What is Peer Support, Really?

What actually counts as peer support?In this episode of Lived Experience Lounge, we explore the origins, evolution, and tensions within peer support in mental health. From grassroots activism and survivor-led movements to its integration into modern services, we ask: what makes peer support distinct, and what risks emerge as it becomes professionalised?We reflect on peer support as both a philosophy and a practice, rooted in shared experience, relational connection, and intentional storytelling. Is it defined by lived experience alone, or by the skills, boundaries, and values that shape how that experience is used?This becomes a conversation about power, connection, and care, and what happens when something deeply human meets a system that struggles to understand what peer support can offer.We discuss:The historical roots of peer support, from activism to modern servicesWhat defines a “peer” and who gets to claim that identityPeer support as relational practice vs professional roleThe tension between grassroots values and system integrationThe risks of commodification, burnout, and loss of authenticityWhy peer support is hard to measure, yet deeply impactfulThe role of training, boundaries, and intentional storytellingHow shared experience creates safety, connection, and possibilityLived Experience Lounge is an Imroc podcast hosted by Emma Watson, Danny Bowyer and Katie Mottram.Imroc is a mental health charity based in England focused on transforming systems and communities by centring lived experience. Its work spans peer support, recovery colleges, research and evaluation, community development, and relational approaches to care.To learn more, visit imroc.org or follow Imroc on LinkedIn.