Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. In peer support everyone's views and experiences are equally valued, no one is seen as the 'expert' in the relationship.

Peer support can be done through providing emotional support, social interaction or providing practical help. One of the benefit to peer support is how flexible it can be.

However, it should be kept in mind that peer support usually isn't carried out by a mental health professional.

• Support groups or self help groups

• One to one support

• Online forums

Before attending peer support, you might want to figure out if it is right for you.

It is normal to feel nervous about opening up to someone or to find it difficult to share your experiences. But remember, it is up to you how much you want to share and no one will make you share anything you don't want to.

Maybe hearing about someone else's experiences might be hard for you right now. It might be that our not in a good place emotionally and you are scared about how someone else's experiences might impact you. This is ok and you can say this at the start of your session and the person providing the peer support will be mindful of this.

It is important to remember that peer support is very different from the type of support you would receive from a counsellor. In peer support, you will hear another person's experiences. What worked for them might not work for you and that is ok. Read our guide to Peer Support here!