Peer support specialist

A peer support specialist uses their own lived experience of mental illness, addiction, or recovery to support others going through similar struggles. They offer encouragement, share coping strategies, model that recovery is possible, and help clients navigate treatment and social services — relating as someone who has been there rather than as a clinician.

Often certified through specialized training, they work in mental health programs, recovery centers, and hospitals, complementing professional care with authentic connection. The role suits people who want to turn their own recovery into a way of helping others, and it depends on the trust that comes from shared experience.