What is peer support and what do peer support specialists do?
In mental healthcare, peer support refers to the support that a person with lived experience of mental health challenges provides to another person-in-recovery. While peer support may happen informally, IMH has professionally trained peer support specialists (PSS), who are part of IMH's multi-disciplinary team (MDT) consisting of medical doctors, nurses, psychologists and other allied health professionals. By leveraging their lived experience, peer support specialists offer the opportunity for a supportive and empowering guidance to interested and suitable peers at various stages of recovery, including those who are acutely unwell and those returning to their communities of choice.
Peer support specialists provide a range of peer support services, including person-driven individual sessions and peer support groups or workshops, and practise in accordance with peer support ethics and recovery principles. This takes place in a mutual, non-judgmental, and safe way as peer support specialists intentionally share their personal knowledge and experiences, where relevant, to inspire hope and facilitate recovery and change using a strengths-based approach. The inclusion of PSS provides the crucial emphasis on holistic recovery, complementing clinically driven treatments in mental healthcare.
Peer support specialists also contribute to mental health advocacy efforts by taking part in media interviews, public talks, forums and conferences to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental health conditions and persons with mental health challenges.
Referral for Peer Support Services
To request for peer support services or get more info, please approach your doctor or clinical team.
