In 2021, when I was diagnosed with PTSD, I faced the reality that many people in rural and remote Australia already know: support is geographically, accessibly and financially often out of reach. In a state of despair and suicidality, out of necessity, I began building the digital resource I had been searching for. PTSD Peer Support came into being.
Accessibility, no cost, and ease were essential. I built a website and social media presence. The resource needed to be available 365 days a year, have online morning meetups to begin the day with wellness topics, conversation, and connection. June 2024, it went live, people with PTSD joined, numbers grew, and it has evolved into a trauma informed, recovery focused, strengths based community grounded in self-determination.
Participants observe the recovery process in each other to see that it is not linear. This nurtures self-compassion, compassion for others, patience, and willingness to persevere even when recovery feels challenging. Digital peer support complements conventional therapy, by helping people integrate positive lifestyle changes into daily life.
Through a digital platform, people with lived experience can act as collaborative partners with evidence based information creators. Peers who have integrated these strategies into their own lives become “recovery literacy translators,” communicating in plain language what has worked for them and communicating clinical concepts into tangible tools. Peers who began in acute distress are now supporting newcomers. This online model of peer support is accessible, effective and works.
Whether someone lives in the outback, rural towns, or a city, they can now access daily support and overcome isolation. People from across the globe seeking support have joined the meet-up. I have run this daily online platform from my rural home, the USA, NZ and the Nullarbor – from Myrtle Creek NSW grassroots to the world.