1 The emergence of the recovery paradigm
For a long time, serious psychiatric diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and recurrent major depression were seen as life sentences. The international recovery movement radically changed that view: it is possible to live a rich, independent life full of meaning and plans while learning to manage psychological vulnerability. The peer supporter, also known as a peer health mediator, is a professional who has experienced mental illness, achieved lasting stability and completed specific university training to place experiential knowledge at the service of others.
2 An equal relationship without medical asymmetry
The presence of a peer supporter immediately defuses stigma and isolation: they are living proof that recovery is possible. In hospitals or service user associations, they facilitate discussion groups, jointly develop individual crisis plans with patients, such as the Wellness Recovery Action Plan, or WRAP, and thoughtfully share strategies that helped them manage anxiety or treatment side effects.
3 A humanistic bridge between clinicians and those receiving care
As members of multidisciplinary teams, peer supporters help physicians and nurses better understand patients' personal perspectives. They defend the dignity of those receiving care, promote informed consent to treatment and restore the courage to become the principal authors of their own lives again.
4 An ethical stance: sharing experience without replacing medical knowledge
Peer supporters observe rigorous ethics: they do not prescribe medication, make diagnoses or challenge medical opinions. Their contribution is complementary, offering a warm, companionable presence that humanises hospital care and rekindles hope where despair had extinguished everything.