our peer supporters provide emotional support, teach skills, and share their knowledge and own experiences with mental health. they have a wide variety of backgrounds, identities and experiences. many are students, or recent graduates.

all of our peer supporters have experience of mental health challenges and are in recovery. they are trained and certified for mental health peer support, and paid for their work. (learn more about becoming a peer supporter with peers.net.)

peer supporters provide emotional support, teach skills, and share their knowledge and own experiences with mental health.

peer supporters believe that recovery is possible for everyone. our peer supporters are available to share their lived experiences of successful mental health recovery and hope. recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential. recovery is an ongoing process. to learn more about recovery, check out samhsa’s working definition of recovery.

peer supporters are not here to judge. they will come to sessions with open minds and have your best interest at heart.

peer supporters are not responsible for making decisions for you, but they can help you make decisions for yourself by helping you identify your goals and strategies for achieving them. peer supporters can also help locate information so you can make an informed decision about your own care.

peer supporters do not have a clinical background. they are not able to diagnose any mental or physical health conditions, treat any mental or physical health conditions, or give medical advice of any kind.

peer supporters cannot prescribe medication; please contact your primary care physician if you think you might need medication. your peer supporters will never tell you whether or not you should be taking medication. we believe that everyone knows their body best, and we want you to make the right choices for yourself.

peer supporters are not therapists, so they will not provide psychosocial evaluations or host therapy groups.

at peers.net we believe in collaborative mental health care, and will never discourage you from seeking out a therapist’s or psychiatrist’s expertise. one of our values is that you don’t need to find “the one”. we encourage you to build a village of support around you so that you can flourish.

peer supporters will not compromise their boundaries for you. peer supporters have clear boundaries. they are mandatory reporters (see below), professionals, and have a code of ethics that they are expected to follow.

peer supporters are not on-call crisis support resources. they can help in crisis intervention by creating a crisis safety plan, but should not be depended on to handle or respond to all crisis situations. if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

• 1. apply
• 2. interview with us
• 3. sign offer letter
• 4. complete certification training
• 5. onboard
• 6. start supporting peers and getting paid
• 7. attend ongoing paid supervision and training