INDIVIDUALIZED PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT

Individualized peer-to-peer support is one of our most important services at Verve Behavioral Health. Peer specialists are certified and trained individuals who have a shared experience struggling with a mental health issue.

Unlike a therapist, a peer-to-peer specialist helps others based on a combination of both their mental health training and, chiefly, their firsthand experience with similar circumstances. A peer specialist’s services do not replace those of a therapist but can be a powerful source of support during difficult times. We help clients match up with peer specialists who are best able to provide advice and solace in times of frustration, confusion, and grief.

Here at Verve Behavioral Health, our individualized peer-to-peer support program is based on existing training and certifications. Peer specialists are not clinicians but are certified in peer-to-peer support.

WHAT IS INDIVIDUALIZED PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT?

The idea behind peer-to-peer support is that, in many cases, people may be more comfortable seeking help from someone who might feel connected to them through shared circumstances. For example, a single mother struggling to manage her responsibilities at home and at work while dealing with a history of mood disorders may have an easier time connecting with someone who has had to find a way to cope with similar co-occurring stressors.

The benefits of group therapy often rely on the same dynamics of universality and shared circumstances. In a similar vein, individualized peer-to-peer support programs offer an evidence-based framework for people who are interested in helping others learn to develop the skills needed to work in mental healthcare. Peer-to-peer support can also help connect clients with the local community and give them a crucial sense of connection in an often-lonely situation.

HOW INDIVIDUALIZED PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT WORKS

Here at Verve Behavioral Health, it is important to us to emphasize the comfort and connection that comes with an individualized peer-to-peer support program. We want clients to match with peer specialists that they feel they can trust and feel comfortable around.

Rather than provide outpatient treatment through a clinic, our peer-to-peer support program allows peer specialists to meet clients in their own space, whether at work or at home. Letting clients choose the right environment for them is a crucial step.

Peer-to-peer support is not meant to replace talk therapy or a structured treatment plan – instead, our peer specialists provide supplemental services in and outside of the recovery process, through:

• Community: Peer specialists at The Verve help introduce clients to other people whose stories and journeys might resonate with them and open their eyes to the benefits of spending time with peers who have had similar experiences. A supportive community outside of the setting of a formal treatment can help foster a long-term relationship between a client and their local mental health community, even outside of recovery.
• Flexibility: One of the reasons our peer specialists meet clients at their preferred setting is to help move things away from the framework of an outpatient treatment plan. While treatment is crucial, especially with co-occurring disorders, it’s also important to emphasize that life goes on – and that the lessons learned during therapy can be applied in our day-to-day settings, through the support of a guiding peer specialist.
• Adaptation: It can be difficult to adapt what we learn in treatment to real-life, day-to-day stressors outside of therapy. Peer specialists offer a more personalized approach through their own insights, coupled with their training.

BENEFITS OF INDIVIDUAL PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT

Individualized peer-to-peer support boasts many benefits for those who feel the need to connect with a personal guide during their recovery journey. Some of these benefits include:

1. A personal connection: Peer specialists are trained to help create a strong sense of camaraderie and belonging among individuals with similar past experiences.
2. A deeper understanding: Peer specialists can relate to their client’s experiences. It’s often more than just a job.
3. Judgment-free: Peer-to-peer support provides a safe space where individuals can share openly without fear of judgment, due to shared experiences and struggles.
4. Wisdom comes with experience: Peer specialists share practical insights and coping strategies from their own journeys, which can help clients pick and develop their own coping mechanisms, improve their stress management and problem-solving skills, and deal with day-to-day issues.
5. Inspirational past: Understanding and learning from a peer’s journey can boost motivation to adhere to treatment and inspire positive change in clients.
6. Fighting loneliness: Peer-to-peer support will combat certain feelings of isolation by fostering connections with specialists who genuinely understand.
7. A holistic approach: The supplemental nature of peer support perfectly complements formal treatment by addressing emotional, social, and practical aspects of recovery.
8. A healthier self-image: Encouragement and support from peers can improve self-esteem and self-worth, creating a healthier self-image, and encouraging clients to be honest with themselves, yet forgiving of past flaws or mistakes.
9. A flexible schedule: Peer support can extend beyond scheduled therapy sessions, providing continuous assistance even after intensive outpatient programs have ended.
10. Sustainable support: Peer-to-peer support relationships often endure beyond formal treatment, providing ongoing support after recovery ends, and often helping individuals connect with others outside of the setting of a formal treatment plan.

PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT AT VERVE BEHAVIORAL

At The Verve, we ensure that your recovery journey is wholly your own. Work with us to personalize your treatment plan and create a program that matches your needs and circumstances. As part of that, we offer individualized peer-to-peer support services to any clients who feel more comfortable with a guide at their side.

Get Started Now

Ready to get started with us? Your journey of recovery is about to begin. Here at The Verve, we emphasize support within our communities, ensuring that individuals recognize the importance of reaching out to each other, and continuing to benefit from one another’s experiences long after their initial recovery has ended. Our peer-to-peer support program helps put people in touch with others who have had similar struggles and have come out stronger than ever.

Give us a call at (202) 816-6006 or send us a message via our contact form. We’re available to answer questions on any of our programs or treatment methods, or the Verve way.