What is peer support and what do peer support specialists do?
In mental healthcare, peer support refers to the supportive care that a person with a history of mental health challenges provides to another person-in-recovery. While peer support may happen informally, IMH has peer support specialists in both inpatient and outpatient settings, who are trained professionals embedded in various clinical teams. By leveraging lived experience, peer support specialists offer peer support to interested or suitable peers at various stages of their 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 to 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 help facilitate recovery and change using a strengths-based approach. These sharing may not be limited to just the peers whom peer support specialists offer support to, but also with the existing clinical team, to complement and augment existing clinical services in IMH.
Peer support specialists provide a recovery perspective to the psychological and social outlook for persons with mental health conditions. As mental health conditions are complex challenges, with profound influences on the biological, psychological and social aspects of a person’s life, having peer support specialists integrated into the diverse clinical teams enables peer support to complement and enhance existing mental health services. Peer support specialists also contribute to mental health advocacy efforts to raise awareness and remove stigma surrounding mental health conditions and persons with mental health challenges.
Special Programmes and Initiatives
- Inpatient Recovery Workshop
- Outpatient Peer Support Groups
- Online Peer Support Groups *upcoming
* Please note that programmes offered may vary and are subject to availability.
Referral for Peer Support Services
To request for peer support services or get more info, please refer to your doctor or clinical team.
