Peer Support Principles Flashcards

Trauma-informed peer support requires specialists to understand that challenging behaviors often represent:

Answer: Survival strategies developed in response to trauma

Trauma-informed practice recognizes that difficult behaviors are often adaptive responses to past trauma, not signs of weakness or willful non-compliance.

Cultural humility in peer support is best described as:

Answer: An ongoing process of self-reflection and learning about others' cultural identities

Cultural humility is a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and remaining open to learning, rather than claiming mastery of any culture.

Which of the following is a core tenant of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)?

Answer: Individuals identify personal wellness tools and action steps

WRAP is a self-designed plan where individuals identify their own wellness strategies, triggers, and action steps, reflecting the peer support value of self-direction.

A peer specialist is supporting someone from a different racial background and realizes their assumptions may not apply. The most appropriate response is to:

Answer: Approach the individual with curiosity and follow their lead

Approaching with curiosity and following the individual's lead respects their unique experience without making assumptions or placing the burden of education on them.

Which trauma-informed principle involves creating environments and relationships where people feel physically and emotionally safe?

Answer: Safety

Safety is the foundational trauma-informed principle, ensuring that both physical settings and interpersonal interactions feel secure for trauma survivors.

When a peer specialist responds to someone sharing a distressing experience by asking, 'How did that make you feel?' they are demonstrating:

Answer: Active listening

Asking open-ended questions about feelings is a core active listening technique that validates the person's experience and encourages deeper sharing.

In trauma-informed peer support, 'retraumatization' refers to:

Answer: Triggering trauma symptoms through insensitive interactions or environments

Retraumatization occurs when an insensitive interaction, environment, or practice triggers someone's past trauma, potentially worsening their distress.