- A peer supporter certified by Peer Support Canada has specific competencies and values they must meet before receiving certification. That said, the primary aspect of peer support is the personal experience behind the peer supporter in addition to their training on how to use that experience with relevance to give support to the peer. Counselors and therapists have formal education and training in psychology, counseling, or social work. A peer supporter can talk with you, if you wish, about your experiences with your counselor or therapist as a sounding board, for example.
- Peer supporters offer empathy and understanding with their shared experiences whereas counselors and therapists are clinical in their expertise.
- Peer support is a mutual exchange of shared experiences and provision of emotional support. Counseling and therapy focus on assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and sometimes medication management. There is more to mental health in life than just the clinical however, which is the value of peer support in addition to a clinical perspective.
- Clinical interactions of a counselor or therapist tend to be structured with a specific agenda of goals and interventions. A peer supportive interaction can be much less formal, though some power dynamic does still exist between the peer supporter and the peer. A certified peer supporter is aware of this and works within boundaries and a code of conduct for balance.
- Peer support can be beneficial for a wide range of issues, including mental health in general, substance use and addiction recovery, chronic illnesses, grief and loss, relationship issues or family conflicts, trauma and abuse survival, LGBTQ+ support and advocacy, parenting challenges, career transitions or job-related stress, or adjusting to life changes such as relocation, retirement, or divorce.
- Peer support provides a sense of belonging, validation, and understanding from individuals who have lived experience with similar challenges, which can be empowering and helpful in the recovery process and mental health life.
Yes, with only three R’s that break the confidentiality, which are the imminent risk of harm to self, others, or a child.
Our peer supporter, Katrina Tinman-Dubois, is certified by Peer Support Canada, the national certification agency for peer support in Canada. Tinman-Dubois also has an expansive variety of life experiences, including in dealing with mental health and diagnosis of mental illness in life.
Both peer support and professional counseling or therapy can be valuable forms of support and you may benefit from the combination of both in your life depending on your needs and or preferences.