The Importance of Peer Support
Have you ever thought that you are the only person going through a specific struggle or hardship? I think that most of us have. In fact, all too often I hear that people feel like they are alone in their struggles until someone else shares their story or their journey, and poof, it's like a magic door is opened and we realize that we are not alone.
Peer support is designed to be a safe space for inclusive community gatherings and meaningful social interactions. It gives people the space to share their unique story so that others can learn and find healing.
The Mountain Strong Peer Support Network which is made up of behavioral health partners across Eagle County, including SpeakUp ReachOut, is designed to provide support for individuals through shared lived experience and community connection on their journey for mental wellness and recovery. Starting in late March and early April, Speak Up ReachOut is launching seven new peer support groups in our community.
SpeakUp ReachOut’s trained peer support leads are members of our community who have their own lived experience related to the groups they will be facilitating. Each lead completed training through the CU Anshultz Medical Campus’s Johnson Depression Center. Some topics that will be addressed include mental health, trauma, chronic pain and health conditions, substance misuse, sexual abuse, grief, suicide attempt and suicide loss. There will also be groups to help cope with everyday stressors and a group specifically for men.
Visit www.speakupreachout.org/community-meetings to find the one for you.
According to Mental Health America, peer support has existed in behavioral health for decades. Research and experience show that peer support specialists have a transformative effect on both individuals and systems. Peer support is recognized as an evidence-based practice for individuals with mental health conditions or challenges. Quantitative and qualitative evidence indicates that peer support has been shown to:
Improve quality of life,
Improve engagement and satisfaction with services and supports,
Improve whole health, including chronic conditions like diabetes,
Decrease hospitalizations and inpatient days, and
Reduce the overall cost of services
Implementing connectedness strategies in Eagle County is one of the main pillars of the Colorado National Collaborative for Suicide Prevention, which is the prevention strategy that SpeakUp ReachOut is using in Eagle County. By implementing connectedness strategies, the County will increase the protective factors in order to reduce isolation, loneliness, suicide attempts and death.