Let Abilities Work Partnership Society

contributed by Stephen Ayer
The From Recovery to Discovery Peer Support Group is open to anyone affected by mental illness, either directly or indirectly.

The Group met Thursday, June 16th, 2011 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in Halifax at The Hub on 2nd Floor, 1673 Barrington Street. Those attending focused on the phases of recovery.

It was FREE! There is no admission charged.

Peer support is critical throughout the course of recovery, but ... the amount and type of support changes as one progresses through the phases of recovery. Discussion will focus on the following four questions:

1. What phase are you in?

2. How do you know what phase you are in?

3. Are you considering moving to the next phase?

4. What can help you to move to the next phase? (...Continued)
Phase 1 - Dependent/Unaware (Hope)

• Peer support is informal and tends to be centered around treatment agency/hospital programs and activities.
• Interaction with peers is often focused on mental illness rather than recovery.
• Clinical and family support is typically more important than peer support at this stage.

Phase 2 - Dependent/Aware (Empowerment)

• Peer support becomes more formal … likely to involve support from peers working in day/psychosocial programs and peer-run programs. Support at this level may also come via peer-to-peer classes.
• Focus begins to shift from mental illness to advocacy and recovery, which starts with a sense of empowerment.
• While clinical support is still critical in this stage, especially early on, peer support becomes more important as individuals approach the self-responsibility phase of their recovery.

Phase 3 - Independent/Aware (Self-Responsibility)

• Peer support takes on an equal, if not more important, role than clinical and/or family support. At this point in recovery, individuals are no longer dependent upon their treatment providers or peers.
• Peer support is far more likely to occur outside the formal treatment environment (e.g., agencies run by people who have experienced mental illness, self-help groups, peer friendships, etc.).
• People in recovery begin to give back … they become volunteer or paid staff; rather than being recipients of support, they begin providing the support.
• Peer support begins to occur in the community rather than the mental health system.

Phase 4 - Interdependent/Aware (Meaningful Role)

• Peer support occurs in the natural environment. Rather than being peers because of shared experiences with mental illness, individuals become peers based on shared interests … they become friends and engage in that friendship outside the mental health system.
• It is at this point that some people in recovery seek support though relationships with others in their community, including their place of employment.
• Individuals at this stage are the givers of support. Providing support becomes a meaningful role!

Adapted from: Reneé Kopache, Thelma Rist, and Lisa Oswald. Peer Support & Recovery: What Helps, What Hinders – When and How? Alternatives Conference Presentation, October 28, 2005.

The From Recovery to Discovery Peer Support Group is organized as a partnership between the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia and the Healthy Minds Cooperative. For further information contact Stephen Ayer at ssns@ns.sympatico.ca
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