How peer counseling can help you

As caregivers, it is vitally important that we stay positive, fresh, and focused as much as possible. The people we care for depend on us as a lifeline, so taking care of our physical, emotional, and mental health shouldn’t be overlooked.

Sharing your thoughts and feelings about being a caregiver and the stress it places on you is a good way to get some perspective and talk through any issues you might be having. Many people use counseling services or licensed therapists for this reason, but other more cost-effective options may also be worth considering.

One of the newest and increasingly popular alternatives to counseling services is peer counseling.

What is peer counseling?

Peer counselors have exceptional emotional intelligence and empathy – they are hired and trained specifically because of these qualities. They are there to listen to you, offer their perspective, and tell you their story to help you resolve your problems.

Many peer counselors have also been (or are currently) caregivers and have deep experience with the difficult decisions and situations that arise when you are fully responsible for caring for someone. Peer counselors may have been through therapy like CBT or DBT to deal with specific issues, or they may have used tools like mindfulness or journaling to try and come to terms with the relentless pressure that caregivers can face.

How peer counseling services can help you

A peer counselor doesn’t diagnose mental health conditions. They are there to listen to you, share their perspective and experience, and help equip you with tools and techniques to make your journey as a caregiver easier and happier.

Sharing the burden of your responsibilities with a kind, empathetic peer counselor can be enormously helpful.

Places like Peer Collective allow you to choose peer counselors who best suit your needs and profile. You can choose by gender, identity, sexuality, and ethnicity and look at each individual’s background to find someone to help you.

One of the great things about peer counseling is that it costs much less than therapy. A licensed therapist will cost $150/hr, whereas a peer counselor costs $28/hr – and your first 60 minutes at Peer Collective is 100% free.

Why peer counseling might be for you

Peer counseling doesn’t necessarily replace therapy or counseling services. Still, it provides immediate access to a safe, objective space for you to share problems and issues with someone trained to listen and help.

For caregiving, especially, it can be mighty because so much of what we go through is about supporting relationships – and that is where a peer counselor’s experience and own story can be so helpful.

Please visit Peer Collective today for an affordable, accessible alternative to counseling services.