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Community Counseling Solutions Inc.David Romprey Oregon Warmline and Intentional Peer Support (IPS) by Shery Mead

Angel Prater503-319-6671chooserecovery@yahoo.comAngel@letsbridgetogether.com

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Is all Peer Support the same?There are many different kinds of

peer support and ways to practice peer support.

Different ways of “doing” peer support bring about different outcomes.

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Intentional Peer Support asks:

What are we here to do?Not

What are we here to stop?

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What Is Intentional Peer Support?IPS is a purposeful way of being in

relationship.

It requires deep self-reflection (What’s my agenda? What’s my assumption/bias?)

Curiosity and openness (How do you understand things? Honor other’s beliefs.)

Expectation of learning from each other (We both have much to learn, rather than I’m here to help you.)

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Intentional Peer Support is also…Purposefully focusing on Communication

and Relationship.

Support and Help go both ways in a mutual reciprocal relationship.

Both individuals learn and grow.

Each person is the ‘expert’ about themselves and together, in an IPS relationship, a new ‘story’ is created.

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Traditional Crisis ResponseCrisis Stabilization = Moving Away from

what you don’t want

Crisis Respite = Resting

Keeping people safe = Coercion

Skills to cope = Dealing with & maintaining status quo.

Problem Solving = Directing and advising

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How can we change what we’re currently doing?

Change our Fear Based conversations to conversations that

are Hope Based

Fear Based = Moving Away from what we don’t want.

Hope Based = Moving Toward what we do want!

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Fear-Based Response vs..Hope- Based Response

When we’re afraid we want to contain or control the situation. We want things to feel comfortable.

When we respond out of fear we take power.

Fear is sometimes generated by outside forces and stories (such as by our community).

A hope-based response means that you and the other person see an opportunity to learn and grow.

A hope-based response is contingent on both people’s needs

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Learning Vs HelpAssuming we are there to help assumes

there is a problem (disconnect)Sometimes we “help” based on our own

experience with help (worldview)Co-learning does not assume that either

one is there to teach (mutuality)An emphasis on learning assumes

growth (moving towards)

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The 4 Tasks

1. Connection2. Worldview3. Mutuality4. Moving

Toward

Overview of IPS trainingModule 1

◦ Learning vs. helping◦ The 4 tasks overview

Module 2◦ Worldview◦ Listening differently

Module 3◦ Trauma informed peer

support◦ Mutual responsibility

Module 4◦ Working in challenging

situations◦ Self care

Module 5◦ Co-supervision◦ Final projects

Module 6 (Oregon)◦ Consumer/survivor/ex-

patient Movement ◦ Charting Progress Notes◦ Confidentiality & HIPAA◦ Reporting Abuse & Neglect

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Connection

• Authenticity• Paying Attention• Honesty• Trust

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Connection

• A sense of belonging• We’re in it together• Builds trust which leads to learning for both people• Moves the focus away from the individual and into the relationship

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13 DisconnectsOrdering, directing

Cautioning

Wanting to make a difference

Arguing or lecturing

Telling people what they should do; moralizing

Being unaware of your power

Agreeing, approving, praising

Over relating

Interpreting or analyzing

Reassuring or sympathizing Questioning or probing

Withdrawing, joking or changing the subject

Steering the conversation, or pushing your own agenda

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WORLDVIEW

Told Story: Icing What is said/seen= Truth

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Untold Story: Cake Ingredients Contributors =Truth

• Ethnicity• Birth-order• Religion

• Culture etc.

WORLDVIEW

Mutuality: Re-defining helpLearning and growing together

Moving away from a “service” type relationship

It is only working if it is working for both of us

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Doing Mutual Responsibility

You Me

The relationship

Shared Responsibility

Moving TowardsWhen we’re moving away from

we’re focusing on problems

When we’re moving towards, we’re creating what we want

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Who is using IPS?Oregon-IPS is unique to other trainings in

Oregon and has been trained in at least 28 Oregon counties for various positions. Many have adapted IPS as their leading training for Peers as well as many traditional service staff.

For instance Clackamas County has trained many of their community members and clinical staff because it is known as a useful tool of communication in various areas of ones life (personal and professional).

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People all over Oregon using IPS!!

IPS

DROW

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Who is using IPS? (Cont)To name a few of the areas IPS is used in PDS are: All employees of the David Romprey Oregon Warmline Deschutes County- Hospital emergency rooms, peers centers and Warmline GOBHI region in various areas of PDS including but not limited to Warmline Telecare Corporation all crisis program staff Drop in centers WVP Health Authority Clinical staff and Peer Providers All IRON TRIBE members Portland State University Students NAMI members Crisis respite centers Youth programs (youngest trained thus far in Oregon is 13 years old) Senior programs Veterans Programs Faith based community programs Homeless and low income programs Addictions treatment programs Correctional programs And more…

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Uses of IPS outside of OregonIPS is used in at least 20 + US states

and is a leading National and International recognized training. It has been trained in China, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Japan to name a few.

It has been used to help the United Nations communicate and move towards what they want. This is a perfect demonstration of how universal it is.

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QuestionsAngel Prater 503-319-6671

www.communitycounselingsolutions.org

www.letsbridgetogether.org chooserecovery@yahoo.com