Why Is Lived Experience Helpful?

Lived experience, especially in the context of Peer Support, refers to the personal experience.  Throughout their own journey, they have gained insights that can play a foundational role in the support of others:

1. Trust and Relatability:

• When someone has walked a similar path, it can immediately foster a sense of trust and understanding. The shared experience forms a bond that is not easily replicated in other therapeutic relationships.

2. Breaking Down Stigma:

• Lived experience can be a living testament to the fact that recovery is possible. Challenging stigmatizing stereotypes and demonstrating that individuals can and do recover from mental health concerns and challenges to go on to live full and happy lives.

3. Offering Real-world Insight:

• Beyond clinical understanding, people with lived-experience can bring in real-world insights into coping mechanisms, strategies, and resources. This can offer hope and practical advice to those they’re supporting.

4. Empathy:

• Empathy is at the core of peer support. The genuine understanding and emotional resonance stemming from lived experience can provide comfort and validation in ways that clinical interventions might not always achieve.

5. Promotion of Hope:

• Seeing someone who has faced similar challenges and is now in a position to support others can be incredibly inspiring. It instills hope and a belief that recovery, while unique to each person, is attainable.

6. Reducing Isolation:

• One of the significant feelings that many individuals with mental health challenges describe is the sense of isolation, feeling that no one understands their pain or struggle. Connecting with someone with a similar journey can help alleviate this profound sense of aloneness.

7. Empowerment:

• Peer Supporters, having navigated the challenges themselves, often emphasize the importance of self-advocacy, empowerment, and taking charge of one’s own recovery journey.  They can provide tools and resources that support others in their quest for their own best mental health.

8. Enhanced Communication:

• Sometimes, individuals might struggle to articulate their feelings, experiences, or challenges. A Peer Supporter, with lived experience, might be better positioned to recognize and understand these unspoken nuances.

9. Flexible and Individualized Support:

• Given their personal experience, Peer Supporters might be more adaptable in their approach, adjusting based on what they recognize as beneficial or harmful from their journey.

10. Feedback to Services:

• Peer Supporters can also play a crucial role in informing mental health services and providers about the needs, preferences, and challenges of those with lived experience. They bring a unique perspective that can be instrumental in shaping more effective and compassionate services.

While lived experience provides a robust foundation for peer support, it’s essential to remember that it’s not the only requirement. Effective Peer Supporters also undergo formal training to channel their experiences constructively and maintain appropriate boundaries, ethics, and professionalism.