Training to be peer support worker
Hey
I know i already have two others post around my training lol, sorry , thank you for all support. I just wanted another clearer one. & i know this seems like it should go more into student life but id rather focus on my wellbeing.
So ive gone 2 weeks of my training which have gone pretty fast. Hasnt been the easiest and have cried in 3 days. Training to be peer support worker("someone with significant MH challenges and uses to support others). It sounds easy, but honestly not. There is so much to learn. Literally new "recovery" langague and we have been learning some scenrieos and how we would deal with them.
I did telling my story & that was as good as could of went. It is just hard that in the classes, im scared i dont speak enough but am trying but everyones lovely.
The week coming, im starting placement - is for three days & im scared of saying/doing wrong thing ect. Dk if anyone has any advice around that. Im doing it with outpatients adults mental health team. And been texting with the girl who going to the same place too but doubt will be shadowing same person. And im just scared as never done shadowing stuff. Has anyone else ? And how to stop feeling so stressed.
My last week i have my commincation assessment which i am totally scared about - before go into the room we have a scernio of how the peer(patient) is feeling and from the moment we walk into the door and out - we are peer supoort worker & to me that sound realy stressful. And it is hard because there is acrually wrong & right things to say. From the langauge - to how you approach difficult situations. - to how the conversation lead
& then also on last week i have exam and preperation for graduation.
As well as my 12 assisgents i need to do on top of this training/classes. We have one or two extra weeks of no classes where we can do our assignemtns but still 1 week is nothing for how much work it is . We get homework too
And basically i don’t know how to stay calm. Im actually really less sucidial since which is weird. I think im doing & coping well tbh ive done some assignments& still going to work (primark). I guess im as stressed as have ever been, but my focus is not on dying.
But so anxious and stressed ((. Its really hard to breath a lot.
Alsoo soooooo tired:((( been not having much sleep
And want to say sorry that i have not been much help to others on here since starting my training. Just quite busy. Hope everyone else is okay
Comments
It sounds like you have a lot on your plate, and the fact that you feel you are coping and going to work is great.
It sounds like you are stressed about the communication assessment. Are there any particular reasons you feel more worried about this than any others? It sounds like you have put a lot of great work into your education.
In terms of your worries about shadowing don't worry about saying or doing anything wrong. From my experience shadowing and from knowing people who run shadowing programmes, is there are no silly questions. The employee you are shadowing will know you don't know everything, that is why you are there! It might help to think about it beforehand and ask yourself some questions like who are you shadowing, what do they do, is there anything you'd like to know about that.
Hope this helps in some way. Let us know how your shadowing goes!
How's your placement going today? You mentioned you're really struggling. We're here if you want to chat a bit about how it's going.
In your earlier post you mentioned you were feeling scared about shadowing today and worried about saying or doing something wrong. I know how much this course means to you and it's understandable to hear the pressure you're feeling to be a great peer support worker. Try and remember all those lovely comments you've been getting from your group. You already have so many great qualities that will make you a great peer support worker and this placement sounds like a great opportunity to learn some new skills too. I can already see how much your support to others here has progressed. It's great to see you putting into practice some of the skills you've already learnt. I've been finding it really interesting hearing about everything you've been learning and I'm learning a lot from you too. You're doing really well Shaunie
Going into a placement soon after training is a big step and you're not alone in how you're feeling. Is there anyone you can talk to at your placement about what you're struggling with?
Hope you're doing okay
yesterday we spent most time in the class room doing equality and diversity and challenging stimga and then spent some time at placement so wasnt too bad yesterday. But going to be spending whole day at placement today aswell as two other days this week.
Today is going to be more intense and i know the person im shadowing are going to ask me questions and i think the questions will be like ;what is a peer suport worker. Whats the difference between peer support worker and a support worker. And that some health professional have experience of mental health so whats the difference. And what are the benefits of peer supoort workers. I know the answer to all these. So hope nothing else gets asked lol. My mind keeps going blank tho
its hard in know how to support people. Cause things i used to say are like "im sorry to hear...." and "can hear youre sad BUT its great..." like i say the but all the time but apperntly none recovery lanaguge and just all sorts like diagnosis and certain words like "difficults" i cant say and scared will say somethng like that today aswell as usual wrong things to say. And using "I language" is really hard to remember
but yeah hope today isnt too bad cause gunna need to spent another two more days after lol
and im so stressed. Keep going to happy to sad to angry:(((((((( 😭😭😭hate myself
very anxious th
even though your this is your training and your really nervous, your training is prepairing you to help others and to help yourself in the future with his training
It perfectly normally to feel anxious when going round another patient house, you don't know what their like or how their react to your presents,
What your doing is amazing that your helping theirs people and your the best person for it as you have the experience of your mental health background, it the same thing between me and my mum, she has depression, I have depression, she helps me though my down times,
Stay strong girl, your doing amazing.
Finally finished for the day. Been to home visists and with out patients appointments and lots of meetings and im so tired. Massive headache. Stressed. Been in the car a lot too so now i feel very sick and havent eaten anything
edit. I am safe. Just attention seeker
youd make a good peer support worker. Thats how i need to support people lol
thank you
im just overwhelmed and stressed i think im not used to it and making me really irratable after 5pm. Gotten fed up of being around people by then lol. I think i may acrually take the weekend off this week cause dont think coping well anymore
How was the rest of the day? Understand you were a bit anxious because you thought it was going to be role-play for a lot of the day - was that right?
Totally get your annoyance with the person using their phone - I see this in meetings all the time and just think for gods sake why are you even here! I try and ignore it so I can be present and get the most out of the session myself - the other person has only got themselves to blame when they get to the end of the session and haven't actually gained anything. Yeh my only advice is just to try and focus on the session to get the most out of it for you.
I think taking the weekend off might help to chill and de-stress a bit if you still want to do that
- Lucy
but enjoying it lot better 😊
I'm so sad it's ending. Can not believe how fast it's gone.
Been challenging but everyone on the course is sooooo lovely & will miss it (( but we have a whatsapp group.
Today i have study day which i can choose to stay at home to do & i am. Tomorrow is the exam thats 2 hours. Then we have shared lunch where we are just bringing food in & yeah sharing lol. Reminds me of school ah. Kinda hate them cause yeah hate eating infront of people as it is let alone knowing wheather eat too little or too much.
I have already passed the commincation assessment which i am so suprised at that i kinda feel bad that they passed me for it. & for me it wasnt even a question on if i passed i just thought i failed. I dunno at what grade i passed it yet - just know wont need to do it again aha. probably the lowest. So yeah maybe i doubt myself too much. Feel should be happy but im just confused lol
i am kinda scared about the exam tomorrow but kinda not. The pass mark is 40 % which sounds very low. & he said he expects everyone to get distinstions. So yeah no pressure lol.
Then after tomorrow i still have all the assissgnments to do which i aint doing too bad with. Theyre all due in 7 th June. So two weeks. Which i think I'll get done. Hopefully
Then graduation is on 12th July which i am looking forward too. But i Dont really know what to expect tbh. Is plus two - so asked my sisters. But i do not want to make a 2 min speech in front of everyone & dreading that - what you suppose to say lol
Anyways I'm pretty proud of myself 😊 didn't get kicked of the course for being too quiet or even questioned with if I'm not contributing cause i did and I'm so pleased with myself & kept myself well I think and i have passed the hardest part already!!!! 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Congratulations on passing the assessment!
It sounds like you are worried about speaking in front of an audience and you aren’t sure what to say. I’ve been told it helps to ask yourself questions about what you’ve done, and then use your answers to those questions to flesh out your speech. So for example: what did you enjoy about your course experience? What are your hopes for the future after graduation?
Practice makes perfect. Try take the time to go over your speech a couple times and it should hopefully come more naturally to you.
It’s really good that you feel proud of yourself. It sounds like you did great on your course.
Good luck with your exam. Let us know how it goes!
good place to start with thinking about those questions.
I'm trying to revise and I've read through my whole folder writing some notes but it has felt pointless cause feel i already know it. Which i have a feeling is a bad thing since i probably Dont
You should be super proud for getting a place on and course and completing your exam today. Well done !
But I'm waiting for the peer support worker jobs to come out in CAMHS which should be soon since can apply before know results
Just got shit load of module assignment questions to do. But yesterday I went to work & managed to answer a whole module which pleased about. Have to complete them all and printed by the 7th. & I hate referencing & dk how to do that
And I'm so tired. & hating working in retail even more
& tbh I really Dont want to go to Graduation, have to do 5 min speech lol & someone asked if we have to go. And he said ” graduation Is basically part of the training & big thing to end with by acknowledging your achievements & how you got there” ”its a big date in our NHS calendar” and only can't go if have good reason. so yeah guess do have to go
I'm really proud of you for completing your training! This is such a great achievement! It's really great to hear your final exam went well too
It's really exciting you can start applying for jobs soon! Keep us updated with how that goes and let us know if you need any help with your applications. How did you find your placement in the end? Do you know what area you'd like to work in?
I hope the rest of your assignments go okay. Referencing is a nightmare! I used to have to do this with my uni coursework. My top tip is to do this as you go and not leave it till the last minute! Do you know what type of referencing you need to do? I think there are two different styles so depending on the one you're doing, I might be able to share some links that can help you
It sounds like you're feeling quite worried about graduation. Are you worried about the speech you have to do or are there other things about the day you're worried about?
Well done again Shaunie! Very proud of you