What Is Peer Support? (And Do You Need to Be Certified?)

In a world that often pushes us to “power through,” peer support offers something radical: a space to pause, be witnessed, and feel deeply human; without being pathologized or “fixed.”

At its heart, peer support is one person walking alongside another through life’s hard moments. It’s based on shared humanity, not hierarchy. The person offering support doesn’t claim to be an expert on your life; they’re simply someone who has lived through struggle, held pain, made meaning, and is now holding space for others to do the same.

Peer Support vs. Therapy: What’s the Difference?

Let’s be clear: peer support isn’t therapy. It doesn’t diagnose, treat, or offer clinical advice.

Instead, it creates a relational space for emotional reflection, nervous system grounding, and connection. It’s less about analyzing and more about being with. You’re not a “client” or “patient.” You’re a human navigating something hard—and you don’t have to do it alone.

What Does Certified Peer Support Mean?

In many states, Certified Peer Support Specialists (PSS) are trained professionals with lived experience of mental health challenges, substance use recovery, trauma, or disability. They complete approved training programs, often through the Department of Behavioral Health or a peer-run organization, and follow ethical guidelines set by that state or program.

Certification usually includes:

• 40+ hours of trauma-informed training

• Supervised practice or mentorship

• Ongoing education and community participation

• A formal code of ethics

• Eligibility to work in clinical, community, or government settings

Certified peer support is often used within systems like hospitals, schools, or treatment centers, and is becoming more recognized as a legitimate and effective support model.

Do You Need to Be Certified to Offer Peer Support?

Not necessarily.

If you’re offering non-clinical, clearly labeled peer-based emotional support—and you're transparent about what you're offering and not offering - you can ethically offer peer support in community or private practice spaces, especially as an independent practitioner.

Why Peer Support Matters Now More Than Ever

We’re in a collective moment of burnout, grief, and awakening. So many people are “holding it together” in public, but unraveling in private. Therapy isn’t accessible to everyone. And not everyone wants to be pathologized. Sometimes, people just need a soft place to land.

They need someone to say:

“I’ve been there. You’re not alone. Let’s walk through this together.”

That’s what peer support offers.

At The Rooted Intuitive...

I offer trauma-informed, peer-based emotional support for deeply feeling humans in transition: breakups, awakenings, identity shifts, motherhood, and more.

If you’ve ever said, “I don’t think I need therapy—I just need someone who gets it,” peer support might be what you’ve been looking for.

Explore sessions, text-based support, or reach out with questions. You don’t have to walk through it alone.

The only way out is through.– The Rooted Intuitive