As a peer supporter, it is inevitable that things will happen in your work with others that will open up old wounds from your past. Many of the courses in the Academy talk about the importance of self-care. In your work as a peer supporter, we urge you to be sure you have your own supporters (friends, family, peers, spiritual counselors, professionals, or others you know) – people you trust who can help you through those inevitable times of revisiting old wounds.
Resilience is a person’s ability to overcome adversity. Most of us have heard of post-traumatic stress disorder. But many of us have also experienced post-traumatic growth, which is an awareness of all that has been gained through one’s struggles with adversity.
This short video introduces resilience and post-traumatic growth.
A peer supporter’s greatest gift is the ability to share from personal experience not only the struggle, but what has been gained. That is what gives hope to others.
In your practice of self-care, be sure to include people who can support you and encourage you to recognize post-traumatic growth in yourself and others so that you can continue to give that gift to others.
Rita Cronise / VC Coordinator
Source: http://trauma-recovery.ca/resiliency/what-is-resiliency/
