Intentional peer support (IPS) is a way of thinking about and being in purposeful relationships. In IPS, we use the relationship to look at things from new angles, develop a better awareness of personal and relational patterns, and to support and challenge each other in trying new things. IPS is different from traditional service relationships because it doesn’t start with the assumption of “a problem.” Instead, people are taught to listen for how and why each of us has learned to make sense of our experiences, then use the relationship to create new ways of seeing, thinking, and doing. At the end of the day, it is really about building stronger, healthier communities.
Funding for this initiative was made possible by grant no. 1H79TI083022 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
