[Monteiralis]

Have any of you talked to a Peer Support Specialist? My job is to tell my recovery story and model recovery for people with and without mental illnesses. It is the best and most rewarding job I have ever had and I have had a lot of jobs. It is therapeutic for the peer as well as me. We help each other through situations only we can understand. I encourage you to find a Peer Support Specialist in your area.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I'm going to training to be one soon!! My therapist is helping me and advocating me to do so.

[fishin fool]

I have been thinking about looking into it.
I always love to help people and I can see how it would be helpful
to both parties.

[HALLIEBETH87]

My therapist is connecting me with the coordinator later today. She said I can volunteer in the day program even before training. I will probably do that.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you for sharing your good experience with us. I am going to train to be a NAMI group facilitator after the new year. I'm very excited about it.

[Cocosurviving]

At my last job we had them. I wish I could be one as I use to be a mental health social worker. But I know for a fact if social security found out they would cut my check off. I "love" NAMI. I use to go to there support groups when I lived in TN. They had a lot of events in the community. I live in OK and the NAMI here does the minimum.

[Coffeee]

There are none in my area.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'd love to do that. I once applied for a peer-support specialist job with the county, but I never even got an interview...probably because I was hypomanic when I applied. It's a shame---with my psychiatric history, nursing background and the fact that I enjoy helping people, I think I'd have been a good one.

[Miss Laura]

I actually have something similar. In Scotland they are called Peer Support Workers. I have had mines since March and she has helped me so much. She started me on my WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) and got me into a confidence class. She always has new ideas for me and I know I can ask her or tell her things I can't speak about to anyone else. She is trying to get me to become a volunteer Peer Support Worker. I'm not sure I'm ready to gave the answers just yet :-)

[mtnannie]

Monteralis - Do you worry about the peer triggering you? How stable have you been / do you have to be to be a peer support person? It sounds like something I'd like to do if I'm stable enough to be a real support for someone else.... What do y'all think?

[HALLIEBETH87]

In the state of Kentucky you she to be two years in recovery to do peer support. Of course there's training and certification too. I almost felt like one today lol in DBT group the lead t had lost her voice and my t asked me to help her lead by keeping the conversation going.

[Monteiralis]

I have been in recovery for 6 years. I chose to be off all meds at this time because the Dr. kept prescribing more medication for any little thing I told her. So at one point I was up to 9 meds a day. I definitely wouldn't recommend anyone to stop their meds, I wish I would of tapered off but I didn't. I work at the same hospital I stayed in for a year, my parents gave me to the state and I was committed there. Before working there I asked to take a tour of the hospital and more specifically the room I stayed in. I was not triggered by the hospital, my old room or any of the peers. I knew then I could do the job. After working full time for the first few months I became overwhelmed, not by the peers by the staff. I would sit in report where all the Dr.'s, Psychologists and Social Workers talk about each peer in great detail. The staff would, laugh, joke and roll their eyes about certain peers. This is what is difficult. I came to understand that even though they have been through years of school they simply dont understand MI the way I do. I would take a tour of the place first then slowly start to volunteer. I have been working for over a year now and have never been triggered, even when a peer punched me in the back. I slowly turned around and asked him what was the matter. The voices told him to do it. I told him he didnt have to listen to them, I know I have voices too. He said, "Really, I dont have to listen to them?" We started talking and he got much better over time. We need more Peer Support for people diagnosed with mental health challenges. I love empowering and inspiring people to live the life they want to. Much love and peace.

[Puzzlemaker13]

I have one. I am not a needy person so I kinda feel bad for my peer support specialist. She keeps complaining I don’t call her to talk between meetings every two weeks. I don’t have anything going on that I would need to talk with her about. When we do meet it’s mostly idle conversations about current events. She doesn’t really recommend anything.

[HALLIEBETH87]

The who recovery model of peer support is not to recommend anything but rather to be of support about whatever it is YOU have going on. That's probably why they want you to call. to check in basically and offer support to you should you need it. I am a certified peer specialist in the state of ky.