Peer Support Specialists focus on you as a person, helping you develop the skills needed to guide your own recovery. While specifics vary by state, they prioritize your personal relationship to recovery, self-advocacy, building supportive relationships, living according to your values, and directing your care according to your needs and goals.
A Peer Support Specialist helps you understand that recovery is a personal process of change, striving to improve health and wellness, resilience, and reaching your full potential through self-directed actions. Their role includes:
- Assessing your recovery needs.
- Encouraging hope, optimism, and a positive attitude.
- Helping you develop life skills for success, like budgeting and accessing community resources.
- Meeting and exceeding your recovery goals.
- Modeling personal responsibility for recovery and sharing personal experiences.
- Teaching you to navigate the healthcare system.
- Overcoming barriers to recovery, employment, education, or housing.
- Connecting you to natural support in your community.
- Coordinating crisis interventions if needed.
Peer Support Specialists oftentimes have been in your shoes. They have usually lived experience in recovery, allowing them to empathize, share experiences, advocate, and help you connect and communicate with family, peers, and your treatment team. Their job is to help you be yourself and recover in a way that meets your needs and overall goals.