According to the United States’ Center for Disease Control (ᴄᴅᴄ), over half of all people will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. It's therefore highly likely you will meet or have met someone who is struggling with mental health. However, how to best support someone struggling with their mental health is not something most of us are taught in school. If you'd like to gain the skills necessary to best support colleagues, friends, or even strangers, a peer support training program is a good place to start. ​There are a number of programs to choose from. We've put this list together (in no particular order) to help you find one that works best for you.

​

1. Mental Health First Aid USA

 

Topics Covered: Depression and mood disorders, Anxiety disorders, Trauma, Psychosis, Substance Use disorders. Teaches about recovery and resiliency—the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better and use their strengths to stay well. 

 

URL: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/

 

2. Mental Health First Aid International

​

Provides you with the skills to provide emotional support, and in a crisis, help someone stay safe and find help.

 

URL: https://mhfainternational.org/

​

3. 7 Cups Listener Training

​

Self-paced online training. Recommended as a fairly high ROI if you don't already know much about active listening skills.

​

URL: https://www.7cups.com/listener/become-a-volunteer-listener.php

​

4. Crisis Text Line Training

​

There's a training textbook, if you'd prefer to review the materials yourself instead of signing up for the program.

​

URL: https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2019/12/04/how-to-become-a-crisis-counselor/

​

5. USA: National Certified Peer Specialist (NCPS)

 

Provides training links to peer specialists.

 

URL: https://copelandcenter.com/peer-specialists

 

6. NAMI Peer-to-Peer

 

Freely available eight-session educational program for adults with mental health conditions who are looking to better understand themselves and their recovery.

​

URL: https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Mental-Health-Education/NAMI-Peer-to-Peer

 

7. The Support Network

​

Empowers college students across the [USA] to create an inclusive community and support each other’s identity, mental well-being, and day-to-day lives through peer-facilitated groups and bi-weekly community events.

​

URL: https://www.thesupportnetwork.org/​

​

8. Active Listening

​

Helps with learning active listening skills, and to connect with someone through empathy and understanding.

​

URL: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/active_listening

​

9. How to be a more effective listener

​

Provides information on how to be a more effective listener.

​

URL: https://www.bluezones.com/2021/06/how-to-be-a-more-effective-listener-and-whats-in-it-for-you/

​

10. WHO QualityRights e-training on mental health

 

Available in 11 languages, and covers a diversity of topics in mental health, including: taking care of one’s own mental health; supporting friends, family and colleagues with their mental health; tackling stigma, discrimination, abuse and coercion in mental health services; and taking action in support of transformation of mental health services towards a person-centered, rights-based recovery approach.

 

URL: https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/policy-law-rights/qr-e-training

 

11. Mental Health Screen

 

Anonymous emotional health assessment tool.

 

URL: https://www.helpyourselfhelpothers.org