Peer support vs therapy: what's the difference?
Therapy is treatment from a trained, licensed professional who can assess and diagnose, while peer support is help from people who have lived through something similar; they meet different needs and work well together.
What therapy offers
A therapist is trained to assess what's going on, diagnose conditions, and use proven methods to help you change patterns over time. Therapy is private, structured and led by the professional.
What peer support offers
Peer support comes from people who have been there. It offers understanding, hope and a sense of belonging, and it's often free and available more often than therapy. Everyone in a peer group is an equal, sharing experience rather than advice.
Using both together
Many people go to a peer support group alongside therapy, between sessions, after therapy has ended, or while on a waiting list. Peer support doesn't replace professional care, and peers never make treatment or medication decisions for anyone.
People looking for free group therapy often find a free peer support group a good fit, as long as they know it's peer support rather than treatment.
When to get professional or urgent help
If you're struggling to get through the day, or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out to a doctor or therapist. If you're in danger, call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 999 in the UK). In the US you can call or text 988 any time; in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123.
Questions
Is peer support as good as therapy?
They do different things. Therapy is professional treatment; peer support is understanding from people who've been there. Many people benefit from both.
Is a support group the same as group therapy?
No. Group therapy is led by a licensed therapist. A peer support group is led by peers with lived experience, or guided by talking points, and isn't treatment.
Can I go to a peer support group while in therapy?
Yes. Many members do, and many therapists encourage it.