On peer support training: A behind-the-scenes look at why I created the program
Dr. Robin LaBarbera • May 24, 2024
People have asked how the peer support training program came to be. It really boils down to four things.
Those four things are:
- Some people want help with their own mental health and well-being but hesitate to see a licensed psychologist.
- Another group of people have the skills and want to help others achieve greater mental health and well-being, but they hesitate to embark on the lengthy schooling process necessary for becoming a licensed psychologist.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works in a variety of situations (especially reentry).
- Few peer support training programs explicitly include CBT principles in their curriculum.
To turn the first two challenges into a workable solution, I created a tool to train people with lived experience to implement CBT. A trained peer support specialist can implement CBT to educate clients on healthy coping strategies—voila. My solution!
Helping clients cope with challenging situations, set goals, understand thoughts, and change behaviors using problem solving strategies that work is a viable solution that solves both challenges!
People with lived experience get to serve their peers who might not otherwise get the mental health and well-being support they need.
Let me provide some facts that lead me to create my innovative peer support specialist training:
1. Some people hesitate to see a licensed therapist.
- Nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. live with a mental health concern, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH).
- Suicidal ideation continues to increase in the U.S. among adults. Approximately 5% of adults reported having serious thoughts of suicide (Mental Health America).
- A growing percentage of youth in the U.S. live with major depression. Roughly 15% of youth experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. In some states, the rate is as high as 19% (MHA).
- Rates of substance use are increasing for youth and adults. Almost 8% of adults and just over 4% of youth had a substance use disorder in the past year.
- Despite such widespread problems, over half of adults with mental illness do not receive treatment, which is over 27 million adults in the U.S. who go untreated, and Over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive mental health care. Even among youth with severe depression who receive some treatment, only 27% received consistent care (MHA).
2. Some people hesitate to endure formal psychology training (but they still want to help).
- Psychiatrist, psychologists, therapists, and counselors provide much-needed services, but sometimes local resources are overstretched or unavailable in times of immediate need.
- Some individuals may not feel able to connect with professional providers. That is where a peer support specialist can help. Having been in the same position as their client, they have found useful ways to beat addiction or cope with mental health challenges. Peer specialists provide valuable insights into healing.
- A client can often bond with a peer support specialist in a way that might not be possible with someone who hasn’t been through the same crisis. A friendly relationship may be easier to form for clients who can identify with their support providers, making it easier to share their feelings.
- Entering the mental health field can appear daunting due to the education and expenses required to become a psychologist or therapist. Fortunately, a rewarding career as a peer support specialist is an option that is much more accessible, and those who take this route can help others navigate their mental health and well-being challenges.
- Becoming a peer support specialist could be a life-giving career choice for many. A shared experience with patients serves as the foundation to connect with those on a similar journey, helping them better understand their condition and thrive.
3. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works in a variety of situations (especially reentry).
- Since I developed this training program, we’ve specialized in the re-entry field, serving those returning to their community after incarceration. Put simply, CBT, according to research, helps end the cycle of reincarceration.
- The problem: Despite the U.S. spending upwards of $80 billion per year on incarcerating people, it usually fails at rehabilitation. Of the 600,000 people released from prisons each year in our country, 67% of them are re-arrested within three years, and within nine years, it’s 83%.
- A solution: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Through CBT, people are taught to identify and manage thoughts that contribute to emotional problems, altering their behavior in the process. CBT is a highly effective treatment for depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. It has also been shown to reduce violence and other criminal behavior across populations and settings.
- CBT has been found to be effective with juveniles and adults who are part of the criminal just system (incarceration, probation, parole, reentry). “It is effective in various criminal justice settings, both in institutions and in the community, and addresses a host of problems associated with criminal behavior. For instance, in most cognitive behavioral therapy programs, offenders improve their social skills, means-ends problem solving, critical reasoning, moral reasoning, cognitive style, self-control, impulse management and self-efficacy" (NIJ Journal No. 265, April 2010, p. 22).
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)–based programs delivered by trained community members could improve reentry success in individuals who lack access to such programs.
4. Few peer support training programs include CBT principles in the curriculum.
- Peer specialists have the unique opportunity to use their lived experience while implementing CBT, which can enhance engagement among participants. But we know of very few who offer CBT training to peer support specialists
- Some training programs offer partial CBT components in their curriculum, but do not include core elements such as cognitive restructuring (NCBI).
- Those who do offer CBT training do not offer it online in a self-paced, engaging format taught by a uniquely qualified professor with dual doctorates in education and social work.
Our program is the innovative solution: Peer-delivered cognitive behavioral training.
We offer a digital learning solution that equips you with the specialized skills you need to transform your experiences into practical, supportive services that help others forge their own path to well-being utilizing the principles of CBT. You can start anytime and learn at your own pace on any device (desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone). Learn more.
If you’re interested in helping people who experience mental health or substance use disorders better understand their challenges and thrive, read more about becoming a peer support specialist with our online peer support specialist training, which can lead to certification in your state (check your state’s requirements first).
You might like this article: Why should you become a peer support specialist?
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