What is peer support?
Peer support offers a safe and welcoming space for individuals facing depression, addiction, and various mental or physical challenges. It connects people in recovery, fostering meaningful relationships built on shared experiences and mutual support. Facilitators of peer support have firsthand experience navigating these challenges and hold a peer support certification from an accredited organization or the state in which they reside.
At its core, peer support is strength-based, focusing on individuals’ resilience and capabilities as they progress toward recovery. It is inherently social and reciprocal, allowing both those offering and receiving support to benefit from the exchange. Unlike mental health professionals, peer support providers act as coaches—guiding conversations, facilitating peer-to-peer coaching, and leading support groups to empower individuals on their journey.
Peer support benefits
Peer support is proven to help those that are facing emotional and behavioral healthcare challenges.
First, peer support has been shown to improve the quality of life, increase and improve engagement with services, and increase whole health and self-management. (Mental Health America, 2018).
Second, peer support decreases the severity and frequency of depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental and emotional health challenges. Our studies have shown that video-based peer support meetings can reduce the severity of depression, for example, by 33%.
Third, multiple studies have demonstrated that peer support reduces hospital readmissions by as much as 72% resulting in significant cost savings for providers, payers, employers, and care management organizations.
The benefits of peer support are wide-ranging for those receiving the support, peer-support workers themselves, and the mental health system as a whole.
Who is peer support for?
Peer support is for anyone seeking understanding, encouragement, and connection from others who have faced similar challenges. It benefits individuals navigating mental health struggles, addiction recovery, chronic illnesses, disabilities, relationship issues, and life transitions. Whether someone is looking for guidance, a sense of belonging, or simply a space to share their journey, peer support provides a compassionate community where lived experiences become a source of strength and hope.