling can be an excellent first step for those with mild mental health conditions or a complementary step for those receiving treatment for something more serious.

Invictus4Core offers both mental health treatment options as well as peer counseling. The option for remote peer counseling mitigates the time burden of scheduling such an appointment creating a more accessible option for those who require it. Book an appointment today so that we can help improve your mental health, overall health and well-being. We are conveniently located at 3150 Custer Dr, Ste 101, Lexington, KY 40517. We serve patients from Lexington KY, Georgetown KY, Nicholasville KY, Keene KY, Brannon Woods KY, and Picadome KY and all surrounding areas.