What is Peer Based Support?
Peer support workers are typically individuals who are successfully engaged in the recovery process who can help others who have or are experiencing similar situations. Often victims of trauma feel shamed and isolated from others. They may be working with a mental health professional to address their trauma-related symptoms and still feel alone. Peer based support can reach beyond the boundaries of treatment by allowing victims to realize that they are not alone, and that there is something better. Peer Support specialists can provide resources, skill-building, advocacy, and lead recovery groups. Typically, peer support providers will undergo some training in best practices prior to providing services in this role. Training may include person-centered and trauma-informed principles, professional boundaries and confidentiality, or creating safe-spaces. SAMSHA provides guidance for individuals and programs looking to provide peer support services to ensure best practices in services.
Opportunities for Peer Based Support
Peer Based support can be invaluable for reaching out and connecting to survivors of trauma. Abuse brings feelings of shame, self-depreciation, and embarrassment. Finding out you are not alone and having someone across the table who “gets it” can make a victim feel both supported and safe.
The hope is through their shared experiences peer specialists can help others build on their strengths, empower recovery, foster hope, and support healing (SAMHSA). Peer specialist will sometimes talk about how being in this role has brought a new level to their own healing while helping others heal as well. Brenda Lewis is a Peer Specialist with PTSD who talks about her experiences growing up and now provides support and assists childhood victims of abuse connect to necessary resources.
Peer Based Support is as important for children as for adults. There is growing research and literature that continues to support the use of peers in the treatment team for better outcomes as well as part of organizations in policy and practice development. The New York State Office of Mental Health requires the hiring and involvement of peer specialists in children and adult programs. In addition, with the restructuring of community services for children (Child and Family Treatment Support Services-CFTSS) peer and family support services was the fourth service to be made available, ahead of crisis response and respite care.
Challenges to Peer Based Support
Although mentors and peer support persons can be found for a variety of mental health disorders, complex childhood trauma may be a more difficult area to access this type of support. As mentioned earlier, abuse (particularly sexual abuse) brings with it a unique set of feelings as it is more than a disease of the brain but a series of violent acts that happened to a person. In this way, it may be the most difficult diagnosis to speak out about while also being crucial for helping others.
Therapeutic groups can benefit complex trauma survivors as we;;. However, it is important to carefully screen participants for a group that matches where they are in treatment. Equally important is the selection of peer group moderators. It is important for facilitators be secure in their own recovery, which includes knowing and managing their triggers and trauma reactions.
In addition, peer specialists continue to face struggles in being accepted as part of the treatment community. At times, the peer providers find themselves being discriminated against and left out of important discussions. This seems counter-intuitive when developing policies and practices that affect individuals without having the voice of those individuals.
Resources for Peer Support
The National Center for Trauma Informed Care (SAMHSA/Center for Mental Health Services) issued a guidebook for engaging women in peer-based support for complex trauma in April 2012. It contains thirteen chapters on a variety of topics including the principles of trauma, peer-based-support, cultural considerations, structuring support services, and self-care. In addition, it provides print and electronic resources that can be used to supplement the group proves. To access the guidebook, click the image below:
The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (NFMCMH) is a family-run organization with over 120 chapters. The NFFCMH includes many resources and supports for families, including numerous resources for peer and family support. Click on the icon below to access their library.
Unfortunately, the greatest challenge to peer support services may be locating them. In trying to find a resource to complete this post that would help people link with providers a variety of search terms failed to yield some type of service locator. I think the point is there needs to be more work done in this area, from funding the development of peer support programs (particularly PTSD) to actively engaging with the community and organizations. Stay tuned as I will add more resources as I am able to locate them.
References
Blue Know Foundation https://www.blueknot.org.au/Workers-Practitioners/For-Health-Professionals/Resources-for-Health-Professionals/Complex-trauma-treatment
SAMHSA https://www.samhsa.gov/brss-tacs/recovery-support-tools/peers
Catherine's Field of Ideas 