When I tell people I’m a peer support worker, the reactions are usually curious head tilts followed by a lot of questions. Honestly? I love it. Curiosity means people are interested. And the more people understand what peer support is — and isn’t — the more likely they are to reach out when they need it.
So here are seven of the most common questions I get asked, along with what I’ve learned from answering them.
This question comes up more than any other.
Simply put, peer support is about people with lived—and still living—experience of mental health or substance‑use challenges offering help to each other.
If you want a formal definition, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) calls peer support “non‑clinical, strengths‑based support provided by people who have lived experience of recovery from mental illness and/or addiction”.
And peer support isn’t new. It’s rooted in a long history.
Think back to the 1960s and 70s, when people living with mental illness and addiction began forming mutual aid groups and drop‑in centers outside the traditional system.
They were done being defined by diagnostic labels and they wanted connection based on lived experience, not on clinical authority. That grassroots momentum eventually evolved into today’s peer support movement, complete with formal training, paid roles, and growing institutional recognition.
For a global perspective, the World Health Organization now includes peer support services alongside community mental health care in its vision for modern, recovery‑oriented systems of care.
It’s seen as a vital bridge between medical treatment and everyday human connection.
At its heart, peer support has always aimed to:
So when I say peer support is about connection, I mean it’s part of a long, beautiful legacy of people helping people.
Nope. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions.
Counselors and therapists are trained to diagnose, treat, and offer clinical guidance. Peer support workers don’t do that. We come alongside people as equals.
The magic of peer support is that it’s rooted in shared experience, not hierarchy. It’s less “I’ll fix you” and more “I'll support you in hopes you're empowered to figure out what's right for you.”
This one comes up a lot, sometimes with a bit of skepticism behind it. Fair question.
Most peer support workers go through specialized training programs that cover ethics, boundaries, active listening, trauma-informed practice, and more. In my case, I also facilitate training for others, so I see both sides of the learning curve.
But honestly? The heart of the work doesn’t come from textbooks. It comes from lived experience.
Like any practice, training gives us tools to use that experience safely and effectively.
Great question, because it often looks different than people expect.
Sometimes it’s a one-on-one conversation. Sometimes it’s a group. Sometimes it’s walking with someone to an appointment, or brainstorming coping strategies, or just sitting in silence because words aren’t coming today.
There’s no script. The “doing” is shaped by the needs of the person in front of us. And that flexibility is part of what makes peer support powerful.
Yes. And...
Peer support doesn’t replace medical care or therapy, but it adds something unique. When I was at my lowest, the people who helped me most weren’t always the professionals. They were the ones who had been through something similar and could sit with me without judgment.
For a lot of people, that “me too” moment is what makes the serious stuff feel survivable.
I chuckle when this comes up, but it’s a real question.
Yes, peer support is a recognized profession. Some roles are volunteer-based, but many are now paid positions across hospitals, community organizations, and mental health services.
A recent 2024 study found that when organizations invest in proper induction, training, supervision, and career pathways for peer support workers, it not only strengthens their integration.
It also signals that these roles are valued, sustainable, and seen as part of the professional care team.
And it’s growing.
More and more systems are recognizing the value of lived experience as expertise. We’re not “extras” anymore, we’re part of the team.
The short answer: you don’t have to choose.
Peer support often works alongside therapy or medication.
The longer answer: peer support offers something those other tools can’t. Lived understanding. It’s the difference between someone saying “I studied this in school” and someone saying “I’ve lived it too.”
Both matter. Together, they can be life-changing.
Here’s what I’ve learned: the curiosity behind these questions is actually a good sign. It means peer support is still new enough to spark conversation. It means people are interested in different ways of caring for each other.
And at its heart, that’s what peer support is a reminder that we don’t have to go through the hard stuff alone.
If these questions sparked your curiosity, you might enjoy going a little deeper. I recently made a video that explores another side of this conversation: Who is peer support for? Spoiler — it’s probably for more people than you think.
You can watch it here → Who is Peer Support For?
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Until next time, I'm Jeff Turner and remember to take care of yourself, however that looks to you!