We are a community of advocates, supporters, leaders, and innovators. Above all these things we are first and foremost, we are unique. It is our lived experience and how we use it to move forward in our own lives that define us, not a title or certification.

For those of us who make the choice to help others in this world we need to be trained in core values. We need an understanding of how to use our own experiences and form a meaningful connection with the people we support. In Connecticut, for more than a decade, we have had the option to be trained by instructors who are themselves peers in recovery. Our testing and certification was done through a respected peer run organization and for many people this was seen as how it should be, peers leading peers.