Why peer support matters in mental health — and how Safe Haven brings it to life
When life feels overwhelming, most of us instinctively reach for another human being. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or even a kind stranger, connection can help us find the strength to keep going.
The healing power of human connection is at the heart of peer support in mental health. It’s also the focus of this year’s Mental Health Month theme, “connecting when it counts”, which highlights the importance of reaching out (and being there for others) during life’s challenges. Across Australia, Peer Practitioners are now recognised as a vital part of the workforce: they bring lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery into the service they provide, offering support that is authentic, hopeful, and grounded in the lived experience framework and skillset.
At Sonder, peer support is at the heart of many of our services. Nowhere is this more evident than at Safe Haven in Salisbury, our walk-in after-hours mental health service led by Peer Practitioners. Instead of facing distress alone or waiting for hours in an Emergency Department, people can walk into Safe Haven and be welcomed into a calm, supportive space by a Peer Practitioner who understands what they’re going through – because they’ve lived it too.
In this article, we explore why peer support matters, the science behind it, and how it’s reshaping the mental health system, anchored in the real-world example of Safe Haven.
What is peer support in the context of mental health?
Peer support refers to the employment of people with lived experience of mental health challenges and/or recovery in roles where they can support others who are experiencing mental health challenges.
Unlike volunteers or informal supports, Peer Practitioners are highly skilled and trained professionals. They combine their own experiences with their skills and education to help people in distress or on recovery journeys.
When supporting an individual, they listen, validate, share coping strategies, and assist them to navigate and advocate for themselves within services. Importantly, they don’t replace clinicians, like psychologists, social practitioners, and psychiatrists: they complement them.
At Safe Haven, our Peer Practitioners greet you at the door and welcome you into a calm, non-clinical space. From there, you can talk one-on-one, sit quietly, or even play a board game – whatever you need to feel grounded and safe.
Why peer support matters in mental health
A shift in mental health care
Around the world, mental health systems are changing. Experts, including the World Health Organization, have long advocated for services that are person-centred, community-based, and respectful of people’s rights.
Central to this shift is the growing recognition of the unique value of lived experience. Peer Practitioners bring understanding, compassion, and a sense of hope that cannot be replicated by traditional models of care. Where medical services seek to diagnose and treat a person’s underlying psychopathology, peer support offers human connection as a vehicle for recovery .
Tackling loneliness and isolation
One of the most powerful aspects of peer support is its ability to counter loneliness, which is something many people experience during emotional distress.
Loneliness is now recognised as a major public health issue with around 15% of Australians aged 15 and over experiencing social isolation. The consequences are significant: prolonged loneliness keeps stress hormones elevated, disrupts sleep, makes everyday tasks more difficult, and overtime can intensify anxiety and depression. It also affects physical health – research shows chronic loneliness has the same effect on our bodies as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
This is where peer support shines. By its very nature, it breaks through isolation. Peer Practitioners reach out, listen deeply, and offer understanding that reminds people they are not alone – their struggles are seen, heard, and shared.
A service designed differently
At Safe Haven, people can drop in and be met with genuine understanding – whether that means talking with someone who truly gets it or simply sitting in quiet company without pressure or judgment. That simple moment of connection can be the difference between spiralling further into distress and finding a spark of hope.
More than just a service, Safe Haven is a calm, welcoming, non-clinical environment — a local example of the person-centred approach that global experts are calling for. From the warmth of the staff, to the thoughtful furnishing and soft lighting, every detail is designed to reassure people that they are safe, valued, and welcome.
Safe Haven is unlike any other service. It offers connection, care, hope, and most importantly to me, belonging. Following a period of multiple hospitalisations, the most valuable resource I received from the Emergency Department was Safe Haven’s brochure.
Safe Haven provided a space where I was seen, heard, and valued. The Safe Haven peers who walked alongside me showed me unwavering hope and made me feel like I was capable of achieving so much more.
Safe Haven reaches far beyond brief single intervention support and instead offers a community that allows for people to flourish and thrive. I made lifelong connections during my time at the service, and for the first time I understood what it felt like to belong.
I once couldn’t imagine having a future outside of suffering, but I now have the privilege of working as a Peer Practitioner and instilling the same sense of hope I was gifted. My future feels so bright that I no longer require the support of mental health services and I am incredibly thankful every day to have been given a chance.
– Safe Haven guest
Why peer support works: the science of human connection
Far from being an unproven support, the impact of peer support is supported by neuroscience and human biology.
Impact on hormones
When we feel genuinely supported by another person, our bodies respond differently to stress in two ways. Research shows that the presence of a trusted person can lower cortisol (also known as the “stress hormone”) during stressful events. This makes it easier to think clearly and reduces the physical “fight or flight” response.
At the same time, oxytocin (also known as the “bonding hormone”) and social support work together to reduce anxiety and increase resilience. Because Peer Practitioners bring both empathy and credibility, they amplify this effect in a powerful way.
In practice at Safe Haven: Someone arriving panicked may find their breathing or heart rate slowing down simply because a Peer Practitioner sits beside them and listens without judgement.
Nervous system regulation
Our nervous system constantly scans the environment for signals of safety or threat. When we detect threat, our bodies prepare for defence – this is known as the fight-or-flight response. But when we sense safety through cues such as warm voices, relaxed facial expressions, or gentle body language, our bodies enter a much calmer state, which helps us engage with others and think more clearly.
In practice at Safe Haven: Peer Practitioners, drawing on their own lived experience, provide a calm presence and genuine understanding, sending powerful signals of safety. The environment itself also reinforces this sense of safety: soft lighting, comfortable furniture, engaging activities, and welcoming artwork all send signals that encourage the body to relax and the mind to feel at ease.
Social baseline theory
Social baseline theory suggests that, when a trusted person is nearby, the brain perceives challenges as less demanding and threats as less severe.
Put simply, burdens feel lighter when shared. For someone facing overwhelming distress, simply having a peer at their side can make it feel possible to take the next step – whether that’s talking through a crisis or seeking further care.
In practice at Safe Haven: Making the decision to reach out for longer-term support can feel far less daunting when a Peer Practitioner is walking alongside you and helping you navigate services.
Mirror neurons
Humans are wired to learn by example. Our brains contain “mirror neurons” – cells that fire both when we act and when we watch someone else doing it.
Peer Practitioners embody recovery, not as the perfect endpoint, but as an ongoing process. Seeing someone who has lived through similar struggles and found a path forward can activate hope and possibility in ways that other forms of support cannot.
Credibility and relatability
Research shows that people are more likely to act on advice when it comes from someone they perceive as credible and relatable.
With Peer Practitioners, it is never a case of “us vs. them”. Their support carries weight because they’ve lived it themselves. They are living proof that things can get better – and that credibility boosts self-belief, a key factor in a person’s recovery.
What to expect at Safe Haven
It’s natural to feel nervous about walking into a new space for the first time, especially when you’re already feeling distressed. That’s why Safe Haven is designed to take the pressure off.
When you arrive, you’ll be welcomed by a Peer Practitioner. From there, you’ll have the option to:
- Talk one-on-one with a Peer Practitioner.
- Spend quiet time in a safe, calm environment – no pressure to talk.
- Join in a board game or craft activity.
- Learn about other support services if you want further help.
Whatever you need in that moment is completely valid. Some people come once, others return many times. You’re also welcome to bring a friend or family member with you.
Conclusion: the magic of peer support
The evidence is clear: peer support is effective, humane, and increasingly critical. It improves outcomes that matter, complements strained clinical services, and aligns perfectly with the science of human connection.
Safe Haven shows what peer support can achieve. Those who walk in feeling alone, distressed, or overwhelmed, often walk out lighter, having been heard, supported, and treated with dignity by Peer Practitioners who truly understand.
When life feels overwhelming, you don’t have to face it alone.
Walk in, take a deep breath, and find support from someone who understands. Safe Haven is located at 9 John Street, Salisbury, and is open from 5pm – 9pm, Tuesday – Friday. Drop-ins are encouraged and no appointment is necessary. To contact Safe Haven, call 8209 0700.
You don’t have to be a City of Salisbury local to access support from our Peer Practitioners; we incorporate peer support into many of our other mental health services available across South Australia. You can learn more at sonder.net.au/mental-health.