Lived Experience Mental Health Peer Support
A Mental Health Peer Worker is employed based on their personal lived/living experience of mental health challenges and recovery. They are commonly being employed in hospital and community settings, often alongside the employment of Carer Peers, who tend to support the families of those experiencing challenges.
A Path To Follow’s Model Of Peer Support
APTF uses a model of Lived Experience Peer Support, where APTF Peers use their living/lived and professional experiences to support the peer journey.
Inherent to this model are the foundational principles of Intentional Peer Support’s Framework:
- From Helping to Learning Together – we don’t see peers as needing to be fixed or us as the experts,
- Individual to Relationship – we see our work together as a partnership where both peers have a responsibility and
- From Fear to Hope and Possibility we don’t subscribe to a traditional risk based model, rather we use one that sees the meaning behind risks as a source of opportunity to learn and grow, in a safe and supportive manner.
We acknowledge this system is quite different from the medicalised model we have all grown up with; you as a patient/client seeing an expert. We are all experts within our own lives and APTF was founded, and is directed by Kirstie, with substantial knowledge and experience of the system as a consumer, carer and professional. APTF Peers use a mix of perspectives and experiences to advocate and walk beside young people and their families, enabling participation in supports while remaining connected to their communities.
This model of service is not a crisis service but does offer a flexibility outside what many mainstream services are able to offer. Support is customised according to needs; including various session locations and contact times, who is included in the service, referrals to other services, shared care with other services and so on…
Sometimes we just want to be heard. That is a great place to start with us.
Reach out for your FREE consultation to see how we can assist.