Chard Intentional Peer Support group

The Group describes itself like this:

"Intentional peer support is peer support with an intention of moving towards what you value in life as steps towards your own recovery.

People naturally support each other when someone is going through emotional distress. Intentional peer support capitalizes on this natural phenomena and tries to augment it and make it more productive and helpful.

Peer support is not like clinical support and it is more than just being friends.

In peer support we understand each other because we have ‘been there’, shared similar experiences and can model for each other a willingness to learn and grow.

We come together with the intention of changing unhelpful patterns, getting out of ‘stuck’ places and building relationships that are respectful, mutually responsible and potentially mutually transforming.

Instead of taking care of each other and thinking of each other as ‘ sick’, in Peer Support we build a sense of family and community that is mutually responsible and focused on recovery and social action.

(Shery Mead 2007) http://www.mentalhealthpeers.com/
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Our Mission Statement

* Provide mutual support and care
* Form relationships that enable us to learn and grow together
* Help one another to access agencies for information and facilities
* Reduce our isolation by social interactions amongst ourselves and the community
* Learn to challenge our existing beliefs to help us move forward
* Encourage education and training"
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Julie Matthews, a co-ordinator with the group says:

"Diversity – meaning difference

When thinking about what has helped me in my recovery the first word that springs to mind is Diversity.

I was very fortunate indeed some three years ago to go on some excellent training for service users to learn about Intentional Peer support. This training run by Shery Mead and Chris Hansen from America was inspiring and has started me on a road of recovery not only for myself but for others.

The most inspiring thing that happened to me on this training was being around people likeminded and supportive. Not being judged and being in a place where I could learn at a pace that I could cope with.

During this inspiring week there was a role play by the trainers that gave an example of how we are all different. I learnt that we are always trying to fit people into our world or we are being forced into fit into another person’s world.

I have learnt we are all so different, even a brother and sister brought up in the same environment can be so different. The world seems to be fighting at getting each other to fit in each others boxes.

I am now part of an Intentional Peer Support Group in Chard and after three years of running I think we are all beginning to realize that we need to learn a lot about eachother, learn about how different we are, value each others opinions, respect each other’s beliefs. It is fascinating watching us all develop into a mutual group that are unfolding, albeit challenging at times but rewarding.

My recovery has progressed no end by being in a respectful space of validation where I can find my path, no criticisms or judgments, a place to breath. I am beginning at last to be a round peg in a round hole."
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CHARD INTENTIONAL PEER SUPPORT GROUP
Forefront Community Centre
42 Fore Street                
Chard
Somerset
TA20 1QA
Tel: 07506 238540
Office: 01460 261264 - Wednesday mornings only
Email:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it