EP 37: Louise Nix on peer support, postnatal psychosis, and finding hope after trauma

Send us Fan MailIn this deeply honest episode of Shoulder to Shoulder, Cate is joined by Louise Nix, who reflects on the first moments of peer connection, how they helped her begin to heal, and how they led her into peer support roles.Louise shares her story of growing up with domestic abuse, to surviving an abusive relationship, to reaching a point of despair where life felt unbearable.  She describes how finding faith was a turning point for her, helping to restore a sense of worth and hope at a time when she felt lost.Years later, after the traumatic birth of her first child, Louise experienced postnatal psychosis, a frightening loss of reality followed by compulsory hospitalisation. Upon leaving hospital, there was little space to process what had happened.This is where peer support enters the story. Louise reflects on the first moments of peer connection, felt in the quiet power of another mother offering a cup of tea, listening without judgement, and saying you’re doing okay.  That human connection became the  foundation for healing.As a peer support worker, Louise now sits in the space between patients and professionals — breaking down the “them and us” divide, challenging stigma, and showing that recovery is possible, even after profound crisis.This conversation explores why peer based approaches within mental health services matter so deeply, especially for people who have been traumatised within these services. Louise speaks about peer support as hope in action: “I was where you are, and now I’m here.”You’ll hear about:Surviving postnatal psychosis and inpatient traumaThe lasting impact of restraint and loss of dignityWhy silence and stigma delay recoveryFinding healing through informal and formal peer supportBecoming a peer support worker after lived experiencePeer support as hope, not fixingChallenging the “them and us” culture in mental healthA message of reassurance for anyone who feels afraid or ashamedListen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.Show notes & resources:With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.ukListen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk