This Master’s thesis describes the journey of a Mental Health Peer Worker (MHPW), and how a MHPW builds working relationships. It appears there is an ‘us and them’ mentality in the mental health system, however when identifying as peers, as ‘us’, acceptance and connections are built readily.
This motivation for connection, stems from isolation and loneliness, with peer relationships built on validation, empathy and resilience. The MHPW will identify strengths and bring to light the incredible resilience that is dismissed through lack of trust in oneself. Resilience is also required by the MHPW, in order to sustain the challenging relationship
Differences in the working relationships of other mental health professionals compared to the MHPW, includes boundaries, and the ability and desire to build connection. As a professional, we are told that ‘clients are not your friends’, and yet from the perspective of the person being supported, we appear as their ‘friend’, having the MHPW stuck in a ‘messy’ situation where boundaries are required to be flexible enough to allow a ‘peer friendship’ to develop; allowing the importance of this connection to be realised.
It is the recovery process of the peer that is unique in this field of mental health. Life experiences are connection points, and MHPW’s share the constant journey of overcoming, through self-education. However, due to the stigma that still surrounds mental health, not all MHPW’s are comfortable revealing their lived experience. Working in the field are ‘undercover peers’ that refuse to identify as a ‘peer’ due to their own self stigma, perhaps afraid of what the cost of revealing their own mental health secret will entail.
In conclusion, peer work has been described as ‘messy’, but it is just different. Different to the medical model and the way society posits ‘them’ as the experts.