ABOUT PTSD Peer Support

What is PEER SUPPORT? Peer Support occurs when individuals with similar experience, such as PTSD, anxiety or depression draw upon their personal journey’s, to provide understanding, engagement and support for one another. With lived experience in common, peers can uniquely connect which builds rapport, fostering hope and inspiration towards recovery. Peer support thrives on mutual trust, equality, shared understanding, respect and mutual empowerment among people in similar situations.

What does PTSD PEER SUPPORT Provide?: A platform for non-professional, mutual peer support, that encourages evidence based solutions. PPS provides online meet-ups 7 days a week 365 days a year, face to face Cafe Connect meet-ups, Information Masterclasses delivered by health professionals and holistic professionals, and Tool Box Talks where people with lived experience of PTSD, anxiety, or depression talk about something that helped or helps them in their recovery.

PTSD PEER SUPPORT introduction statement: PTSD Peer Support is a community of individuals who have lived or are living with PTSD, anxiety and depression. We mutually share our lived experiences, resilience, and hope to support and encourage each other on our journey to wellness. PTSD Peer Support is independent of other organisations, maintaining a neutral stance on external issues. This ensures our primary focus remains on our communities needs. Our core objective is to concentrate on our own recovery and wellness goals while encouraging and supporting others in their wellness journeys.

Collaborations: .Our community actively collaborates with Health Professionals to deliver information masterclasses on evidence-based wellness topics, focusing on better understanding ourselves and improving our lives. These information sessions are grounded in evidence-based research, and delivered in easy to understand language.

Our Values: To sustain a safe and healthy community, we ask our members to practice the values of COMPASSION, KINDNESS, PATIENCE, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, and PRIVACY at all PTSD Peer Support events. Our wellness thrives on these principles as we interact with each other. Though we come from diverse backgrounds, we are united with a common goal: to improve and maintain our wellness.

What does it cost to JOIN: There is NO SIGN-UP fee for PTSD PEER SUPPORT membership because we believe in eliminating financial barriers to accessing support. This resource is funded by its members, its friends, and its supporters’ financial gifts and skill set contributions. If you wish to contribute toward the running costs of this resource, we would be very grateful. You can click this link to our website DONATE page for more information on how to chip-in.

If you would like to sign up and contribute financially, various options are available for you to chose from. Your contribution will help fund the running costs and improvements of this resource and its outreach. Your contribution will help us, help you, help others.

Where does the money go? PTSD Peer Support is currently registered as a sole trader and is operating as a Social Enterprise until it is in a position to register as a Not-For-Profit. Financial gifts are used to cover the running costs of the business and excess funds are reinvested back into PTSD Peer Support to develop and expand the outreach of this service. PPS is currently run by volunteers with lived experience of PTSD, anxiety and depression.

What we DON’T do: PTSD Peer Support is not a counselling service, and does not offer diagnosis or crisis care services. We encourage involving your doctor and/or a mental health professionals in your wellness journey. (PPS provides a platform for non-professional, mutual peer support, that encourages evidence based solutions.) Below is a list of help services if you are seeking crisis support.

When did it start? Kat, the founder, had been suffering from PTSD for two years, experiencing anxiety, deep depression and suicidal thoughts. She found herself unable to afford her psychologist when she desperately needed support. Living in an isolated rural area, Kat realized she couldn’t be the only one in this situation. Determined to address her own isolation and that of others she began to formulate the idea of a peer support community in January 2023. This has since become PTSD Peer Support.

PTSD Peer Support initially started as Life Improvement Gym and registered the business name on the 28 July 2023. Kat held a focus group involving PTSD peers and health professionals on 26th July 2024 to do an overall review of the business concept and plan. One of the key recommendations was to change the name to make it easier to remember and clearer in its purpose. On the 28th September 2024 the name PTSD PEER SUPPORT was adopted and registered. While the name changed the service and concept remained the same and now more accurately reflecting our mission.

Where did it start?, It started in Myrtle Creek, New South Wales (NSW) Australia. Myrtle Creek is located in rural Northern Rivers region and the area is the traditional home of the Bundjalung Nation.

Who Started it? Katrina Kinn (KAT) started PTSD Peer Support when she was suffering with PTSD and was unable to financially afford professional help. She wanted to create a resource that was free, that included peer support and access to evidence based information that supported recovery. Her story is on the team page