What does it mean to be a Peer Support Specialist?

At The Cascade Peer and Self Help Center, we are proud to support our clients using a unique module of therapeutic assistance. This module is called Intentional Peer Support.

Intentional Peer Support, or IPS is based on the principle of staff reflecting their own learning and growth experiences, while at the same time learning and growing from interactions with clients. It is a process of sharing and growing with one another.

Staff at The Cascade Peer and Self Help Center are known as Peer Support Specialists, because they also are going through their own recovery. Staff members are therefore able to provide a deeper level of empathy to our clients than other individuals who do not share the same mental health, addiction or other therapeutic struggles.

This empathy sets the tone for the loving and family like environment the peer center provides. We do not judge - because we ourselves have gone through the challenges similar to those our clients face. We also believe we "all equals" as we are peers - no one is better than another person at the center. We all are working hard towards health, happiness, and long term recovery success.