Have you ever played a sport, participated in a band, or learned a new skill from someone? In order to learn that new skill, you needed a teacher to guide you. Peer support is kind of like that.

A peer support specialist is someone who has successfully completed their own counseling and treatment plan, and because of their positive experience, feels inspired to support others on their road to recovery.

We all need someone to listen and talk to, and your peer support specialist can be that person. They draw from their own experiences with recovery to provide you with added support while you work to overcome your individual challenges.

Peer support can provide many advantages to your treatment, including:

• Insight into the recovery process
• Added support through shared experience
• Improvement in self-esteem and well-being
• Increased participation in the community

Peer support can make a remarkable difference in an individual’s recovery, from increased opportunity for long-lasting success to life-long friendships formed between peer support team members.