Recovery Talks
Recovery Talks
Montana's Peer Network
Defining Peer Support Language
41 minutes Posted Jul 31, 2026 at 8:22 pm.
0:00
41:40
Download MP3
Show notes
In this episode of Recovery Talks, Jim and Andi tackle the growing confusion around terminology in the peer support field. They dig into how words like "peer," "peer supporter," "peer support specialist," and "peer worker" are increasingly used interchangeably by providers and organizations which may blur or dilute their actual meaning.
The conversation traces the evolution of language in the recovery movement, from older terms like "consumer," "client," and "patient" to today's push toward "peer" and "lived experience." Jim and Andi discuss:
The legal/professional distinction in Montana between a "peer supporter" and a certified "peer support specialist"
Why person-centered, recovery-oriented language (versus clinical language) helps build connection rather than hierarchy or separation
How language shapes identity and self-perception for people in recovery, especially peer supporters who've experienced relapse
The importance of self-care and resiliency planning within peer support training, and why relapsed peer supporters often don't return to the workforce
How modeling recovery-oriented language can gradually shift culture
A preview of MPN's new Peer Advocacy, Change and Empowerment workbook and companion online course