The journey has not been easy, there have been tears and fears. Fears and tears. But ultimately my now is substantially better than my past.

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I feel called to help other women, especially women of color, to have a better today and tomorrow.

 

The world isn’t built for the sensitive, the neurospicy, and those dealing with the effects of trauma. We need tools, we need space, we need people who get it, we need to be un-judged.

 

We need and deserve peace.

 

So here I am offering and helping where I can.

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What Is Peer Counseling?

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Peer counseling is two people working together who have similar conditions. Like a peer counselor who has bipolar working with a client who has schizophrenia. Different conditions, but plenty of overlap. The peer counselor will periodically (not often, this about the client, not them) discuss their experience with recovering from the challenges of a mental health condition and the tools they currently use to help themselves.

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The client gets the benefit of working with someone “who really gets them.” There’s this power imbalance that can happen in other therapeutic professions where clients can feel “talked down to” and “unheard.” Peer counseling is about two equals, with similar health challenges working together for the client’s best health.

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Peer counseling is NOT therapy. A peer counselor isn’t going to have the tools or skills to deal with a client’s complex trauma. Clinical psychologists go to school so long for a reason. Peer counseling isn’t generally about using dozens of therapeutic techniques for a particular goal (usually resolving a client’s narrative about a past trauma). It’s really about helping a client pick emotional and mental health management tools to deal with the barriers to living their life. Joyfully! Masterfully! Simply! Peacefully!

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So I said I was a peer counselor, which is mental health designation. I am a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (in the state of Illinois.) I’ve been trained on good listening skills, questions that help mentally remove barriers to healthy decision making, being trauma informed so re-traumatization doesn’t happen, and when it’s appropriate to share some of my experience in recovery.

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I’ve used these tools on clients dealing with anxiety, sleep issues, weighing pros and cons of a particular decision, and addiction. I personally deal with bipolar, anxiety, substance use disorder, and C-PTSD.

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How This Works

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We meet, usually 2 to 3 times a month on a pre-arranged day for 30 to 50 minutes to discuss your coping tools, learn new one’s, refine your approaches to various issues you may have, and most importantly just talk. Talk about what’s going on and then progressing to thinking and behavior that feels empowering by end of session.

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When something is beyond my skill set, I will refer out and let you know what I can do and what I can not. Good boundaries work both ways. We will be open and honest and have good boundaries with each other as respectful beings.

 

Your Decision

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So that’s the information I have for you to make a decision about whether peer counseling is something you’d like to try or if you’d like to try peer counseling from me.

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If you have additional questions feel free to email here.

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If you’d like a 20 minute consultation, schedule here.

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But if I can leave you with this:

“You are exactly who you’re supposed to be and exactly where you’re supposed to be and you’re beautiful as you are. Struggles don’t lesson your value or your worth - to anyone - but most especially to yourself. Spend time, love, and energy on you because you are worth it, now and forever."

-Santee

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Resources

Hey Peer - website to find other peers

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