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Category Archives: Information About Peer Specialists

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July 07 2015

Peer Support and Holistic Recovery

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Continuing Education, Information About Peer Specialists, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

Peer Support not only involves asking open, honest questions and listening, but it also involves modeling recovery.  The certification gained through training does not guarantee that the Peer Support Specialist will be able to effectively model recovery to an individual.  There are a few things that go into modeling recovery that a Peer Specialist may not think about, but are important.

 

An holistic approach to recovery by definition means that it involves the entire life of a person.  Community, family, body, spirit, and mind are interconnected in recovery, and in order to recover from a mental illness and/or substance abuse disorder, all must be considered important.  This is difficult to model and is a delicate balance to maintain.  The Peer Specialist must do so to prove recovery is possible.

 

How can a Peer Specialist maintain this challenge?  He or she can participate in community-based support groups or volunteer.  He or she can do yoga or meditation to balance the stress of the mind and body. A hobby is also a great way to deal with stress. If spiritual, attending church, or maybe just regularly praying, is an idea.  Eating a healthy diet and exercising is also a great way to model recovery.

 

All of the things listed above can be described to someone with whom the Peer Specialist is working.  Recovery isn’t just about leaving behind a drug or alcohol addiction; it encompasses the entire being and moves past the label of “mentally ill.”  We must take care of our mind, body, and spirit to move on to brighter days.  A Peer Specialist must try to model this to others

 

Rebecca Coursey, KPS
Peer Support Specialist

July 07 2015

Ethics and Peer Support

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Continuing Education, General Information, Information About Peer Specialists, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

A Kentucky Peer Support Specialist is not a clinical professional. The specialist goes through certification to perform the job, but that certification alone does not replace the years of studying and experience of therapists and psychologists. Although we are not clinical professionals by our certification alone, we still must follow ethical guidelines.

 

 

There are ethical violations that could cause conflict between the Peer Support Specialist, the patient, and the clinician.  One of these is medication suggestions.  The Peer Support Specialist, having a mental illness, has probably been on a lot of different kinds of medication.  In my case, the medication is working properly, but I must never disclose the type of medication I am on to the patient.  It can cause conflict between the patient and his or her psychiatrist.  Medication works differently for individuals.  Just because mine works, that does not mean it will stabilize someone else.

 

 

Another possible ethical violation is criticizing other clinical professionals around the patient.  This undermines the patient’s treatment.  It affects the patient’s ability to trust their doctor, which is important.   The Peer Specialist wants to avoid any negative talk about staff in general, unless it pertains to violations of a patient’s rights or safety. It is the Peer Specialist’s role to listen actively, so negative talk from the Specialist should not become a problem.

 

 

Accepting gifts, making promises one doesn’t keep, doing everything for them, and encouraging anger toward a family member or another person are other ways to cause possible harm in a Peer Support relationship.  Peer Support is a relationship between the Specialist and the patient based on mutual respect, and that respect includes the respect of other patients or those not present to defend themselves.  Although we aren’t “clinicians” so to speak, it is important to understand boundaries and conduct ourselves as professionals at all times.

 

 

I hope by this time, people have begun to get to know me a little as they’ve seen me with the patients.  It is a joy working with your patients, knowing that together we are truly making a difference in many lives.

 

 

Rebecca Coursey, KPS
Peer Support Specialist

 

June 06 2015

The Role of a Recovery Story in Peer Support

Author Susan Vaught Categories Continuing Education, Information About Peer Specialists, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

The sharing of one’s “Recovery Story” is the foundation upon what the rest of peer support is built.  A Recovery Story is the telling of the personal journey the Peer Support Specialist has been on in order to reach the point of health and integration into the community, or whatever “recovery” means to that person.  A Recovery Story is different than a story about one’s illness.

 

BrightA story simply about one’s illness concentrates on the negative aspects of mental illness and only about the struggles.  A Recovery Story shares the challenges faced, sometimes the tragedies, at times the struggles with symptoms or diagnoses, but it leads to a point of positive conclusion.  A Recovery Story shared gives hope to another individual, and lets another person know that one should never give up on the possibilities that life has to offer.

 

I share parts of my story every day; I share the good and the bad experiences.  I share the tragedies and the triumphs.  I share what I did or how I reacted in certain circumstances.  I tell about the symptoms that I exhibited in the most difficult times of my illness.  Sharing this story puts the other person at ease and lets them know it is okay to open up and talk about their own experiences.  Every once in a while, it may give another person hope that it is not only possible to get better, but it is expected that they will eventually live a full and productive life.

 

Rebecca Coursey, KPS
Peer Support Specialist

 

June 06 2015

The Role of Wellness Recovery Action Plans in Recovery

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Information About Peer Specialists, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

 

Wellness Recovery Action Plans or “WRAP” were developed by Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD, after years of research and her own personal fight with what was then called manic depression.  She learned coping skills which helped her begin to live a productive life, but not before experiencing hospitalizations and many trials and errors of medications.  Her struggles sound very familiar.  She developed a plan which outlined triggers, symptom monitoring, patient rights issues, and personal supports.

 

The WRAP is a tool which covers the key concepts of recovery: hope; personal responsibility; education; self-advocacy; and support.  One section of it is called the “Crisis Plan” and is extremely relevant to someone who finds him/herself hospitalized.  Sitting down with a patient and completing this plan puts a diagnosis in perspective.  It covers descriptions of when the patient is feeling well, symptoms that show that he or she may no longer be able to make decisions on his or her own, what person should take over at that time, and what person should NOT take over at that time.

 

The WRAP also covers patient right issues.  It goes over acceptable medications and unacceptable medications, asking also for reasoning.  The WRAP states treatments that are okay, facilities that are preferred if hospitalization is needed, and what the person needs his or her supporters to do if a hospitalization occurs.  It really covers everything that a person may not be able to communicate when in a crisis situation.

 

The WRAP is connected to a copyrighted workbook.  There are generic versions available.  If one were to make a basic outline with the issues discussed, that may be enough to help a person develop a plan for the future.

 

Rebecca Coursey, KPS
Peer Support Specialist

“Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”        SAMHSA

May 05 2015

Compassion Fatigue

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Information About Peer Specialists, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

As a Peer Support Specialist, I have to be very cautious about taking care of myself.  Yes, I am in recovery, but I am not cured. I still have what is considered a serious mental illness.  If I were to forget to take my medication for a few days or go without sleep, the symptoms of Bipolar could return.  Stress is also a major factor.  Therapy while working in a full-time job position is very important to my health.

 

I recently attended a conference for Peer Support Specialists across the state.  I attended a workshop entitled, “Compassion Fatigue.”  Occupations in which people must work with those who are experiencing trauma can experience this.  Emergency room nurses, mental health clinicians, social workers, Peer Support Specialists, and other fields in which compassion is a constant job requirement can experience Compassion Fatigue.  One woman told her story of such an experience.

 

Some of the symptoms of this fatigue, according to the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project, are “apathy, bottled up emotions, substance abuse, and isolation from others.” In an organization or institution, the fatigue can result in:

  • High absenteeism
  • Constant changes in co-workers relationships
  • Inability for teams to work well together
  • Desire among staff members to break company rules
  • Outbreaks of aggressive behaviors among staff
  • Inability of staff to complete assignments and tasks
  • Inability of staff to respect and meet deadlines
  • Lack of flexibility among staff members
  • Negativism towards management
  • Strong reluctance toward change
  • Inability of staff to believe improvement is possible
  • Lack of a vision for the future

 

When I first began seeing my therapist, he said I came into his office in terrible shape.  The point is…I got better, but it took work.  Therapy is awesome and I think anyone can benefit.  I definitely have, and I talk about how it helped me to my peers, (the patients), in the hospital.

 

Rebecca Coursey, KPS
Peer Support Specialist

 

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