Peer Collaboration Call 5/9/2016
Stacy Marinelli and Robert Ackerlind from Benton County facilitated the call this month discussing the importance of peer delivered services.
Attendees:Jason Morrow Marion County; Christi Lindsey Laurel Hill Center; Jenn from Polk County; Kacie Jones; Cierra; Sierra Morgan Linn County
Why Peer Support work is so important? This topic is big on my heart. Our values as peers is incredibly important and greatly impacts the people we work with.
Stacey offered these valuable contributions of the role of the peer:
1)We have a unique role and ability to connect in a way that others cannot
2)We offer hope and empowerment
3)We offer insight on what it is like to have mental health challenges
4)We help change the mental health system in addition to supporting individuals receiving services. Just by showing up we keep mental health system in check (for example, by modeling and consulting with the team about - using person - first language, etc.)
5)The work we do keeps people well and out of the hospital
6)The work we do is cost effective and evidence based
7)We are relatable, empathetic, good listeners
8)No schooling is more valuable than lived experience
9)We share personal stories
10)We teach coping skills
11)We challenge people to meet their personally important goals
12)We are guiders, coaches, companions, walking side by side with people and often setting goals and accomplishing goals along side them
13)We look at our peers eye to eye and without shame
14)We are a growing bunch that keep our heads held high
15)We are a strong asset, our work is vital in the mental health system, we have to remember how far we have come and all that we have to give
Jason shared the IMR model as an important tool to help people accomplish their goals
I reinforce, support and let them know how much I care by listening and encouragement.
I find that people are often surprised when I listen to them and use responsive listening- they are often not used to getting treated with this kind of dignity
There are peers I have been working with for over one year and now we can really connect and share and they really open up – it is beautiful.
Question to the group for discussion: What makes our connection (peer connection) so special?
I think it is the shared experience and knowledge we have been there and walked in their shoes. We have been through the system. Now we are in a position to help them too.
I really believe in self direction- define what they want in their own recovery. Not living up to provider expectations but setting their own expectations.
Have any peers been to college? Does the education or schooling add to your knowledge- does it change your approach or do your job?
I have AA degree in Social Work and taken psychology 101 and 102, but the education doesn’t really effect the way I approach people or work with people.
When I was in college, I didn’t have my first mental health challenges yet. I remember that the symptoms I was experiencing was what I was learning in college- I was learning about psychosis as I was experiencing it first hand.
I find on-going training in trauma helpful in my work because so many of our peers have trauma in their lived experience. Learning the empathetic listening skills.
I work in the psych unit in Corvallis. I connect with people in the hospital, I do art, play piano, do drumming with them. I will share about peer groups and continue to build relationships with them. A lot of them will come on to the ACT team- and a lot of them when they meet the ACT team for the first time recognize me and it builds trust with me and the whole team and you can see their relief that they know me. We can’t always see our influence and effect on people as peers – I think we just need to keep it up.
Building trust when working with people in the hospital- I think is important. I wish I had someone to connect with when I was in the hospital. I didn’t want to be in the hospital – all I wanted to do was sleep- I didn’t want to be there but eventually trusted the nurses and doctors and eventually went to groups and it helped.
I went into the hospital when I was homeless, I needed that stability at that time, I was really sick, and being in the hospital was stabilizing. I haven’t had the negative experiences in the hospital as some folks have had.
What about homelessness and the increase in homelessness among our peers?
I think that modeling recovery is important because peers often don’t think that they can recover.
Is this true: We as peers we model recovery just by being with them?
I sure hope that this is true- because sometimes I connect with people each week but I don’t feel like I am getting anything out of it. I think sometimes it just takes a long time for people to be ready to change. But I just think by our nature of being us as human beings- I think our peers are looking to us- seeing us and mimic our behavior or they naturally are influenced by our being positive with them; they see something positive that they might want to emulate. But sometimes it is hard to tell the impact we are having- some folks don’t seem to be phased by our presence, or it takes them along time to express themselves.
What about sharing personal stories? How do you share your lived experience?
I like to share related to what they are experiencing at the time. One person has been trying to get on Social Security. I have shared my experience of working and also receiving social security benefits. I share experiences that are relevant to what the person is experiencing at the time.
How about ways we provide empowerment and support?
We go to court with them, we meet with landlords. I went to the jail to see someone who was incarcerated for a probation violation. I have my own panic attacks being locked in the jail- I was managing in order to be supportive to others.
I go to the psych unit- and my boss said if I ever feel triggered about going there- then I don’t have to go or come talk to her. I like to be in a challenging environment, but I have to check myself and make sure it is not too intense for me and doesn’t negatively impact my own mental health.
I think we can bring a lot of hope and skills by teaching coping skills. I will ask them about what has been successful for them in the past that has initiated self healing. Instead of using coping skills might normalize the language even more- what makes you “feel better”
Companionship is a level of friendship because it is a close togetherness or fellowship- you are naturally going to develop a friendship when working closely with people.