A peer specialist is someone who has personally recovered from addiction or a mental health disorder and who mentors people in treatment. This person, along with other trained care providers, participates in the patient’s therapy. Some services may only be available through peer-to-peer support from someone who understands what the patient is going through on a personal level. Counselors and other care providers with experience in this field may be required to maintain professional distance and refrain from discussing their past, but peer specialists are not subject to this restriction.
Addiction therapy gave birth to the concept of using people who are further along in their recovery as mentors. Many approaches to alcohol and drug abuse treatment emphasize the role of a mentor, buddy, or sponsor who serves as a peer specialist. Throughout the subject’s recovery, this person will be available to provide counseling. Subjects can receive assistance with the organization’s recommended steps and activities, as well as a sympathetic ear when they are having difficulty.
Mentoring can also be beneficial in mental health counseling, which has a long history of encouraging patients to help one another through group therapy. In this case, a peer specialist may have the same mental health condition as the patient, but has learned to manage and control it through therapy, medications, and other methods. Patients who have recently been diagnosed or who have a poorly controlled mental illness can meet with a peer specialist to discuss their options and learn more about the options available to them.
Peer specialist training programs are offered a variety of organizations. These offer mentoring advice, such as establishing boundaries with mentees for their safety and well-being, as well as any legal requirements. Certified peer specialists can advertise their availability for counseling and support. Patients can reach out to them through a treatment program’s sponsorship or on their own if they are unsure about seeking treatment and want more information.
To prepare peer specialists for full-time work in this field, some training programs are very formal and extensive. Others may be less formal, focusing on providing basic information to part-time volunteers so that they can provide appropriate counseling and assistance. People who are interested in becoming a peer specialist should speak with their therapists, doctors, or local mentoring programs to see if spaces are available and to learn more about the requirements.