Resilience & Renewal As We Rise By Lifting Others
Define & Refine Peer Support in 2025
By: Cherie Castellano
Post Covid, an unprecedented number of people suffering from mental health and addiction issues combined with our behavioral health provider shortage across the country created a perfect storm for peer support expansion. For decades, the ICISF has led the world in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) services that are culturally competent for first responders offering advanced training as the ultimate peer support postvention service provision in the world. Since that time it has become clear to me that defining peer support is often a challenge amongst first responders, civilians and behavioral healthcare providers now embracing crisis response and peer support more than ever in our country.
In 2023, Dr Everly and I created “Crisis Informed Peer Paracounseling” a peer intervention designed to fill the gap in the CiSM continuum after a crisis debriefing group to offer 1:1 peer support when providers are not available but connection should be sustained. For over 26 years, I have been fortunate to have created and led more than twenty peer support programs for police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, caregivers, nurses, child welfare workers and moms of special needs children as well as several other high risk populations in need of peer support.
In my first article “Reciprocal Peer Support: A Not So Random Act Of Kindness”, it described a decade of first responder peer support insights about structured tasks highlighting how we provide peer support and experience positive emotions and renewed resilience. The impact of providing peer support is real as we rise by lifting others.
In a book I co-authored with Dr. Everly, we offered 9/11 lessons learned in our “Ten Commandments of Psychological Counterterrorism“ and it resonated in my recent crisis response peer program for The National Police of Ukraine to address complex trauma. In the wake of the war in Afghanistan a military veteran based peer support application for Yellow Ribbon transition events was effective as a large group crisis management briefing adaptation for OEF/OIF returning soldiers.
Following the mass shooting in Vegas, the Route 91 survivors needed peer support so we collaborated with community leaders to create a “Trauma informed Peer Model” to navigate incident specific trauma. Two years ago, my family and I lost our home in a house fire and I needed a way to connect to survivors so I adapted to create “ Survivor Informed Peer Support” specifically tailored to survivors of traumatic events and specialty populations like first responders. Most recently I partnered with grief experts to establish a grief based peer support model by integrating the TAPS bereavement model stages; Safety & stabilization, healthy grief journey and meaning making into my Survivor Informed Peer Support model to customize peer based emotional support for military family loss survivors at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. Meanwhile as floods and fires rage in Tennessee and California I have been privileged to see leaders in peer/crisis support from the Northern Tennessee Disaster Strike Team and Cal Fire’s Peer response units redefine their existing peer service support with innovation and a revised approach to healing using peer based practices in the wake of disasters. Where do we begin to find renewal and resilience as we offer peer support in our communities and agencies in the year ahead? At Volunpeer (my non-profit), to ensure those in need can give and grow peer support, I have established lessons learned to create the “Volunpeer Commandments for Effective Peer Support”.
Volunpeer Commandment Number One
Define the peer support needed. Ask yourself is peer support prevention, intervention or Postvention? Ask is my team or intervention “Culturally competent “ and able to respond to the various levels of care needed? Are my clinical and mutual aid resources needed? Do not use a “ cookie cutter” approach or what worked for you years ago. DEFINE the peer support need
Volunpeer Commandment Two
Refine your peer support service provision. Whether it is team members , follow up options, or community connections refine your peer support specific to those you are serving
Volunpeer Commandment Three
Review best practices – SAMShA ,ICISF, IACP, IAFF, 988 , and the APA all have peer support best practice guidelines with superb detail and evidenced based practice and research to guide your peer support work.
Volunpeer Commandment Four
Ensure Clinical Partners w/peer support experience. Partner with clinicians who either are first responder or military or have extensive experience working with your populations to offer comprehensive wrap around care as needed. Peer support is not better or worse than clinical care, it is an enhancement or way to fill a service gap.
Volunpeer Commandment Five
Embed a Resilience or Wellness model into your approach. Whether you are responding in a crisis or disaster, integrate follow up access to resilience or wellness material or resources.
Volunpeer Commandment Six
Establish Peer Support for your peer supporters- Ensure from recruitment through transition your peer team members have outlets and access to peer support for each other to ensure self care and avoid compassion fatigue.
Volunpeer Commandment Seven
Use a data informed approach to peer support- Research who you serve, unique aspects of the crisis or disaster you are responding to in every response.
Volunpeer Commandment Eight
Assess your personal Resilience Skills in each peer intervention – Using Seligmans six skills of resilience; self awareness, self regulation, mental agility, connection, optimism and strength of character to assess your best and worst resilience skill.
Volunpeer Commandment Nine
Adapt a variety of peer connections – Consider peer support phone, text, live chat, online, in person, group, and of course all CISM interventions and models with each new request. Expanding ways to offer peer support in whatever way possible offers shared lived experience and connection.
Volunpeer Commandment Ten
Boundaries- No “ Peers gone wild!” Stay in your lane In the hyper vigilance of the disaster response or crisis need. Avoid temptation and do not get lured into doing more than you’re capable of due to a “ selfless servant” mentality. Although many peers are heroic first responders in their everyday lives, saying “ no” and finding the best possible resource even when it’s not your team will ensure the most effective peer intervention every time.
We all have limits, triggers, and life circumstances that can contaminate our efforts and impact the quality of the peer support we offer. If you are not the best person or team to help, find out who is and make the connections to ensure healing and peer connections. My life has been immersed in peer support for decades as it transforms lives, comforts those in need, combats isolation and allows us to use our shared lived experience to serve others. Let’s keep rising as we lift others, connected as peers in service to others.
Cherie Castellano, along with Dr. George Everly, will be presenting their course “Crisis Informed Peer Paracounseling: Intervention Enhancement to the CISM Continuum“ to participants in Pre-Congress and as part of the ICISF Approved Candidate Program at World Congress 18: Resolve to Evolve. Learn More: www.icisfworldcongress.org
Contact Information:
Cherie Castellano
www.volunpeer.us
551-312-7578